Diesel bug: a European speciality?

[Spi D]

..you only fill up with pure synthetic fuel ( Aral Ultimate or Shell V-Power )

It appears that Shell use the the "V-Power" branding for more variants of petrol and diesel between markets. Of course the actual contents are a well kept secret but their petrol had a hard time proving any of the claimed special features. Clever marketing might have convinced some

Shell claims that their V-Power is a blended, not pure synthetic, fuel. Does anybody know facts?

Also:

Audi’s research facility in Dresden, Germany, produced the first batch of a synthetic and sustainable diesel fuel that uses carbon dioxide extracted from the air, electricity and water.

 

[Bru]

Sorry to correct you:

Ethanol is only used in Petrol ( Yankee speak gasoline ) never ever in Diesel / Kerosine. Never heard about a petrol bug / petrol pest.
Diesel/Kerosine in Europe is using the rapeseed oil, which is causing the problem. The USA never got themselves into the "bio" problem for Diesel fuel.

Sorry to correct you but the US is the largest producer of biodiesel in the world.

Most of it made from rapeseed oil too.

 

[macd]

My brother lives/sails in Connecticut asks - diesel bug, wtf is that?

Now let me see, now. The Starbrite company of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida makes a diesel treatment potion called StarTron. From the packaging info it is clearly not targetted at markets outside the USA. I think nothing more needs to be said.

 

[Cardo]

We cut open our fuel tank earlier this season to find it was thick with black sludge. This was prompted after our engine started faltering after bad seas last season.
We'd never had a problem before we left the UK, but it seems Med fuel (France, Spain, Italy and/or Greece) is likely the culprit.

We now treat the tank with locally sourced (and clearly aimed at the local market) Startron.

 

[prv]

MDO (Marine Diesel Oil) doesn't contain FAME however most (?) marinas don't sell MDO*, they sell red diesel a.k.a. gas oil or agri-diesel etc. which, unless explicitly stated as being FAME free, almost certainly will contain FAME.

* I've only seen it on sale on the South Coast presumably because its readily obtainable ex-Fawley where it's produced.

Ah - then I guess my reply was a bit parochial since the South Coast is where I sail . Several fuel suppliers here specifically advertise FAME-free diesel, and I assumed the others were selling the same stuff but hadn't cottoned on to the marketing potential.

Pete

 

[Giblets]

Due to have our tank & fuel system cleaned out on Wednesday after finding the filter full of the bug recently. Luckily there is a gert big hatch on top of the tank for access.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Ah - then I guess my reply was a bit parochial since the South Coast is where I sail . Several fuel suppliers here specifically advertise FAME-free diesel, and I assumed the others were selling the same stuff but hadn't cottoned on to the marketing potential.

Pete

I am sure that at least Largs Marina up on the Clyde only offer FAME free fuel as well. Certainly a few years ago when the FAME issue was hot off the press the Clyde marinas were issuing leaflets and placing notices that stated they only offered FAME free fuel.

 

[vyv_cox]

Greek diesel reputedly has a high FAME content but conversely it is supplied to yachts mostly by mini-tanker that have a high content turnover rate, hence little water. We have fortunately remained bug-free but we know several other owners who have had the problem, even those adding fuel treatments.

 

[William_H]

Cladisporunresinae is one common form of fuel bacteria that can cause problems in any fuel but apparently worse with high carbon fuel. So diesel and kerosene (as in jets) are very suseptible to bacteria growth in water at the bottom of the tank. It can sludge up to block filters but can also cause corrosion of ali tanks and fittings. I don't beleive it has much to do with synthetic fuel. I first met up with it in Papua New Guinea in 1978 so not peculiat to Europe.
Common problem in boats here in west Oz.
Those who say they have never had any trouble are almost certainly likely to get trouble in future. Keep water out of the tank. Drain off from the bottom regularly. use a bacteriacide in fuel and check filters. good luck olewill