Foxtrot08
Silver Member
Been noticing a lot of posts about diesel on here and issues it's causing.
In the vast majority of the US now, all diesel fuel - including off road 'dyed' fuel is now, 15 PPM fuel. The only areas still allowed to have 500 PPM diesel is marine fuels and remote parts of the United States - Alaska, certain parts of Montana / North Dakota, etc. But, for all conversational purposes - all diesel is ULSD, no matter what the re-seller says.
15 PPM sulfur diesel is a number - a top end number, meaning it cannot exceed 15 Parts per million of sulfur - however, it could be less, a lot less - and this is rather important.
First off, sulfur was a lubricant inside of fuel, which kept our injectors running smoothly, our fuel pumps and well just about everything else that the fuel touched, for that matter. With out this much needed lubricant, the fuel became dry and it also became hygroscopic. What does that mean? Our fuel collects water - was more then it used to, even old diesel was hygroscopic, but a lot less then the newer fuels.
Some states now require a 2% or 5% blend of Bio-diesel, which adds in another set of problems in fuel today. Bio-diesel's problems include a high gel point - just under 32 degrees, higher acidity in engine oils, eliminating the ability to go 'extended drain intervals', a shelf life (yes, Bio Diesel goes bad), solubility issues and more.
However, the upside of Bio-diesel, is it replaces the lost lubricant from the sulfur, bio diesel is a natural lubricant and if used / stored / treated properly can actually have some net fuel economy gains and extend the life of parts. So it's not all bad.
Now combine these changes of fuels, with changes in engine design and engineering and you have quiet an issue. Injectors are tighter tolerances, same with fuel pumps. Fuel lines now run at higher pressures, common rail fuel systems can push 26,000+ PSI easily. Fuel filters are now tighter tolerances - we can get as low as 3 micron in some filters, which means even tighter tolerances on that.
So, what issues as I, in the fuels industry see a lot?
Premature filter clogging - I run roughly 80 Semis, lots of other equipment, etc. So I see how many fuel filters we use. Personally, I now change my fuel filters on my 08 F250 with every oil change - roughly 5000-7000 miles.
Premature failure of components - Injectors, fuel pumps, etc. Including tank rot - we've been buying a lot more fuel tanks as well.
Basically, the same thing the every day users see - just a lot more of it across the board.
So how do you fix these issues?
First off, be specific where you buy your fuel from - especially if you live where it can be cold. Not all fuels are created equal - every refinery / terminal is different. For example, we DO NOT sell Ergon branded fuel in the winter, even if they are the cheapest price. Why? Their fuel is so hydro-treated (the method of removing sulfur) it comes out between 1-3 PPM of sulfur - leading to a higher gel point. As well, this fuel is impossible to treat with fuel additive. We have sent it to several labs, across the US - we've tried every major producer of fuel additive currently marketed in the United States. (We happen to work closely with a company that blends 14 major brands of fuel additive... they all come out of the same tank.) And we work directly with Infineum for our own fuel additives. Ergon fuel, winter blend, simply does not accept additives.
Secondly, top your tank off every night. Done mowing your grass with your BX22? Top the tank off. Just drove 200 miles with your F350 and not going to drive again for a few days? Top your tank off. With return line fuel coming back hot, into a cold tank, with the chemical properties of ULSD, water forms. For those who think "there is not water in diesel" - there is. A layer of what the industry calls 'mother' sits on the bottom of the tank. It's water, bacteria (algae), dirt, rust, whatever that comes into the tank, or from the return fuel line. Fuel tanks are NOT air tight, they have to breathe, it's the way a fuel system works. With that, atmospheric humidity gets into the tanks - Hot fuel going into cold fuel, combined with humidity = condensation. Leaving more room in the tank = more water in the fuel.
Don't believe me? Go to a local fuel station and ask them to stick one of their underground storage tanks. It's the same reason why you never buy fuel when they're taking a delivery. They stir up all the crap in the bottom of the tank and it gets sucked through their pump. Most fuel pumps have one of these 3 filters: 50 micron particle, 30 micro particle or if you're lucky/request it on a private tank: 15 micro hygroscopic filter.
