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Fuel Algae

cosmaar1

Senior Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
509
Location
Ohio
Update: I put both of these products as directed into my tank on Saturday. I let it run for about 10 minutes to cycle through.

I used the machine for about 4 hours today and boy what a difference. I only had to clean out my inline filter 1 time today and I noticed that the algae was not as sticky as it was before. Now it’s more floaty and seems to break up easier.

I’m gonna run most of the fuel out and probably drain the rest with a fresh set of treatments. Hopefully this fixes the issue entirely.
Double update: ran the machine for another 4 hrs today and didn’t have to clean the filter at all!!! I checked after I was done for the day and it wasn’t even packed full. Thank you Jesus!
 

1466IH

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
613
Location
prairie du rocher, il
Yeah that's an understatement. I was thinking in the fluid world..:D
Got a 3126 in a 963c that is eating my lunch right now lol. Keeps dropping fuel but can not figure out where. Would like to send an oil sample to check for fuel in oil but machine was just serviced. I have a feeling it is an injector but those really suck to pull and trying to avoid that job lol
 

boaterri

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
229
Location
Florida, USA
Occupation
Retired Television Engineer
In my boat with twin 6-71ti Detroits I used Howe's Diesel Treat religiously. It keeps the water in the fuel emulsified and improves lubricity. The algae lives at the meeting of water and diesel. No layer, no algae.
 

cosmaar1

Senior Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
509
Location
Ohio
Double update: ran the machine for another 4 hrs today and didn’t have to clean the filter at all!!! I checked after I was done for the day and it wasn’t even packed full. Thank you Jesus!
Triple update: ran the machine for another 4 hours or so yesterday and I didn’t have to shut it off once! That stuff is a miracle worker!

Thanks for all who replied to help.
 

Robertjohn

New Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2022
Messages
3
Location
Tx
Don't ever use the Bio Diesel from gas stations. There is so much water and trash in it and will for a tank sludge. It cost me almost 4k after everyone said I had a faulty injector pump. As a mater of fact it was the sludge in the FTank.
 

Willis Hodgkinson

Active Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield United Kingdom
I put algacide and lubricity additives in my fuel when it's delivered. My little tractor had a bunch of algae in it when I bought it. I had to siphon out the tank and suck all the crud out with the shop vac. My shop vac STILL smells like diesel. Haven't had any more problems since I cleaned it out.
We in the UK have been using Bio fuel for quite a while now, the first problem I had was in 2017, when the temperature dropped to freezing ( zero to minus 1) I had the bio content drop out of suspension, it was so thick I could scrape it out with a piece of flatbar, I could run on the fluid part of the diesel if I skimmed it off the top of the Bio part. The other thing I discovered is that gas oil ( thats our red diesel) is not the same as road diesel. Road diesel is to spec EN590, I dont know what EN spec gas oil is. I was told if you have a new machine and you have fuel injection problems, the warranty will be void if you run on gas oil.
The next problem I had was in 2020, same again, (I think by this time we were up to 20% bio), again the bio dropped out of suspension but by this time I was adding additives, anti bug, anti wax, gas oil conditioner to make it burn better??. all this at extra add on cost to the basic gas oil. I asked the supplier the question, if the additives are necessary should' nt they be added at source, therefore by my thinking the basic gas oil is not fit for purpose, so another money making scheme. Anyway our Government in their wisdom decided that from April 2022 all construction plant would have to use road diesel, and their thinking was that the construction industry would "absorb" the cost, at present our road diesel at the filling station is £1-90 is per litre so no one can absorb the cost
(I believe gas oil is around the 85 pence per litre so quite a price difference). So the bio part has cost everyone dearly for the problems it causes.
Good luck all
I have not had problems with road diesel so far, fingers crossed!!
 

franklin2

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
308
Location
Virginia
We in the UK have been using Bio fuel for quite a while now, the first problem I had was in 2017, when the temperature dropped to freezing ( zero to minus 1) I had the bio content drop out of suspension, it was so thick I could scrape it out with a piece of flatbar, I could run on the fluid part of the diesel if I skimmed it off the top of the Bio part. The other thing I discovered is that gas oil ( thats our red diesel) is not the same as road diesel. Road diesel is to spec EN590, I dont know what EN spec gas oil is. I was told if you have a new machine and you have fuel injection problems, the warranty will be void if you run on gas oil.
The next problem I had was in 2020, same again, (I think by this time we were up to 20% bio), again the bio dropped out of suspension but by this time I was adding additives, anti bug, anti wax, gas oil conditioner to make it burn better??. all this at extra add on cost to the basic gas oil. I asked the supplier the question, if the additives are necessary should' nt they be added at source, therefore by my thinking the basic gas oil is not fit for purpose, so another money making scheme. Anyway our Government in their wisdom decided that from April 2022 all construction plant would have to use road diesel, and their thinking was that the construction industry would "absorb" the cost, at present our road diesel at the filling station is £1-90 is per litre so no one can absorb the cost
(I believe gas oil is around the 85 pence per litre so quite a price difference). So the bio part has cost everyone dearly for the problems it causes.
Good luck all
I have not had problems with road diesel so far, fingers crossed!!
Sounds like your "gas oil" or on road diesel is bio, and your red offroad is regular fuel from the refinery. Over here our off road red diesel and the fuel oil they bring to your house for your furnace is the exact same thing. Lucky for us, our "gas oil" or on road is the same oil as the red off road, without the red dye.

