Diesel Bug? or maybe not.

[hopern1]

So as mentioned on another thread I had an engine malfunction at the weekend.
Re-loading the fuel and eliminating air in the system got the engine running again.

So along the way I discovered that the primary fuel filter has no cartridge (ie actual filter) in it.
And the secondary fuel filter is pristine , completely clean.

Here is a picture of what I found at the bottom of the primary fuel filter casing


So the question is, is this the diesel bug or not?

 

[robmcg]

It's Bug

Get yourself some Startron. :encouragement:

 

[Just_sayin']

Interesting.

We thought we had the bug once, a really dirty primary filter. Changed it, monitored it and never had the problem again.

If that's the bug, and it doesn't look good, how could the secondary filter be clean?

 

[charles_reed]

I'd put in a filter - and save the money on the Startron. Try it and see.
Don't know how anyone can look a small photo of a black deposit at the bottom of the housing and pronounce so gravidly.

PS My experience is that biocides frequently make things worse in the short term, the long term answer is to clean the tank and polish the fuel.

 

[Topcat47]

It does look a lot like the gel from the bug, so a dose of Startron won't do any harm at all. The fact that there wasn't a primary filter fitted and the secondary filter was pristine suggests that it's old stuff left over from a previous dose, however, the casing shown looks like the secondary filter from my engine rather than the primary. (the primary filter is the first in the line from the fuel tank, the secondary is the one closest to the injector pump(s) on the engine itself).

In either event, do not run the engine until both filters are in place, as the problems arising from Bio-contamination will not be cured by simply cleaning the tank and replacing the filters. if it has spread to the return line.