As your vehicle moves, the fuel gets moved around naturally - that layer of mother that was once in the bottom of the tank, is now heading towards your fuel filter. As previously stated, with the tighter tolerances of fuel filters, they are now easier to plug.
Older equipment often had carbon steel fuel tanks. As the equipment sits - the tanks naturally rust. Before, this was not a big deal. The new fuel will simple now, clean that rust off. Where does it go? In the bottom of your tank, then your fuel filter. This has been a major issue as well.
Bus lines, not-every-day use vehicles and equipment, etc. All have these issues. The biggest thing is, Top off the tanks after every use. We supply a lot of contractors and school buses. Contractors have changed their way from getting fuel every morning, to now topping off every night. Buses? Not so much... guess who is having fuel filter issues now in new equipment?
Fuel additive - is now a must. If you buy a good fuel, put additive in it. If you have a private tank and get deliveries - see if the company you buy from puts fuel additive in it or not. It may even be a line item on your bill. My company, does - we put additive in every drop of fuel we sell, on road or off road. Simply what we want to do, as a family owned company - and for roughly a cent a gallon? We will take that to deliver quality fuels.
It doesn't matter what brand you use - Lucus, PowerService, Shaffers, etc. Just run a fuel additive. They will help kill the bacteria and keep everything lubricated inside of the fuel systems. The industry is coming out with some new products that will continue to help this issue. I know we're working with a company out of Canada on a new fuel additive. The folks over at power service who I saw a few weeks ago, are launching a new product that not only is a biocide (kills the bacteria in fuel) but now breaks it up so that it will pass through filters instead of plugging them.
Major issue with just a flat 'biocide' is it still will plug filters - even if the bacteria is dead, because it does not dissolve in the fuel.
No, 2 stroke oil or used motor oil does not count. They do nothing to support the fuel in anyway. It adds nothing to the cold plug point (actually makes it Higher for us winter people), as a lubricity additive it's 'meh' because it doesn't suspend right chemically in the fuel - it basically sinks. Let alone, if you have any of the new emissions equipment it would be a disaster on that. (EGR / DPF / DEF / SCR) Running used motor oil is an even worse - metal shavings, copper, blow by, anti-freeze, etc.
Third, just expect to change fuel filters more. It's not a bad habit to change them every oil change - cheaper then having to change them in the field, or on the side of the road. As well, anyone who goes long distance - it's not a bad idea to pack an extra set. All my over the road trucks carry a spare set of filters on them now.
"Why is this not caught by the tank filter?" - I get this a lot. We have hundreds, if not thousands of fuel tanks all over the region we service. The issue is this: The fuel filter on the tank is doing it's job, it's catching what it can, but remember the fuel in the tank is a static temperature - you don't have hot fuel / cold fuel mixing in the tank. Trust me, we have been changing tank filters a lot more then we used to as well so it's happening there - it's just not something as visible as a truck or tractor not working. This is leading to more fuel pumps breaking because they're trying to pump through a clogged filter.
If you own a few pieces of equipment, or even a diesel truck/tractor - consider asking your local fuel distributor for a small, 275 gallon tank. Or even buying a 55 gallon drum with a hand pump and a filter on it for your home tractor. (That's what I have for my 2305 - it's also my back up home heating oil.)
Big upfront cost, but if you buy right - buying from a distributor vs. retail can save a ton of money - and effort.
Hope this helps. A little back ground on me - the company I work for and my family owns, sells roughly 20 million gallons of fuel a year as well as roughly 18 million gallons of lubricant products a year. Placing us as one of the largest lubricant distributors in the US.
If you have questions on oils, greases, hydraulic fluids, coolants, cutting oils or fuels - please ask me. I've grown up in the oil business, I work in it every day. If I don't know the answer, I work with about 5 other lubricant engineers. I will find out the answer for you.
