Slimey gunk in diesel fuel can

[jonyyuma]

We have bought the biocide and used it in the huge fuel tanks.When you see it it has the metering spout on the side, simular to homelite saw oil... It doesn't take very much to do the job, unless you have an underground tank..

 

[DeeDubya]

There must have been some water contamination in your fuel and as a result there is probably some bacteria growing at the water-fuel interface in your storage container.

Since you live in a climate where there is high humidity, this water contamination can occur in your fuel storage tank as well as your tractor tank.

If that's the case, you'll need to treat your tanks and your storage container with an additive that contains a biocide. It's unlikely to clog the injectors but it can clog the tank strainer and the fuel filter if there is enough of it.

Actually this was a brand new 5 gal yellow plastic diesel can from Lowes. The fuel had been in it for about 4 months. I don't know what's growing in the tractor tank but I'll give them both a shot regardless.

 

[Ivan49]

I was told that it has something to do with the mix of the fuel and if one wasn't prepared right that it could cause this to grow. I was also told that you are more appt to get it from bio deisal for somw reason. I keep treating mine all summer just to be safe, In the winter not much grows at -20. The way that I found out about it was I was talking to the JD dealer and he told me that they had several tractors come in with the same problem and all of them got there fuel from the same place I did. I am still using the Bio stuff in the warmer months just to be safe. It is expensive but so are filters and no I don't get fuel from that place anymore even so they say they fixed the problem. Good luck Ivan

 

[Willl]

I've pushed these funnels in the 'water in fuel' threads, I think they fit here also.

Fuel Filter Funnel - Remove Water From Gas, Diesel & Kerosene | Shurhold

 

[Jerry/MT]

Actually this was a brand new 5 gal yellow plastic diesel can from Lowes. The fuel had been in it for about 4 months. I don't know what's growing in the tractor tank but I'll give them both a shot regardless.

In four months water can accumulate in any container, new or not. The fuel could also have been contaminated in the seller's storage tank.

 

[Raspy]

This is a common problem with boat tanks. The water can get in as humidity, simply by the tank breathing between hot days and cool nights. Fuel often sits in tanks for an extended period of time and the growth continues.

Add the bio-cide to kill the algae, watch the filters and change as needed. If you have see through filters, and even better, a vacuum gage on them too, you can watch them clog and keep changing them until it goes away.

It's a black slippery slime.

 

[MHarryE]

In the 70's algae was such a problem that at Gleaner we changed the fuel tank so it was big enough to get your arm in and put a fine mesh strainer that trapped most of the gunk. When I moved to a Case in 1990 they had a terrible problem with algae in new combines. During summer shutdown the cleaned the plant fuel tank and found holes rusted through it so we were getting water in the original fill fuel. Fortunately we only filled enough to load it on the truck and unload at the dealer's. Combines are notorious for algae growth because many sit for 11 months of the year and nobody wants to fill one with $800 of fuel before storage so biocides is a must. In the 70's farmers were switching from gas engine combines to diesels so to them the back goo was something new. We continually got samples asking what the heck we left in the tank at manufacturing. Light getting to fuel is bad so keep cans out of the sun. All the plastic fuel tanks I've seen are black but then again I haven't seen them all. The black is to stop algae growth.

 

[DieselMonk]

Had the same problem here with my plastic 55gal drums. Algae set in when I stored furnace oil in it. Only way to treat it is with Biocide that I know of. That said, my steel tank in the basement never had a problem with algae. Matter effect even with pouring algae contaminated fuel in it, the algae would die and settle out in the filters. So store the fuel in a dark cool place, and you shouldn't have a problem with it. On Road Diesel fuel has more additives, burns cleaner and is more resistant to algae. This is at least how it is around here in Atlantic Canada. However since they added this bio crap in our fuels, the fuel economy has gone down the drain.

 

[DeeDubya]

It could be that the algae need a little light to grow or at least prosper. The yellow and white plastic containers let in enough light. A water droplet will settle to the bottom of a container and then becomes a little greenhouse for algae to grow in.

Diesel and galvanized containers won't work. A black poly container might be a good choice.