What creates "bad diesel" fuel ?

[puzlrock]

Several years ago I experienced a summer of "frequent" fuel filter changes. On the T1530 NH that I cut several fields with I had to change the filter often. The machine would just not maintain power & speed. After the filter change it would immediately be back to spec.
I was buying my diesel at the same location that year and when I finally decided that my filter issues were caused by the fuel I was using I changed to another source ................. and the issues went away. I've only changed the filter once in the last two years and the symptom is the rpm drop & power loss.
I'm suspicious that something in the fuel "coats" the filter. Anyone else have similar problems ?

Sounds like they have a bacterial problem in their tanks. The by product of bacteria in Bio-diesel is water. You need to get an additive to treat your machinery and fuel tanks or the problem will continue.
I use PRI-D that I get at: TheEpicenter.com Emergency Preparedness Food & Survival Supplies
under the "Power" header. it solves most of the problems listed here, read up on it, it is great stuff. Running your tank empty up north in the winter just invites condensation in, bad idea.
I have 55 gallon barrels I treat and they stay fresh and free of bacterial.
Wouldn't hurt to look and it only takes an ounce to treat 15 gallons, lubes your pump and injectors and cleans your system. Much better than anything else out there and not very expensive. I use Power Service to stop jelling and I use #2 diesel in all my equipment all the time and it gets real cold here, runs great.

 

[joea99]

I was told to pour the diesel into the tractor through a sock because there is so much crap in it. I actually haven't tried it but am careful to not run it too low so it doesn't pull from the bottom of the tank. I haven't had a problem except the one time I did that.

I've heard the "bottom of the tank" warning from friends and relatives, but it makes no sense to me.

The fuel pickup is at the bottom of the tank in most any vehicle, so it's always "pulling from the bottom". In any event, water, dirt and other heavier than oil stuff is going to settle at the bottom anyway.

 

[lspat]

Several years ago I experienced a summer of "frequent" fuel filter changes. On the T1530 NH that I cut several fields with I had to change the filter often. The machine would just not maintain power & speed. After the filter change it would immediately be back to spec.
I was buying my diesel at the same location that year and when I finally decided that my filter issues were caused by the fuel I was using I changed to another source ................. and the issues went away. I've only changed the filter once in the last two years and the symptom is the rpm drop & power loss.
I'm suspicious that something in the fuel "coats" the filter. Anyone else have similar problems ?

Working in the fuel additive world
For a few years I can comment with some experience. Refiners Will usually have to go through a strict QA procedure to be able to release their product to market(but in the perfect world sometimes things happen), that being said I’m sure it’s not a supplier problem but more of a distribution problem i.e. the fuel station/delivery. If your problem fuel station, is fairly slow at selling its product, the diesel can become “expired” meaning it lacks certain properties that good clean diesel has to offer. Over time stuff settles out of the diesel and it becomes less effective in your engine. The fuel can become almost a rusty red colour, and smell bad on certain occasions(would not recommend smelling diesel )
also I have seen above ground tanks participate water into its fuel through condensation. Also if your area is prone to heavy rains and flooding sometimes inground tanks can get water in the fuel due to leaking gaskets on their filler caps.
If you have a glass jar put some bad diesel in it, and give it a swirl and let it set for a half hour, if you notice some white ish stuff in the bottom that would be water or some other heavy contamination. And if you really want to go the extra mile, cool the diesel down to a cold temperature (colder the better) and see if it becomes cloudy.
Going forward I would definitely go with the station that has been less problematic for you, I got a bad batch of diesel one time in my bulldozer and it took the injection pump out we narrowed if down to bad diesel in the tank.

 

[ovrszd]

I was told to pour the diesel into the tractor through a sock because there is so much crap in it. I actually haven't tried it but am careful to not run it too low so it doesn't pull from the bottom of the tank. I haven't had a problem except the one time I did that.

