Brown stuff in diesel

[Fordlightning]

Algae normally makes the fuel smell nasty. Like someone has sh** in it . Recommend changing fuel station. Water in fuel most likely started the algae. I would drain tank and clean, clean the cell used to fuel tractor.

I work at Chevy dealer. Work on a lot duramax. Seen it so many times, my guess 90% time it was bad fuel from the station. Have had to r&r clean fuel tank, clean llines, etc. Have had 2 that the algae plugged all the injectors, required replacing them all. Moral story is get fuel from known good station. Perferrably one that moves the fuel. Only one station in my little town is known to have good off road diesel, and 2 for on road.

 

[radioman]

Thanks for the input guys. The clear diesel additive sounds like a good thing to try and I am going to switch where I buy my diesel fuel from. I use 5 gallon cans to fill up with so maybe it is coming from the gas station. So far I haven't had any engine probelms ( knock on wood) but I think I will change out the fuel filter after I use the algicide/ additive for a while. - Mike

In my humble opinion, I don't think you need to go to the extreme of biocide since all you use is 5 gallons cans. biocide is good for long term storage and prevent corrosion. I wonder if it plastic or metal? if it plastic and can look clean other then specks on bottom of can then my original suspicion is rust from fuel station tanks since you dont seem to store large amounts yourself am I correct? If it a metal can you are using- I'd check your can, or still suspect fuel station.

I would still go ahead and replace your fuel filter. If you are seeing specks in screen before going in, the smaller stuff can plug the filter sometime down the road.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Most 5 gallon diesel containers I've seen are translucent yellow plastic. Which means light can pass through it; and where there's light, there's algae. I store my container in the back of the garage where there's very little light, if any. Better still would be a flammable storage locker which usually doesn't let in any light at all.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

Radioman-
Yeah they are the yellow plastic cans, so if it is rust it is coming from gas station. There isn't a huge amount of visible flecks. Just some on the bottom of the cans and on the funnel filter screen. Definitely going to change stations and fuel filter.