TIP # 93 Algae and Fungus in New Type Diesel, da Ranger Stuffed Up…

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 00:51

ThreadID: 122563 Views:8226 Replies:8 FollowUps:10

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Bushtracker

Da Ranger blew it! SHOCK HORROR, say it isn’t so!!! Yep, had such a good time driving around the F-250 of late, that the Mack has been left sitting for a month… Now I thought this new diesel was a bit closer to kerosene, with the same lighter look and such and would not be as prone to algae and fungus growth… WRONG!!! I have a good growth of olive drab seaweed growing, and plugged up filters to leave me stranded beside the road.

Always happens when you are in a hurry. Anyway, bailed myself out with the spare filters I carry. But for the rest of you, beware, the new diesel grows gunk just as well. Per a previous TIP, carry your spare fuel filters. Now interestingly it appears to have only grown primarily in the fuel delivery line from the water separator and up.. Tanks appear to be OK… And also, the full tank stores much much better than the half full tank… What messes up the diesel is moisture condensing on the wall of the tank, dripping down to collect on the bottom. Left to long H2O becomes H2SO4 (weak sulfuric acid as the water absorbs sulfur out of the diesel laying on the bottom of the tank)…

This new diesel seemed a bit closer to kerosene, I know it is not, but I assumed it was more resistant... NO, WRONG... For any of you that don't know it, kerosene is a pretty good disinfectant in a pinch, and nothing will grow in it, but this is not the case with the new refined light diesel... Duh...! I let my guard down with disastrous results... It plugged up screened priming pump filter, main filters, and de-watering filter, a three hour mess to sort out alongside the road... Trying one thing and another.

If you are going to store it, treat the diesel, pour in a measured amount just as you are going to pump in the diesel to get a good mix… Save yourself a lot of grief. Mine just went bad in about a month of sitting, but we have had a lot of bad weather, high humidity, high temperatures, that were no doubt able to speed the process. However, this was SHOCK to me, and a big wake up call to all Boggers… Not turning over the diesel? Gonna go fly off somewhere and store it for a while? Better Treat it…

And carry your spares, the tow job is expensive and could leave the Bushtracker beside the road..

Kind Regards from da Ranger, yea……… duh!

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Reply By: Turist - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 02:04

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 02:04

Big problem on boats Steve.
The incidence of algae growth is significantly reduced if you keep the fuel tanks full.
Less air = less humidity = less algae.

Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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AnswerID: 568248

Reply By: Black Cobra - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 04:52

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 04:52

Steve I cannot aggree more with your comments

Yes, pain in the a____ this diesel, water, algae problem. I am having the same trouble in my 54' steel ketch as I am overseas most of the year and upon my last return back in January noticed the mess the diesel fuel was in, in regards to water, diesel, algae etc.

Now I cannot use the yacht because of the problem and have to get the old fuel pumped out, disposed off, tanks cleaned, extra in line filters, 3 in total and the inconvienience of it all.

I will now have to watch because the F250 will be standing for some time also but it is easier to justify 113 litres of diesel to keep the tanks full as to 1500 litres for the yacht.

Can you tell me what treatment additive you use for your diesel, I have used Fuel Doctor for the yacht which I purchased in Queensland when I brought the yacht back from there to Perth but I don't if i can get it here in the West.

Regrads
Stewart

AnswerID: 568249

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 18:50

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 18:50

Hello Stewart,
Have tried many, all seem to work, just some seem to work better... I have used the Castrol one, in 5 litre container, and the Chemtool one, both are not impressive, too wide of an application and they have an ester alcolhol in them as well... These are a "fuel conditioner" cleans injectors, disperses water, all that Bull... I want one that is most of all a pure Biocide... You always get a little water, that is why the water separators, I just don't want anything growing.. Black Fungus or Algae.

