What's the gunk in my fuel can?

ericm979 · Aug 24, 2017

The plastic can I use for diesel has this reddish gunk in the bottom. It's a new can this year. The gunk started appearing right away. I treat all my fuel with Stabil diesel formula and for the last couple fillings, a biocide. The gunk looks biological. Any idea what it is and if I should worry?

oosik · Aug 24, 2017

Looks like some kind of mold.

tomplum · Aug 24, 2017

Let it sit with some biocide in the bottom. Wash it. Dry it. Slosh some more biocide in it and fill er up. Report back at the next fill if it came back.

Gary Fowler · Aug 24, 2017

Could this be coming from your fuel supplier? It almost looks like rust particles.

drizler · Aug 25, 2017

I notice some gunk in the fuel oil I burn in mine as well. I just pour it through a Mr. Funnel and my pre filter stays clean as a whistle.

ericm979 · Aug 25, 2017

I don't think it's rust or dirt as it's stuck to the can.

I got a Mr Funnel but the filler on the Branson is at an angle. Mr Funnel needs to be level or close to it. I need to make an extension.

I changed the fuel filter at 50 hours (I'm at 65 now and have been using this jug since 5 hours) and it had some fine black material in it, though not a lot and no where near clogged.

DEWFPO · Aug 25, 2017

I've seen it before as well. It looks like sediment from your supplier's tank.

DEWFPO

ericm979 · Aug 25, 2017

I don't think it's sediment. This stuff doesn't move when I shake the tank with a small amount of liquid in it. Sediment would get sloshed around.

CincyFlyer · Aug 26, 2017

ericm979 said:
I don't think it's sediment. This stuff doesn't move when I shake the tank with a small amount of liquid in it. Sediment would get sloshed around.

Get a paint stirrer and drag some of that stuff out, and get a closer look at it. May wanna show it to your fuel supplier.

ericm979 · Aug 26, 2017

tomplum said:
Let it sit with some biocide in the bottom. Wash it.

Did that, took it all out. It's definitely not rust.

I've been getting fuel from three different local gas stations and they may not be selling a lot of diesel.

I only started using biocide recently, the diesel Stabil was supposed to take care of it. I'll be using it for the future and keeping track of what the fuel looks like from different stations.