In the vast majority of the US now, all diesel fuel - including off road 'dyed' fuel is now, 15 PPM fuel. The only areas still allowed to have 500 PPM diesel is marine fuels and remote parts of the United States - Alaska, certain parts of Montana / North Dakota, etc. But, for all conversational purposes - all diesel is ULSD, no matter what the re-seller says.
15 PPM sulfur diesel is a number - a top end number, meaning it cannot exceed 15 Parts per million of sulfur - however, it could be less, a lot less - and this is rather important.
First off, sulfur was a lubricant inside of fuel, which kept our injectors running smoothly, our fuel pumps and well just about everything else that the fuel touched, for that matter. With out this much needed lubricant, the fuel became dry and it also became hygroscopic. What does that mean? Our fuel collects water - was more then it used to, even old diesel was hygroscopic, but a lot less then the newer fuels.
Some states now require a 2% or 5% blend of Bio-diesel, which adds in another set of problems in fuel today. Bio-diesel's problems include a high gel point - just under 32 degrees, higher acidity in engine oils, eliminating the ability to go 'extended drain intervals', a shelf life (yes, Bio Diesel goes bad), solubility issues and more.
However, the upside of Bio-diesel, is it replaces the lost lubricant from the sulfur, bio diesel is a natural lubricant and if used / stored / treated properly can actually have some net fuel economy gains and extend the life of parts. So it's not all bad.
Now combine these changes of fuels, with changes in engine design and engineering and you have quiet an issue. Injectors are tighter tolerances, same with fuel pumps. Fuel lines now run at higher pressures, common rail fuel systems can push 26,000+ PSI easily. Fuel filters are now tighter tolerances - we can get as low as 3 micron in some filters, which means even tighter tolerances on that.
So, what issues as I, in the fuels industry see a lot?
Premature filter clogging - I run roughly 80 Semis, lots of other equipment, etc. So I see how many fuel filters we use. Personally, I now change my fuel filters on my 08 F250 with every oil change - roughly 5000-7000 miles.
Premature failure of components - Injectors, fuel pumps, etc. Including tank rot - we've been buying a lot more fuel tanks as well.
Basically, the same thing the every day users see - just a lot more of it across the board.
So how do you fix these issues?
First off, be specific where you buy your fuel from - especially if you live where it can be cold. Not all fuels are created equal - every refinery / terminal is different. For example, we DO NOT sell Ergon branded fuel in the winter, even if they are the cheapest price. Why? Their fuel is so hydro-treated (the method of removing sulfur) it comes out between 1-3 PPM of sulfur - leading to a higher gel point. As well, this fuel is impossible to treat with fuel additive. We have sent it to several labs, across the US - we've tried every major producer of fuel additive currently marketed in the United States. (We happen to work closely with a company that blends 14 major brands of fuel additive... they all come out of the same tank.) And we work directly with Infineum for our own fuel additives. Ergon fuel, winter blend, simply does not accept additives.
Secondly, top your tank off every night. Done mowing your grass with your BX22? Top the tank off. Just drove 200 miles with your F350 and not going to drive again for a few days? Top your tank off. With return line fuel coming back hot, into a cold tank, with the chemical properties of ULSD, water forms. For those who think "there is not water in diesel" - there is. A layer of what the industry calls 'mother' sits on the bottom of the tank. It's water, bacteria (algae), dirt, rust, whatever that comes into the tank, or from the return fuel line. Fuel tanks are NOT air tight, they have to breathe, it's the way a fuel system works. With that, atmospheric humidity gets into the tanks - Hot fuel going into cold fuel, combined with humidity = condensation. Leaving more room in the tank = more water in the fuel.
Don't believe me? Go to a local fuel station and ask them to stick one of their underground storage tanks. It's the same reason why you never buy fuel when they're taking a delivery. They stir up all the crap in the bottom of the tank and it gets sucked through their pump. Most fuel pumps have one of these 3 filters: 50 micron particle, 30 micro particle or if you're lucky/request it on a private tank: 15 micro hygroscopic filter.