I am going to try Alfloc, from Whitworths Marine catalogue.... Says it is more of a biocide. But the best was one called "Bio-Bor" used on Yachts and Fishing boats all over the world... Have not seen it yet, but if you do, I would give it my twenty years on yachts the thumbs up! I started with a salmon trawler in the 70's and lived aboard a series of larger yachts in 70's and 80's full time for 10 years, then on and off for another 10. That is where a lot of our systems and concepts of self sufficiency and independence were born, as I also traveled on land quite a bit during those times, and in Australia since 1988. Anyway, the best is Bio-Bor, just like it sounds, the spelling may not be correct, but if you ask around, what ever one the Trawlers are adding in is likely to be the best..

I just have not taken the time to research in the commercial fishing supply places, or Or an Outback fuel depot for storage tanks. Anyway, get one that is more of a biocide than "fuel conditioner" for city cars. The alcohol "fuel conditioner" one just cleans injectors and disperses water, but is not necessarily the best biocide...

Regards from da Ranger...

FollowupID: 845657

Reply By: Fosssil - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 20:38

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 20:38

Hi Steve and members...I guess many of you have found this by now...but I will place it here anyway...It appears as if it is a biocide for aircraft fuel as well...it would have to be good to be used for that purpose...

$74 FOR THE CONTAINER THERE..I guess it would have to be a reasonable price...Its interesting in the USA that aircraft fuel that is discarded daily after certain conditions, that many folks use the plane fuel for their diesels...I'm not sure which grade of fuel...but I'm sure that someone will know...
fosss

http://sqlshopa.com/mos/1/index.php?sid=aeropar&CA=18

AnswerID: 568250

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 21:15

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 21:15

Hi,
I did a rough calculation and that would be about $74 (plus freight I guess) to treat 2366 liters of fuel and about 3.1 cents per liter to treat your fuel, which I think is fairly competitive...
Freight will have to be considered and that could be negated somewhat by a bulk buy benefits.....Steve????.... lol.
fosss

FollowupID: 845658

Reply By: Fosssil - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 21:26

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 21:26

Yeah...very rough that was...lol....and wrong...double that!!!
I mistakenly thought the container was 2 quarts...you would have to double that price....But the product can be purchased in container size, so I would think that if bulk buys etc are considered, it should work out better than 6 cents a liter than it does at the moment.
I hope the calc. is correct this time...oooops
foss

AnswerID: 568251

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 00:11

Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 00:11

Fossil,
No offence, but on the cost, compared to a three filters and broke down on the side of the highway for three hours, who gives a ****!

This is as important as oil in your engine. Minor cost does not even come into it compared to the outcome... Sort of like a whinge about the cost of heart medicine you could not do without... Ha! LOL..
Da Ranger

FollowupID: 845659

Follow Up By: Black Cobra - Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 03:52

Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 03:52

Thanks Steve and Fossil for the info and I have ordered some of the Bio Bor for the F250 as she will be sitting idle for 3 months after mid April.

Like you say it is expensive but peace of mind is worth it and we don't want to start a mushroom farm in our fuel tanks do we?

Cheers

Stewart

FollowupID: 845660

Reply By: Luvntravln - Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 07:24

Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 07:24

Hi

To add my 2 cents:

In the yacht I used PROMA for 15 years which is only sold privately. It is available in Australia.

For the past two years on the recommendation of Steve's 4WD I have been using Morey's. We have stored the truck for over two months in Cairns when we went to Thailand last June without a problem.

Anyone else had experience with Morey's?

Jay

AnswerID: 568252

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Mar 29, 2006 at 23:32

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2006 at 23:32

Jay,
I just checked out the Morey's at SuperCheap Auto.... I was no threat to their stock, left the shelf full....

I appears that it is more of the "injector cleaner, fuel conditioner, with added biocide resistance".... In other words, it is more of the injector de carbon lube fuel conditioner, not the full biocide we need to clean tanks and such... I never have had any luck with those sorts as they seem to be: (99% fuel conditioner with dubious gain if any, and possibly 1% might slow down the gunk but I doubt it) type of product... That will do you little if any good if you get a bad slug of diesel... It might not even hold back the fungus or algae from forming.. Too much back pedaling on the label...

Where something like Biobor, is the other way around, 90% Biocide and 10% "fuel conditioner"....

My vote is Thumbs down on Moreys... Regards from the Ranger...

