Make sure to use a biocide!!
 

Well guys, my father and I just learned two very expensive lessons about using biodiesel and ULSD.

Basically in a nut shell both of our tanks in our trucks were slimed over, his '03 7.3L PSD ended up with new injectors and a dropped tank, I was lucky with just a bunch of plugged filters and a dropped tank.

Our bio is made to the highest quality, no short cuts, and water has never been an issue.

After doing a bit of research I found a few documents that mention that ULSD with it's low sulfur content has more of a chance of baterial and fungal growth and when combined with a organic fuel like Bio, plus the residual water found in all petro diesel, you have a recipe for insane bacterial and fungal growth that will slime up everything.

I've started to use FPPP's Killem in every tank, starting with the shock dose on my truck.

Already the truck runs better as I suspect that I had some residual slime in my motor.

I have been using biocide since I turned 12,400 miles and had to have her towed to the dealer with a fungus in the tank that clogged the fuel filter and shut the truck down on my way to work. I now have over 34k and have never had a problem since.

Did your WIF sensor go off? Usually where theres algae or bacteria theres water as well.
If the biodiesel isnt dried properly it can hold a lot of water and still look okay.

Hey look, we can grow our own algae in the tanks of the trucks and burn it!! No need to buy anything!!

Where you get this biocide at? I've been running b20 at times, but not in the last two months. Maybe I should try some biocide?

I would be interested also....I never heard of this stuff...Been running blends of 30 to 100% for two years....Maybe my tank is like a swamp already..

Bacterial growth can and only appears with water present!!! Despite what you read here it is very very very uncommon to have it in diesel fuel. I have been in the diesel repair business for 30+ years and have seen one instance in that time.

My experence with diesel algae is it isn't a problem in cold dry climates. I've been running B20-100 for over five years in my cold dry climate without problem.
Have had farm diesel tanks with straight #2 for over 30 years, never an algae problem.
Seems that most folks who have problems live in a coastal climate or the deep southeast US.

Then why are diesel engines equipped with water separators and water in fuel sensors?

I've started using the following biocide:

http://www.fppf.com/killem.asp

I bought mine at a local napa, but I'm sure any good truck stop has it or diesel injection service shop.

Here is another place to buy it.
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biocide.php

that's exactly what i've read- warm, humid climates are where you'll find most problems of bacteria growth.
http://www.partycentral.com/biodiesel/index.html

I used to work for a large fuel equipment company in the Northwest. There was a diesel tank at a fuel station in Junction City, OR that I had to have cleaned/treated. There were several in Eugene, OR that I was constantly cleaning the screens on the electronic leak detectors in the diesel tanks. I never knew about the problem until moving to Eugene, OR.

Sorry in advance for reviving a dead thread, but I ran into this issue recently.

I have a mitsu box truck which I bought in 2008 brand new. Since then I average just about 6000 miles a year with it, hence the issue I'm having with it. I change the fuel filter once a year, and oil about the same. In the last two changes, I've found a bit of gunk in my fuel filter separator, which I believe is an algae growth due to my location of living near the ocean (hot or coastal environments). My W250 has none of these issues, as I'm burning through the fuel much more, as it's my primary ride. I guess all the sitting causes water to condense in the tank, which is allowing the algae to grow.

Attachment 50206

Filters are never clogged, but the gunk is in the bottom of the filter housing near the wif sensor. Normally, I just clean it out, and put a new filter in. This time I tried using the "Killem" fuel biocide. I hope not to regret it.

Attachment 50207

Stuff has great reviews... but if you read the MSDS sheet, you'll scare the crap out of yourself about using it. One of it's main side effects of inhalation is DEATH. I'm sure lots of things have this issue, but it still made me extremely nervous to handle.


So, first dose is to shock the system, and kill off the junk. All subsequent doses are half the amount (half ounce) or so for my 30 gallon tank. It says to add 1.25 oz for every 100 gallons, so .333 = .4126 oz, rounded up to .5 oz.

I'll change the filter more often over the next few tank fulls of fuel. Hopefully, I won't clog my filters by doing this.

Anyone else have this issue, and how did it all work out ?

I have had the problem up here in Alaska, so no one is immune. The best thing that works for me is don't let it sit. I have 2 trucks and trade off every other week. Because of my commute distance, I empty a tank every week. I fuel from a storage tank in the back of one truck that is refilled filled monthly. Between all my additive I add half a shot glass of Biobore, the stuff we use in jet fuel when I fill the tank. The algae thrives at the boundary of pooled water and the fuel. Keeping it stirred up prevent water from pooling.

I wonder if the Propel HPR has this problem when regularly used?

Well, I used the killem.

This is what the fuel looked like when I drained the last 2 gallons out of the tank. Normally greenish, but now yellowish. Maybe it's the algae strewn about in the fuel.

well, at least it's out now.