Diesel bug - is petrol the cure?

[tilmansailing]

I have been told that if petrol is added to diesel (say half a gallon to 50 litres) this will kill the diesel bug - dead!
Is this true?
If so, are the proportions right?
Will it cause problems with the engine?

 

[pvb]

No, it's not true, but it was mentioned in another thread recently.

If you're worried about diesel bug, dose your tank with Startron.

 

[Wino]

I was told to try Jeyes Fluid - killed it overnight - But that was in a land based tank, not sure whether I would risk it on boat though.

 

[sarabande]

mmm, Jeyes Fluid, from the Material Safety Data Sheet.


Contents by weight
TAR ACIDS 10 - 30%
SODIUM HYDROXIDE 1%
WATER >60%

Interesting and simple combination, isn't it ?

 

[alan_d]

No, will do nothing for the micro-organisms, some of which thrive in petrol. I think your (mis)informant was perhaps thinking of low-temperature waxing, which adding a small quantity of petrol (or paraffin) will prevent.

 

[lw395]

Methanol?

I've been told that methanol or ethanol is the main ingredient of many fuel additives for diesel.
It dissolves in the water and kills the bugs, also allows a certain amount of water to dissolve into the diesel and get 'burned'.

Personally, I prefer to treat the problem at source by removing the water from the bottom of the tank.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

mmm, Jeyes Fluid, from the Material Safety Data Sheet.


Contents by weight
TAR ACIDS 10 - 30%
SODIUM HYDROXIDE 1%
WATER >60%

Interesting and simple combination, isn't it ?

How do acids and alkalis co-exist in the same solution? Something wrong there.

As I understand it, you can get the same bug problem in petrol as in diesel.

 

[RIB_imposter]

How do acids and alkalis co-exist in the same solution? Something wrong there..

They do all around you - you'd die if it wasn't for this "buffering" in your blood, you'd have no food because plants wouldn't grow etc...

Or presented in another way "tar acids" will be weak acids that do not full dissociate in solution (c.f. citric acid, ascorbic acid v's hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) - on mixing with sodium hydroxide, you can think of the sodium salt of the acid being formed - but its all one big equilibrium so its actually not unreasonable to say its a mixture of tar acid and sodium hydroxide in solution.

 

[tilmansailing]

Is this a chemistry lesson, or a discussion about diesel bug?

All very interesting, but what is the cure?

 

[pvb]

All very interesting, but what is the cure?

If you're worried about diesel bug, dose your tank with Startron.

That's the cure.

 

[colvic987]

i've been using fuel doctor, but if mine has been 'the bug', then its not that good is it.