FollowupID: 845661

Reply By: Cowcockies - Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 07:59

Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 07:59

Must be a northern problem or as I have never heard of anything other than wax in summer diesel causing problems on ours and our neighbours farms in Vic.
We buy our diesel 2000ltrs a time and it stands out side in a over head tank until empty up to 5mths later Diesel is left in irrigation pump fuel tanks all winter with out problem's cleaned out our 2000ltr tank for the first time in 15 years last year only because work safe demanded the base needed replacing.
For those that are not used to the cold, the change over from summer to winter diesel changes gradually from March and is completed in May. Winter diesel available even in summer in the towns near the high country.

Regards David & Sue.

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AnswerID: 568253

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 18:45

Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 at 18:45

Hello David and Sue,

It is not a "Northern" problem in a regional sense, only possibly in a temperature sense up to the equator and then from there you might call it a "southern problem" as you go north.. Ha!. If you live in a climate that gets some cold nights, your diesel is "refrigerated" and it keeps much better. It is not much of a problem in snow country at all, as at near freezing level the fungus, algae and such spores are killed in the cold... Just like food in your fridge, the cold inhibits growth of mold, fungus, algae, that sort of think that spoils foods.. Cooler nights, colder winters, and the "contaminants" are not present enough to cause problems in the summer when it briefly warms up...

Around here, our winter is only about 6 weeks long, and we can still see 28-30 degree days... Anyways, don't let your guard down, particularly as you travel. I did, knowing better, and the ugly results....

Regards, from da Ranger, lost in Oz forever...

FollowupID: 845662

Reply By: Oldperc - Friday, Mar 24, 2006 at 03:51

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 at 03:51

G'day
My 2 bobs worth.
Our tour boat (50PAX) had the fungus problem when we bought it.
Unbelievable, in some 600 liters we removed approx 4 kilos of gunk. Slimey s....t
This was done by getting in the fuel takks via the manhole and physically draining the tanks and then cleaning the sides of the tank. Not a nice job.
It was so bad the primary filter just cloged unexpectedly.
The hull formed part of the tank so fuel was constantly at the water temp.

Solution, we rotated the products additatives at each fuel fill (used a lot of those above) and didn't have a problem again for the 8 years we had the business.

I was told the best method to reduce growth was for us to install a stainless steel tank above water level. the fungus apparently has difficulty adhering to the s/s wall.
Not a simple process when the vessel is under survey.

As mentioned above also keep the tanks full of fuel.

Regards

David and Ann
'I'am so proud of you poppa'

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AnswerID: 568254

Reply By: Turist - Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 00:58

Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 00:58

There is a magnet device that some claim to be good.
Mate of mine used it on his 50' boat with success.
More Info Here
Regards
Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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AnswerID: 568255

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 01:38

Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 01:38

Ahhhh, da Ranger Dunno...
Magnets to improve fuel economy, magnets to align the water molecules in your drinking water for better health, magnets to make the diesel into a grid, Magnets to cure your arthritiis.. Heard of it all... dunno, me thinks maybe it only works if you believe in it enough.. Ha! Like crystal power and mood eggs, Voodoo charms and chicken feathers dipped in Rooster blood...

Give me the good old gunk killing Biocide chemicals everytime... Ha! Da Ranger Lost in Oz.... Ha! Lol....

FollowupID: 845663

Follow Up By: Turist - Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 01:43

Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 01:43

And there is always the "Chick Magnet"
Otherwise known as a 2006 Chevy Silverado.

Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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Follow Up By: TroopyTracker - Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 04:10

Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 04:10

re the Chev-
PHOTOS?!?!?!?!?
Matt

FollowupID: 845665

Follow Up By: Turist - Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 04:40

Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 at 04:40

The new Chevy arrived today so no pics yet.
I will be going up to Gympie to "supervise' the installation of some extras next week.
Pics after that.

In the meantime have a look at my old Caddy.
Now that's a real chick magnet.
Trouble is that you only get these toys later in life.
What I could have done with it when I was 25!!

Still, a lot of fun teasing the young surfies by cruising through Surfers playing Beach Boys at full blast on the 200w stereo.

Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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