Contaminated fuel?

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Bushhook

New Member
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Hi everyone, has anyone else suffered with contaminated diesel? Had my TDCI Landy 6 months when tank is nearly empty the engine surges and intermittently won't Rev above 1100 revs. A mechanic pal of mine has suggested algae in tank but I wouldn't have thought anything could live in diesel? It seems to run ok when tank is full.
 
Sounds more like an air in fuel problem when the tank is low and an air leak will show up.

But yes you can get whats known as diesel bug living in the fuel tank, it's more common in boats but can happen in cars.
It lives in water at the bottom of the tank, hence more common in boats.
This would tend to block fuel filters.

Oh and welcome to loonyzone.
 
Thanks everyone for your ideas more food for thought. I think I might take fuel tank off and steam clean it. Previous owner was a Scottish sheep farmer so who knows what he put in there.
 
Thanks everyone for your ideas more food for thought. I think I might take fuel tank off and steam clean it. Previous owner was a Scottish sheep farmer so who knows what he put in there.
Make sure you get every trace of water from the steam out or you will guarantee bacterial growth in future. Check the pump while you are at it.
 
Hi everyone, has anyone else suffered with contaminated diesel? Had my TDCI Landy 6 months when tank is nearly empty the engine surges and intermittently won't Rev above 1100 revs. A mechanic pal of mine has suggested algae in tank but I wouldn't have thought anything could live in diesel? It seems to run ok when tank is full.

Diesel bug does live and breed in diesel. It usually starts on the film between the water in the tank and the fuel.

If you get a bad case your fuel will go completely black, and this is pretty obvious on the filter element.;)

Diesel bug isn't as common on road vehicles as it was a few years back, when the fuel formulations were changed to include biodiesel. The fuel companies have got better at stabilising it now seems to be more common on boats now.
 
Diesel bug does live and breed in diesel. It usually starts on the film between the water in the tank and the fuel.

If you get a bad case your fuel will go completely black, and this is pretty obvious on the filter element.;)

Diesel bug isn't as common on road vehicles as it was a few years back, when the fuel formulations were changed to include biodiesel. The fuel companies have got better at stabilising it now seems to be more common on boats now.
Always pays to keep the tank full especially in winter to reduce the condensation that causes the problem
 
Always pays to keep the tank full especially in winter to reduce the condensation that causes the problem

I agree! :) And also reduces the risk of contaminants from the bottom of the tank being picked up. ;)

Every evening I fill my tractor brim full of fuel, there is a drum of diesel kept beside it for this purpose.

I don't have a white diesel tank, but fill the ninety brim full of fuel every time the tank is third empty, unless I am on a long run.

I have always done this on all my diesel vehicles, and I change filters every six months, in thirty years of running them I have had almost no problems with IPs or injectors! :)
 
I agree! :) And also reduces the risk of contaminants from the bottom of the tank being picked up. ;)

Every evening I fill my tractor brim full of fuel, there is a drum of diesel kept beside it for this purpose.

I don't have a white diesel tank, but fill the ninety brim full of fuel every time the tank is third empty, unless I am on a long run.

I have always done this on all my diesel vehicles, and I change filters every six months, in thirty years of running them I have had almost no problems with IPs or injectors! :)
Yep I re-brim my diesels as soon as the gauge drops below half. Reduces the stress on the in tank pump too which is one of many weak points on the P38.
 
Yep I re-brim my diesels as soon as the gauge drops below half. Reduces the stress on the in tank pump too which is one of many weak points on the P38.

Never had a P38, but I would certainly do the same if I did.

Seen a great many fuel system faults on older diesels, and I would guess over 90% were caused by the lack of knowledge or negligence of the operator! :(
 
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