As your vehicle moves, the fuel gets moved around naturally - that layer of mother that was once in the bottom of the tank, is now heading towards your fuel filter. As previously stated, with the tighter tolerances of fuel filters, they are now easier to plug.
Older equipment often had carbon steel fuel tanks. As the equipment sits - the tanks naturally rust. Before, this was not a big deal. The new fuel will simple now, clean that rust off. Where does it go? In the bottom of your tank, then your fuel filter. This has been a major issue as well.
Bus lines, not-every-day use vehicles and equipment, etc. All have these issues. The biggest thing is, Top off the tanks after every use. We supply a lot of contractors and school buses. Contractors have changed their way from getting fuel every morning, to now topping off every night. Buses? Not so much... guess who is having fuel filter issues now in new equipment?
Fuel additive - is now a must. If you buy a good fuel, put additive in it. If you have a private tank and get deliveries - see if the company you buy from puts fuel additive in it or not. It may even be a line item on your bill. My company, does - we put additive in every drop of fuel we sell, on road or off road. Simply what we want to do, as a family owned company - and for roughly a cent a gallon? We will take that to deliver quality fuels.
It doesn't matter what brand you use - Lucus, PowerService, Shaffers, etc. Just run a fuel additive. They will help kill the bacteria and keep everything lubricated inside of the fuel systems. The industry is coming out with some new products that will continue to help this issue. I know we're working with a company out of Canada on a new fuel additive. The folks over at power service who I saw a few weeks ago, are launching a new product that not only is a biocide (kills the bacteria in fuel) but now breaks it up so that it will pass through filters instead of plugging them.
Major issue with just a flat 'biocide' is it still will plug filters - even if the bacteria is dead, because it does not dissolve in the fuel.
No, 2 stroke oil or used motor oil does not count. They do nothing to support the fuel in anyway. It adds nothing to the cold plug point (actually makes it Higher for us winter people), as a lubricity additive it's 'meh' because it doesn't suspend right chemically in the fuel - it basically sinks. Let alone, if you have any of the new emissions equipment it would be a disaster on that. (EGR / DPF / DEF / SCR) Running used motor oil is an even worse - metal shavings, copper, blow by, anti-freeze, etc.
Third, just expect to change fuel filters more. It's not a bad habit to change them every oil change - cheaper then having to change them in the field, or on the side of the road. As well, anyone who goes long distance - it's not a bad idea to pack an extra set. All my over the road trucks carry a spare set of filters on them now.
"Why is this not caught by the tank filter?" - I get this a lot. We have hundreds, if not thousands of fuel tanks all over the region we service. The issue is this: The fuel filter on the tank is doing it's job, it's catching what it can, but remember the fuel in the tank is a static temperature - you don't have hot fuel / cold fuel mixing in the tank. Trust me, we have been changing tank filters a lot more then we used to as well so it's happening there - it's just not something as visible as a truck or tractor not working. This is leading to more fuel pumps breaking because they're trying to pump through a clogged filter.
If you own a few pieces of equipment, or even a diesel truck/tractor - consider asking your local fuel distributor for a small, 275 gallon tank. Or even buying a 55 gallon drum with a hand pump and a filter on it for your home tractor. (That's what I have for my 2305 - it's also my back up home heating oil.)
Big upfront cost, but if you buy right - buying from a distributor vs. retail can save a ton of money - and effort.
Hope this helps. A little back ground on me - the company I work for and my family owns, sells roughly 20 million gallons of fuel a year as well as roughly 18 million gallons of lubricant products a year. Placing us as one of the largest lubricant distributors in the US.
If you have questions on oils, greases, hydraulic fluids, coolants, cutting oils or fuels - please ask me. I've grown up in the oil business, I work in it every day. If I don't know the answer, I work with about 5 other lubricant engineers. I will find out the answer for you.
