I've got an old tractor that only runs a few hours a week around here.

I bought it in an estate, so I'm not sure how long it sat before I got it.

SHortly after I got it though I found that it seemed to constantly plug fuel filters, after draining the water trap doeszens of times I get no more water or crud out of the trap but there is obviously still crud in the tank and I think it may be algae.

It will block off the fuel supply line to the point where you can't get fuel to the filter housing.

I blow compressed air back through the fuel line and it will clear up and run properly for a while, and then the same problem persisits.

Is there anything that can be added to the tank to eliminate the algae problem?

 

Drain the tank. Add gasoline if necessary. You can buy biocide at Napa.
It happens with moisture. Keep the tank full after you get it fixed.

 

Add gasoline?

What does the gas do?

I think what should happen is the tank should be drained and removed and likely steam cleaned but the problem is it's -25 here and I don't have a decent place to work on it.

Plus the tank is made out of a plastinc type material and I'm told removing the bung from it will likely ruin the tank as the threads will come out with it.

 

Obviously the only long term solution will be to drain and clean the tank.
There is no magic potion that you can add to the fuel.
Biocides will kill the algae but won't get rid of their dead bodies.
Gasoline, solvent or some degreasers with water will work.
Easier to remove the tank but if you can't it will just be much harder.
May be better to wait for warmer weather.

 

Yeah I agree with you 100% Infidel.

But what I was hoping for was for somebody to say, "sure, just dump a can of product X in, Miracle in a can that stuff!"

hahaha

The problem is a I use the trator to feed cattle every few days so can't be without it for long and warmer weather isn't here till May.

 

Try getting a few cheap (clear) inline filters that you can switch out fast. put some larger, or at least new, fuel line from your tank to your new inline filters. I didn't even bother with clamps, changed the filters every couple of trips through the pasture. didn't set the throttle much above idle either. Put the filters as close to the tank as you can but easy to get to. You will have to limp through winter but it should get you buy. I was in the same place about six years ago. Got me through the winter until I could get the tank cleaned really well. Gasoline works great for that.

Good luck

 

Thanks Wyododge.

That's not a bad idea.

With the clear filters you could see what was coming from the tank.

One draw back is that it seems to be the screen on the tank inlet that plugs, since fiel will actually stop running through the line to the filter block.

I take the fill cap off and blow the line back into the tank with compressed air and then it will run again.

Lots of fun!

<not>

One thing I have found, I can run the tractor for a while, sometimes it will run fine for quite a while after blowing the line out, sometimes it only lasts for 20 minutes, then it will slow down, chug along and finally stall. Let it sit for a while and it will usually start up again say 1/2 hour later.

 

if your tank is somewhat accessible you may try a fuel transfer pump. use the suction hose as a vacuum. If you let the tractor set for a bit the settling may allow you to suck all (most) the sediment off the bottom. You may even hook a filter up to your discharge hose and return the fuel back into the tank. kinda recirculate the sediment out. I would remove about 75% of the fuel and then start recirculating. when your filters stay pretty clean you should be good to go. Should not be to difficult either. Get the pump running, clamp the hoses so they do not fall out, go in the kitchen grab a coffee and watch it through the window.

Might just actually work well enough that you wont have to mess with it anymore while it's cold.

Might work well enough that you will forget about it until next winter!!

 

What make and model tractor ??

If removing, dumping, rinsing, and re-installing the tank is out of the question, then this is what I would do :


Take a plastic five-gallon fuel-can and install fuel-line fittings in it for DRAW, RETURN, and VENT.

Re-route the lines from the contaminated tank into this plastic temporary tank.

Run the engine off of this temporary tank until you can address the problem in the other one.

 

It's a 970 Case.

That's not a bad idea bearkiller, that could save some hassles for sure.

I could maybe buy a tank for an outboard motor and use it till spring.

 

I would try to get the tank off. Then you could take it to a car wash, flush it and turn it up side down to drain. Rinse with some gas to get the moisture out, fill with diesel, some biocide and you should be good to go. I've had to do this with lots of small engines before that get bad gas in them from sitting.

You said it has a bung on the bottom and its a plastic tank? I've never had a problem pulling a bung out of a poly tank. Might try gently warming the tank with a propane torch to soften it up if you cann't get it into a warm shop.

 

On all of the marine/boating boards, it is pretty much common knowledge that none of the so-called microbicides do anything to actually get rid of the "algae" (which it is not, as algae requires light to exist).


I got infested with "algae" in the three 23-year-old fuel-tanks of my truck.

I read and researched everything available on the subject.

The only "cure" is to dump and flush the tank until clean as a whistle, including either flushing or replacing the fuel-lines at the same time, as any residual fuel left in the lines and filters will just re-infect the clean fuel in the clean tanks.


The best filter-saver I found was to install a De-Bug magnetic "algae-killer" ahead of the lift-pump.

It doesn't look nor seem possible that it could work, but I have had no more filter stoppages after it's installation.