Algae in fuel tank

[klparker]

2001, Itasca Horizon, diesel pusher.  I am loosing power and transmission gears down.  I changed both filters, fuel/water and fuel.  I filled my tank and added product Sta-Bil for algae.  However, when I check the fuel/water filter I still see black algae.  Do I need to drain all fuel, change two filters  and then add an  algae elimination product or is there a product that will kill and dissolve algae so it would be removed when all fuel is consumed.  Can I add another type of algae killer to the Sta-Bil that is currently in my fuel tank, since March 2019.  Do you think I need professional help or is this a problem I can take care of?

[marktaylorjets]

Sta-bil is a good product if you use it from the very beginning.  Once water is allowed to sit in the tank for a length of time, algae will grow.  I would seek professional help to thoroughly clean the tank and get rid of the algae.  Then, start fresh, and try to keep the tank full and treated when not in use.

[wolfe10]

You need an ALGAECIDE, not a stabilizer.  Here is a common one: https://www.biobor.com/products/biobor-jf-diesel/

[manholt]

Use Biobor, and change filters a lot...time consuming, but a lot cheaper than option 1 or 2.  Joe L. wrote an excellent story on this, 2 years ago, his own experience! 

[klparker]

There is @70 gallons fuel in tank, should I attempt to remove fuel before adding Biobor?  After adding Biobor any idea how long I should wait until driving, and how often should I change filters to ensure algae is gone.  Currently, I can see algae in fuel/water filter but no water.  Should I drive to mix up fuel with Biobor or should I start RV and let it idle for a period of time.

[jleamont]

7 minutes ago, klparker said:

There is @70 gallons fuel in tank, should I attempt to remove fuel before adding Biobor?  After adding Biobor any idea how long I should wait until driving, and how often should I change filters to ensure algae is gone.  Currently, I can see algae in fuel/water filter but no water.  Should I drive to mix up fuel with Biobor or should I start RV and let it idle for a period of time.

I added algaecide to ours, topped it off with fresh fuel and ran it to 1/4 a tank, topped it off with fresh fuel and added more algaecide. I did this for several months and many fill ups. It took me a while to get it all out. My primary filter was in need of changing the first time around 900 miles, and it went up from there. That all happened back in 2016, to this day I still use a fuel conditioner at each fill up. Cheap insurance and the coach does perform better with it. 

I looked into fuel polishing, it was just north of $1000 and I had to drive it to them. I didn't spend nearly that much doing the way I mentioned but I guess it will depend on how bad yours is. If I still had a fuel tank repair shop close by I would have pulled the tank and had them cut it open, clean it and weld it back together. I have had that done in the past for Ambulances and Fire trucks, that works best and insures cleanliness. 

Make certain you carry extra filters, proper tooling and a way to prime those filters with you at all times. I still carry 5 primary filters and 2 secondary filters. Tools are in a tote, rubber gloves next to the tote and I have a jug to store excess fuel until I can properly dispose of it when I get home. 

[manholt]

Ray, we burn pretty big brush piles once a year and use 4 bags of Frito's or Potato chips!  I'm still battling Cedar, got all the Mesquite.  Never use diesel, it's too hard to control.  

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, manholt said:

Never use diesel

Funny, one of the first tests to determine if diesel fuel is contaminated with gasoline is to see if it lights with an open flame, if it does its contaminated, if it doesn't there is NO gas in it. 

[manholt]

Joe, oil will burn, tar, diesel, kerosene, gasoline...same thing.  Some have more volatility than others.  I guess I don't understand your statement.

[jleamont]

9 hours ago, manholt said:

Joe, oil will burn, tar, diesel, kerosene, gasoline...same thing.  Some have more volatility than others.  I guess I don't understand your statement.

Diesel will burn if misted over a flame, you can pour it on the ground and put a torch to it, it will just smoke, only after a while, not burn. 

Scroll down to #2

https://www.anl.gov/article/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-diesel

[jleamont]

On 9/11/2019 at 12:34 PM, klparker said:

There is @70 gallons fuel in tank, should I attempt to remove fuel before adding Biobor?  After adding Biobor any idea how long I should wait until driving, and how often should I change filters to ensure algae is gone.  Currently, I can see algae in fuel/water filter but no water.  Should I drive to mix up fuel with Biobor or should I start RV and let it idle for a period of time.

How did you make out with this? 

[klparker]

3 hours ago, jleamont said:

How did you make out with this? 

Just got the Biobor, will put enough for 90 gallons - 60 already in tank and adding  30 to top off and then take it down the road.  I have extra fuel/water and fuel filters.  After driving several miles I will check the fuel/water filter for algae and change as needed.  I appreciate all your help and if you have any further ideas please let me know. 

[jleamont]

Hopefully you can clear it out on your own. The Algaecide for me broke it down so it would get into the filters. At first it was so bad it was clogging up the fuel line at the water separator. I thought for sure it was going to be expensive.

