Diesel Snot, Here it is IN person.

**disco2hse** · 18th January 2012, 05:26 AM

Originally Posted by Catmatt

Prevention -
1. Always keep your tank as full as you can if you are not using the vehicle for some time (Minimises air spaces which in turn minimises condensation)
2. Buy your fuel from a high usage outlet eg - a truck station or any fuel station that has a high percentage of diesel customers
3. As pointed out - continual use of fuel conditioners. I have a long range tank and use an anti-fungal agent in every 2nd tank regardless where I fill up
4. Try not to run your fuel down to the last few litres which will risk contaminating your fuel system

I have been following this for a few years now, mainly in the commercial and fishing industries. Some things that recent research has shown seems to contradict common knowledge. Not to say that common knowledge is wrong, but there may be other factors. Remember there over 19 known forms of the diesel bug and yes, it feeds on the diesel. Some may be aerobic and others are not.

Keeping fuel tanks full will not prevent the bug if it is either already present or is introduced. Water can condensate out of the fuel and despite that it reads full, there may actually be a quantity of water in there.

High or low usage, any distributor may still have contamination. The fact of a diesel bug does not mean the fuel has been left to sit for a long period. In Auckland, all fuel distributors are required to test and dose regularly, but there have still been instances where it has been introduced from outside.

The diesel bug, since it is in a fluid medium that is shaken around in transit, can be anywhere in the tank. It can enter the fuel lines regardless of whether the tank is full or empty.

While it may be prevalent in tropical areas, remember that does not mean it will be confined to those regions. Many in NZ have been fighting it for a long time, and NZ surely cannot be confused with being tropical. I have a bottle of conditioner in the shed. As mentioned, the machines in Antarctica have been found with it (probably went via NZ).

It is a serious problem if you have it. It can cause major problems with injectors and from its by-products.

Alan

**Blknight.aus** · 18th January 2012, 06:50 AM

over here the concept on keeping the tank full mainly relates to storing the vehicles.

IF the tank is full it doesnt breath as much as an empty tank, If it doesnt breath it doesnt draw in moisture laden air, if it doesnt draw in moisture laden air you dont get condensation adding to the water in the tank. with less water in the tank there is less water/fuel boundry which is where most of the bugs breed and thrive.

in a pinch to help reduce the free water in the fuel (and I dont reccomend this for the td5 or newer engines) dosing the tank with a liter of 50/50 petrol and metho will shift the water.

**disco2hse** · 18th January 2012, 06:55 AM

OK. I see where you are coming from. But if it is in storage, wouldn't be better then to drain the tank completely? No diesel, no bug.

**Blknight.aus** · 18th January 2012, 07:35 AM

it depends on how long your storing it for.

What your talking about is a complete mothballing of the fuel system and that takes quite a few hours to do properly.

Generally I dont bother doing anything but topping the tanks if its not going to be used for less than a couple of months, more than a couple of months I'll dose and fill over 6 months I'll drain the whole system and if its more than a year then I'll preform a complete mothballing.

**Awest** · 18th January 2012, 08:07 AM

Recommendations to treat it?

Which Brands do people use?

**Blknight.aus** · 18th January 2012, 09:36 PM

I reccomend you come out to ipswich with an empty jerry ready to take diesel and I'll give you a dose of some I picked up.

**Mick-Kelly** · 19th January 2012, 12:38 PM

So as i am in the market for an older diesel (early 90's) when i eventualy get there where is a good place to take it to fully clean out the fuel system.

**disco2hse** · 19th January 2012, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

So as i am in the market for an older diesel (early 90's) when i eventualy get there where is a good place to take it to fully clean out the fuel system.

You shouldn't need to unless the engine was previously contaminated. It is not something that lies in wait and the age of the engine is irrelevant.

If it was contaminated, dosing and cleaning fuel filters is all you need to do, unless the growths made it past the filters, then you might not want to buy the engine in any case otherwise you could be up for the cost of very expensive injector replacement.

**Blknight.aus** · 19th January 2012, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

So as i am in the market for an older diesel (early 90's) when i eventualy get there where is a good place to take it to fully clean out the fuel system.

your back yard.

drain the tank and run the engine from a jerry of treated fuel while you clean out the tank by hand.

refill, treat and your done.

**vnx205** · 19th January 2012, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

I reccomend you come out to ipswich with an empty jerry ready to take diesel and I'll give you a dose of some I picked up.

OK, is there anyone else prepared to admit that they briefly had the uncharitable thought that Dave was offering to give someone a dose of snot he had picked up?

Fortunately I read his other thread about BC-250 in time to dispel the notion.

Thread: Diesel Snot, Here it is IN person.

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