Green diesel!

[Avocet]

HELP!

I've just toppes up my diesel tank and as it gurgled up the filler neck, I couldn't help noticing that it had a definite greenish-blue tinge to it and seemed thicker than it usually is!

Am I right in thinking I've finally succumbed to the dreaded diesel bug?

The engine still seems to run OK but I guess I need to treat it PDQ. What's the best stuff to use, where can I get it and how much will I need to treat 10 gallons?


Thanks!

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[DepSol]

Greenish blue???? This is red diesel you are talking about?

hmmmm new one that I could understand white diesel under certain circumstances being thought of as that colour but not red diesel?

If you want to safe guard agianst contamination use Soltron, <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sltron.co.uk>http://www.soltron.co.uk</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

Now where is that Brendan hiding?

 

[nordic_ranger]

Your link does not appear to be working and here was I wanting to read about Soltron and it's uses.

Jim

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[vyv_cox]

Where did you fill it? The dye in Irish diesel is green, not red. Interestingly, mixing the two together turns it clear.

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[Avocet]

It uses so little that I've never been bothered about filling it at the fuel pontoon. I think I used about 3 gallons last season and the tank holds just over 9. As a result I just tend to tip a gallon of ordinary, high tax car diesel in whenever I remember. This means the total contents of the tank could include some VERY old diesel (like 5 years or so!) There's no water in the filter drain and the stuff that comes out looks OK (or did last week) but I went out for a very short sail in very steep waves at the time and it might have shaken some sediment up. The tank is mild steel and galvanised. I have no idea whether it is galvanised inside and out or just on the outside. When we bought the boat the surveyor muttered something about galvanised diesel tanks being a bad idea but it didn't appear in his written report and we haven't had a problem.


Then there's the consistency - it really was much thicker than the stuff i tipped in. - Not "porridge" or even 10/40 engine oil but probably more like cooking oil (and no, I haven't been burning cooking oil before anyone asks!) .
Is there a test you can do to see if these "bugs" are present?

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[VicS]

Re: Soltron link

How odd when you click the link it misses out the first letter o so it dosn't work. Type it in and it works!

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[Johnjo]

It appears that a bug has found its way in to the link, you'll have to wash your
hands before typing!

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[Col]

Try <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album

 

[DepSol]

Here it is

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>http://www.soltron.co.uk</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

Now where is that Brendan hiding?

 

[stubate]

here we go again

looking for probs that dont exist perhaps?
if you have been using car/taxed diesel it will be clearish and not dyed so why are some people talking about red and green diesel? after a while some of the lighter ends evaporate and it does thicken a little, the colour changes a bit also the smell, the colour is caused a bit like those cars you see with the funny metallic colour that changes depending on the angle of viewing, the same is happening with your diesel. if you had the "bug" as bad as some people are going on about, the engine wouldnt be running, the filters would be blocked up, if you are really worried about it why fanny around putting chemicals in the tank, just drain the bloody thing, have a bonfire and put some fresh in!!
stu

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[Avocet]

Re: here we go again

Well, the touble is that if I drain the tank and refill it, the new stuff will still probably be there in 5 years! I use so little of it that I guess what you say about the lighter fractions evaporating is a good explanation for why it looks a bit "thick". I want to keep the tank as full as I can - partly to minimise the risk of condensation and partly to minimise the risk of running out of fuel (yes, I know it's not that likely with the amount of motoring I do but I'd feel bloody daft if I did!)

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[Heckler]

Re: here we go again

i really dont think that you have a prob, your fuel is displaying the signs of natural ageing, diesels will run ok on it as long as it is clean, as you say you are trying to keep condensation out but are ending up with fuel that is really old. the prob with the forum is that people start trying to solve a prob that doesnt exist and all that happens is that the person who asks a simple question is presented with a solution that has no bearing on the subject what so ever.

stu

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