Oil & Fuel Fuel OK?

[MrFixit]

My local gas station has Diesel fuel along the normal petro pumps. My manual says use type "0" but I think I read a prevoius discussion that says use type "1". In any case the Pump does not tell me what type it is, it's just Diesel. Being sold at a small gas station, not a truck stop, It's probably for use in automobiles. Bt is it OK for my KAMA 354 Tractor?

Tim

 

[bluechip]

Yep!

 

[MrFixit]

Thanks Chip!

I drained my old factory fuel today. It was discusting! I started draining it into a clean, white, plastic Paint Bucket. By the time it was 1/2 inch deep I could no longer see the bottom at all. It was darker and thicker than Starbucks High Octane Coffee! As I moved the bucket I could see waves of very fine sediment along with occasional chunks.

Do the chinese actually run their tractors on this stuff? Or do they sip on it to wake them up in the morning!

Tim

 

[greg_g]

I suspect most of the fluids put into Chinese tractors - particularly Jinmas - is used stuff that was just put in there for warehousing and transport. Dealers that have an eye toward repeat customers usually remedy the mess prior to sale.

Can't put in used fuel though, so I suspect what you're seeing is mostly algae that propagated during transport and warehousing. Some of the tanks - for reasons that escape me - were painted inside as well. Even after you drain, algae will remain clinging to the tank walls, the float mechanism, and probably even the siphon. I'm sure your fuel filter is contaminated as well. Replace it, top up the tank with fresh fuel, and add a biocide. You'll continue to see dead algae accumulate in the sediment bowl, dump/rinse it once in a while. Even after flushing and all the above described steps, it still took ~9 months for that crap to stop accumulating in the KAMA sediment bowl.

//greg//

 

[3RRL]

I hear ya Greg,
My Kama is now 6 months old and I still get about ¼" residue each time I clean it.

 

[bluechip]

The Chinese diesel is very dark and smells funny. The Chinese are kind enough to send us 2 or 3 gallons with every tractor, in spite of my pleas to stop.

 

[MrFixit]

After reading Greg's response I found the sediment bowl well hidden under the dash. It has a clamp going from the upper section to hold the bowl on and a maybe a drain at the bottom. I can't get my hand in there to pop the lever or unscrew the drain. Do I have to take the side panels or dash parts off to get at this thing? Maybe smaller Chinese fingers would do the trick!

I suspected the only filtration method was the spin on filter. Wish I would have found this thing (Read Greg's reply) before putting 5 fresh gallons in the tank and replaced the filter!

There are a lot of very experienced and helpful people on this site and I'm very thankful to all of them!

Tim

 

[3RRL]

MrFixit,
Not sure on yours, but on my Kama that wingnut that looks like a drain is really the clamp holding the glass bowl on. No drain...

 

[psj12]

The fuel from china is actually a high sulfur type that is no longer available here except by special order. Even off road diesel is low sulphur DL2 with dye added.

 

[bluechip]

rob is right, no drain, unclamp and remove sediment bowl to clean (be sure to turn off fuel first with the valve provided at the top of the sedement bowl assy.