If they make us go to bio diesel over here, we are in trouble. You might find me going to the dark side with the wmo guys.
 

Nige

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
28,973
Location
G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Over here our off road red diesel and the fuel oil they bring to your house for your furnace is the exact same thing.
In the UK they are different. Domestic heating systems use "burning oil" which is a 28-Redwood viscosity product somewhat similar to kerosene. By comparison diesel is 35-Redwood viscosity and is usually only burned in industrial heating applications. The required furnace burner nozzle would be different dependent on which of the two products was in the tank.
 

franklin2

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
308
Location
Virginia
Disagree. Depends on the state. Here in PA sulfur content can be 2000 ppm.

https://hbsteeleoil.com/key-differe...sel-fuel-on-road-diesel-fuel-in-pennsylvania/
That article is old. They say in the article that they eventually want it to be the same, I wonder if by now they finally changed it and made all the red dyed fuel the same. They did say Pa is the last state in the east to still use the high sulphur red fuel for heating, and that was back in 2015.

What would scare me is they mention they want to put a small percentage of bio in it also. I hate that stuff in equipment that sits around for long periods.
 

NH575E

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
1,183
Location
North, FL
Occupation
Retired Machinist
What would scare me is they mention they want to put a small percentage of bio in it also. I hate that stuff in equipment that sits around for long periods.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, my supplier in FL says the minimum in most of the US is now 5% BIO. That is for on or off road. He claims they do NOT have to have the BIO disclaimer on pump fuel with 5% or less.

The only nearby pump red I can find is 15%. I don't use that. If I buy from a pump I go ahead and buy on road with no disclaimer on the pump other than the low sulfur.

NOTHING goes in my machines without lubricity and biocide additives added.
 

Willis Hodgkinson

Active Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield United Kingdom
Like I mentioned in my previous post, my supplier in FL says the minimum in most of the US is now 5% BIO. That is for on or off road. He claims they do NOT have to have the BIO disclaimer on pump fuel with 5% or less.

The only nearby pump red I can find is 15%. I don't use that. If I buy from a pump I go ahead and buy on road with no disclaimer on the pump other than the low sulfur.

NOTHING goes in my machines without lubricity and biocide additives added.
Yes but my point is the additives should be in there when the fuel is delivered, or the fuel is not fit for purpose.
The last red diesel I bought was what was called HVO, it is supposed to have an unlimited shelf life and does not require additives and plugging point is minus 31 degrees celcius and it's to EN590 ( according to the fuel supply company) its been in my storage tank since February 2022 and seems to be ok, I only use this fuel on farm work , it cost more than gas oil, but no complaints so far
 

franklin2

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
308
Location
Virginia
Yes but my point is the additives should be in there when the fuel is delivered, or the fuel is not fit for purpose.
The last red diesel I bought was what was called HVO, it is supposed to have an unlimited shelf life and does not require additives and plugging point is minus 31 degrees celcius and it's to EN590 ( according to the fuel supply company) its been in my storage tank since February 2022 and seems to be ok, I only use this fuel on farm work , it cost more than gas oil, but no complaints so far
I often wonder that about gasoline. How much would it cost them to add a little bit of Stabil to the fuel and already have it in there? Some sort of conspiracy or politics going on somewhere I suppose.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,421
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Stabil is short lived on the current reformulated heavy oil gasoline products, they are unstable as all get out before hauled to user and go sour in as little as six weeks for the local marine fuels sales here. When had a open hole in the water and attempting to fill with money that tidbit was shared. The Fuel tanks at marinas are not ever topped up, sell to minimal quantity and only order what they consider can sell in a few weeks. No longer recommending keeping boat tanks full and regardless are suggesting minimal fuel for winter storage then add fresh that will burn when dewinterize. Cars that sit a lot show that same distress.
 

Coaldust

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
3,286
Location
North of the 60
Occupation
Cargo Tanks, ULSD, RUG, Methanol, LPG
There could be some benefits from additizing RUG/ethanol mixtures with products like Stabil to prevent phase separation under particular circumstances, but there is a lack of credible data. It’s snake oil, according to my colleagues in the fuel biz.
 

franklin2

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
308
Location
Virginia
Stabil is short lived on the current reformulated heavy oil gasoline products, they are unstable as all get out before hauled to user and go sour in as little as six weeks for the local marine fuels sales here. When had a open hole in the water and attempting to fill with money that tidbit was shared. The Fuel tanks at marinas are not ever topped up, sell to minimal quantity and only order what they consider can sell in a few weeks. No longer recommending keeping boat tanks full and regardless are suggesting minimal fuel for winter storage then add fresh that will burn when dewinterize. Cars that sit a lot show that same distress.
Marinas don't use ethanol based fuel do they? I thought that was a good place to get non-ethanol fuel for lawnmowers and other small engines? Though all gasoline eventually seems to go bad.
 
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