Diesel bug question

P

peter2407

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 Sep 2008
Messages
1,064
Visit site
Assuming I have read this right, it's not the live bacteria that causes the problem - its their dead colleagues, and the issue would manifest itself as fuel starvation/blocked filters? So if I changed the filters and was getting a decent flow of fuel by the priming pump, any issues I have cannot be related to contamination? I want to establish that diesel bugs do not degrade the fuel itself.
 
peter2407 said:
Assuming I have read this right, it's not the live bacteria that causes the problem - its their dead colleagues, and the issue would manifest itself as fuel starvation/blocked filters? So if I changed the filters and was getting a decent flow of fuel by the priming pump, any issues I have cannot be related to contamination? I want to establish that diesel bugs do not degrade the fuel itself.
Click to expand...

Hi Peter

Diesel bug is in your tanks or tanks and probably pipework and will block your filters, hence fuel starvation.
Normally its in the tank bottom, cleaning/changing the filters is fine if you have not changed them for some time and 'may' solve your problem, but you are probably on borrowed time to the next blockage.

Yes you will get loads of advice as to which wonderfull diesel bug cleaner to buy, but from experiance it's like pouring more money down the fuel tank, cure the problem once and clean the tanks out!

Mike
 
Diesel bug usually results in a jelly-like substance which blocks filters. Bug-killing products might kill the bug, but don't necessarily remove the jelly-like rubbish. Enzyme containing bug-killing products (eg Startron, Soltron) seem to consume the jelly content, leaving some scaly residue which doesn't seem to block filters as readily.

After I had serious diesel bug problems, I cleaned the tank as best I could, then added Soltron (now Startron) to the fuel every time I refuelled. No recurrence of the problem.
 
Yup, once you get the bug.......Its a miserable business and, as PVB reports, there seems to be no alternative to a total clean out and subsequent treatment with bug killer/preventative. YUK!!!!
 
pvb said:
Diesel bug usually results in a jelly-like substance which blocks filters. Bug-killing products might kill the bug, but don't necessarily remove the jelly-like rubbish. Enzyme containing bug-killing products (eg Startron, Soltron) seem to consume the jelly content, leaving some scaly residue which doesn't seem to block filters as readily.

After I had serious diesel bug problems, I cleaned the tank as best I could, then added Soltron (now Startron) to the fuel every time I refuelled. No recurrence of the problem.
Click to expand...

If you have large enough bits in the tank in heavy seas they get stirred up after a couple of hrs of motoring and enter the tank dip pipe affecting the flow rate and causing the engine to hunt . Quite disconcerting! I suck then up from the tank bottom sump with a dip tube having no bottom drain in my fuel tank which lies close along the port hull

Have considered putting a mesh strainer in the dip pipe ( similar to sump pumps ) but am too concerned about them blocking and catching me out when I least expect it

Have tried Soltron and it seems to work but its difficult to get out in the eastern med and I am not sure that Startron which is available is the same thing
 
pvb said:
Startron is the same stuff as the original Soltron.
Click to expand...

I remember several years ago big argument in this forum about that very fact however chief supporter of the uniqueness of Soltron seemed to be retailer of the stuff

Also tried Grotamar 97 - as previous posters said - kills the bug but no guarantee that bug residue removed .

Although Grotamar was supposed to tackle the residue as well in lab conditions ; in the field ( or on the high seas )in hot weather poor bulk storage and transportation between islands and remote locations etc at peak of summer who is to say that it was not overwhelmed

I also use a proprietary filter funnel / water remover when filling from jerry cans but when filling from some stations flow rate from shore pump greater than filter can pass .

I also have to wipe yuk off filter funnel mesh before filling because it too blocks up so in a hurry don't use it at all .

Theory versus in practice I suppose
 
I have had a diesel engine for 15 years.

Like many others, I have used/use a Soltron type product.

On changing filters, I have found that in most years there is the bug, or jelly type substance in the primary filter.

About seven year's ago, I removed the stainless tank and had it steam cleaned. Unfortunately, this has made no significant difference . Most years there is still the jelly type substance in the filter. I have decided to accept the situation and just double up the dose of Soltron or similar stuff when I change the filters which is once per year.

I have noticed that the secondary filter is always clean. I probably use about 70 litres of fuel per annum.

On the recommendation of this forum, I have been using the Delphi primary filter which has a finer element and seems to catch it all well.

For the first time ever, I changed the filters after two year's instead of one and the filter was about 25% clogged.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top