ULSD Problems

[briwhit]

My dealer told me to use off road diesel if I could find it for the lubricating properties. BUT here is another issue. I have not had this problem yet but my uncle did at work. Below is the responce he got. Seems algae can form quickly. They could not get the rpm out of thier shotcrete pumps which have a diesel motor to power them.


Anyway here is the email he recieved.



Please forward this information to all districts with shotcrete pumps, diesel powered shooters, diesel trucks, etc...

Over the past few months we began noticing fuel issues starting in the MR-3300 pumps. We have been plugging the fuel filters on a regular basis. At first we believed we may have picked up some bad fuel somewhere, since these pumps are fueled at customer locations all over the country. After discussions with Allentown Shotcrete Systems, and a local John Deere dealer, I was told that it is the new low sulfur diesel fuel that is on the market today.

This was again confirmed today by Tom Guio at there local John Deere dealer in Steubenville OH, when they began having problems with the I-1 pump.

Both dealers have advised us to begin using a diesel fuel additive. Tom pick up a very aggressive additive name Killem, which a 16oz bottle will treat 1920 gallons of fuel, and a maintenance additive call AgroFuel in which one 32oz bottle will treat 350 gallons. The issue as I understand it is the low sulfur fuel can not suppress the growth of algae the way the old fuel did. The algae can form very quickly and will plug up the fuel filter. Even once the filter is change it may plug again within a day or even hours later without the tank being treated. After and initial treatment the fuel filter may need changed as it will be cleaning out the remaining contamination, and then continuous treatment at every fill up is needed.

Signs of the fuel filter restricting flow are the engine sputtering and coughing while running at high ideal, or like what occurred today the engine only running up to a particular RPM and going no further when the speed is increased.

It is recommend that all operators of diesel powered equipment begin using some type of diesel fuel additive. This includes all diesel powered trucks in our system.

If anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to contact me anytime.

Jim Rosso - I do not know if you will have the same issue in Canada or not?

Thanks,

Robert J. Harmon

 

[jbrumberg]

briwhit:

Thank you for this information. Now I have something else to worry about related to ULSD . Jay

 

[DieselPower]

Not a new problem. The alge growth problem first stuck it's little head up back when LSD was introduced in the 90's. Now that we have ULSD the problem is even worse. The sulfur that is being removed from the fuel tends to act as a growth retardent to the bacteria that grow in the boundry layer between water and fuel, reduce the sulfur level and the possibility of growth increases.

If you have a fuel tank at home and you start to notice bacterial growth you need to treat it with a fuel anti-bacterial additive to kill it off. The best thing you can do is remove the area that the bacteria grows in, the boundry layer between fuel and water. Remove the water and the bacteria has nowhere to grow. Regular maintenance of your bulk storage tank with a fuel additive to remove the water helps to reduce the chance you will have a bacteria problem in the first place.

 

[Chuck_Lind]

What is the name of the anti-bacterial product?? Is this something is readily available at NAPA or even Wal Mart?

 

[DieselPower]

NAPA, TSC, your fuel supplier..... There are numerous brand names, any of which will work. Unlike fuel additives the anti bacterial additives are pretty much the same no matter who's you buy. They do one thing, kill the nasty little critters.