The fuel pickup in the tank is in a fixed location. It pulls fuel from the same spot regardless of how full the tank is. Water is heavier than fuel so it's always on the bottom, where the pickup is. The benefits of keeping the tank full is less condensation. If the vehicle has an intank pump there's an additional benefit of the fuel cooling the pump better if the tank is full.

I'm not sure I'd want the cotton fuzz from the sock in my fuel tank.

 

[Bearcat81]

I have read all these comments with personal interest. My opinions are: Do Not use bio-diesel (soybeans and diesel grow 'organism' that clog filters peer the advice of my New Holland sales mgr's advice years ago....; I buy 'red' diesel from my Cps (2) which have high turnover because of the ag sales, and, the non-red high turnover from otr truckers. I am a big believer in Howes; Diesel Plus; Lucas; Stanadyne additives/'enhancers'-but, too much non-measured use can cause problems (more is not better). As an aside, I buy some kerosene in a smaller 'can' and add it in periodically (especially winter-5 degrees here this a.m. with a stiff wind chill)--works like viagara and cialis for these old beasts we shed (not straight kero though I was told by our eldest son who worked for C-NH). Happy New Year.

 

[English Rugby Fan]

Several years ago I experienced a summer of "frequent" fuel filter changes. On the T1530 NH that I cut several fields with I had to change the filter often. The machine would just not maintain power & speed. After the filter change it would immediately be back to spec.
I was buying my diesel at the same location that year and when I finally decided that my filter issues were caused by the fuel I was using I changed to another source ................. and the issues went away. I've only changed the filter once in the last two years and the symptom is the rpm drop & power loss.
I'm suspicious that something in the fuel "coats" the filter. Anyone else have similar problems ?

Though I run a single tractor Mahindra 1533, it does hard work around our small farm. The gas station 2 miles away frequently cleans the diesel tanks but never Properly cleans all the sediment out hence on a number of occasions my Mahindra would suffer the consequence! Learnt a lesson and used a Murphy USA with high turnover and happily no more problems plus I’m adding Starton Marine HD Fuel additive.

 

[Raul-02]

Not a good idea to add fresh fuel to old fuel when the tractor tank is half full.

Why's that?

 

[LyHale]

One bulk plant here was selling bio diesel and not telling anyone. The buyers had problems and couldn't figure out why. Once the customers figured the plant out, they bought somewhere else and problems went away.

Biodiesel cleans fuel systems more vigorously than petroleum diesel. It is normal for new biodiesel users to have to change a fuel filter or two as their tractors or vehicles are cleaned up.

 

[Dwilson540]

Several years ago I experienced a summer of "frequent" fuel filter changes. On the T1530 NH that I cut several fields with I had to change the filter often. The machine would just not maintain power & speed. After the filter change it would immediately be back to spec.
I was buying my diesel at the same location that year and when I finally decided that my filter issues were caused by the fuel I was using I changed to another source ................. and the issues went away. I've only changed the filter once in the last two years and the symptom is the rpm drop & power loss.
I'm suspicious that something in the fuel "coats" the filter. Anyone else have similar problems ?

This may or may not be an answer to your specific problem..... I used to be a sailor (Lost our boat in Katrina) and know that depending on conditions bacteria can grow in diesel fuel. I once was renting a boat in the Florida Keys and had repeated problems with the fuel. Basically the boat sat long enough that there was a large bacteria growth and the fuel filters filtered it out and clogged up. https://conidia.com/diesel-bug/

 

[priberc]

Several years ago I experienced a summer of "frequent" fuel filter changes. On the T1530 NH that I cut several fields with I had to change the filter often. The machine would just not maintain power & speed. After the filter change it would immediately be back to spec.
I was buying my diesel at the same location that year and when I finally decided that my filter issues were caused by the fuel I was using I changed to another source ................. and the issues went away. I've only changed the filter once in the last two years and the symptom is the rpm drop & power loss.
I'm suspicious that something in the fuel "coats" the filter. Anyone else have similar problems ?

Sounds like old....really old fuel. Fuel that was more algae than distilled dino juice. The distributor got "a good deal" on fuel. Be happy your pump wasn't pooched