I got ours from a truck stop that must have had a load dropped that sat around too long in the summer. I had these little buggers also;

https://www.aa.co.nz/cars/motoring-blog/what-is-the-diesel-bug-and-how-can-i-prevent-it/

[billgrah5]

.

[obedb]

As a former trucker, I am still confused  about the problems had by RV diesel coaches. So far none with our Phaeton. Joe Leamont's is especially confusing to me. I wish that I had kept a log of my fuel buys while trucking. Never a problem. Sometimes 650 to 700 gallons a week and all from big sources including Loves. Big dealers selling to America's largest trucking fuel stops would not dare have bad fuel dropped into their tanks. Then it would be pumped into major trucking companies road equipment. Imagine the blow back when a lot of freight was not delivered on time. Trucks would breakdown, waiting on roadside assistance..Questions would be asked by major carriers.  If there was a pattern,  who is paying for this. Why did this happen?

[wolfe10]

22 minutes ago, Elkhartjim said:

Byron, the algae will form in the water that accumulates when the fuel tank is low on fuel. Its worse in areas like Texas where the temperature may fluctuate from 70's to 40's daily. This fluctuation will cause moisture to form in the tank from condensation. By burning 600+ gallons of fuel a week  you will never have the problems we are discussing. 

Correct. Algae grows at the water/diesel interface.

An issue for pleasure boats and RV's because of condensation.  OTR trucks rarely/never have their tanks below the dew point so little/no condensation.

That is why I STRONGLY recommend two things if you store diesel fuel:

Tank full to reduce condensation.

If storing diesel over 2 months in summer or 3 in winter, add a biocide.  A popular one is https://www.biobor.com/products/biobor-jf-diesel/

Yup, you will find it at most marine stores, very few truck stops.  Makes sense.

[jleamont]

Obedb, let me explain what our fuel rep told me at work from memory. I might get some of this incorrect, working from memory. Mike K could probably shed some light on this.

Two years ago there was an abundance of diesel fuel produced, it was being stored and caused condensation issues, that was passed along to the stations when their tanks were filled. He told tanker trailers were parked for weeks waiting for pickup to deliver to stations. Couple this with Bio blended fuel (we didn't have much of when you were running your truck) and the microorganisms were loving it, getting fat and growing at a rapid rate.

With the new ultra low sulpher fuels during the manufacturing process creates salt, when its pumped through pipes out of the refinery the salt particles are supposed drop out, turns out not enough was and it was ending up in engine filters. We have actually had to vacuum salt from our primary fuel filters at our shops, it looked just like Brown sugar accumulated in the Davco filters. 

I just had a friend over the summer fill up at a Flying J out west in Colorado, get 30 miles away and lost engine power all caused by bad diesel. He had to have the coach tank pumped out on the side of the road and both filters replaced. 

People look at me funny when I add fuel to a mason jar before dispensing it into my tank and measure out additives before topping off but I don't want to go through that again. 

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, Elkhartjim said:

I find it hard to believe we had an abundance of diesel 2 years ago, Joe. We export so much diesel that its difficult for the refiners to keep up with the demand. If tanker trucks were lined up for weeks to deliver, the question is why? The demand certainly has done nothing but increase in the last ten years and with essentially no new refineries added.

I have no idea why. We got stung at work which lead to a meeting I can only pass along what I was told. 

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, Elkhartjim said:

I sure hope Mike eventually chimes in.  He could educate us or at least me quickly.

I was hoping the same.

The issue we experienced could have been contained up here in the North East. I Never asked that question.

[obedb]

Jim/ bought many thousands of gallons  of diesel in Texas. My three main sources  were  one of the original Flying Js in Amarillo on my way to or from the west coast. Always busy. San Antonio Flying Jwas also a very busy fuel stop. Unloaded really large air conditioning compressors that were built in York PA. and shipped mostly into Mexico. Used often on roof tops for A/C,  York Corp; now Johnson Controls. Flying J Dallas was also usually very busy to and fro for me. Lived in Texas as a kid. Goodfellow AFB / SanAngelo . Big time polio epidemic and I survived  4 and 1/2 years  total . Yes I loved Texas. Bigger than life.

Joe/ remember buying a lot of fuel in our home state of PA. Got compliments from the shop that serviced my big rigs over the years. Used Racor fuel/water separators . Did not sell my last rig until May of 2012. Was not sure that I wanted to quit but Betty wanted me home after her Mom died. PA pumps are marked 10% bio diesel. Never a problem. Was I blessed😎. Probably not. In the 90's  there were two big moves on removing most sulphur from diesel fuel. The second removal caused me a road call with additives and a propane heater to get going. The  mechanic at least brought me a big cup of coffee.

Brett/ I will order the biocide you recommended. 

Goodness/ has it gotten that bad?

[jleamont]

9 hours ago, obedb said:

Goodness/ has it gotten that bad?

Seems to be hit or miss.

The Pilot on I-81 as you are headed up the Mountain in Lebanon area is HORRIBLE. I cant count on one hand how many times I have had breakdowns that pulled out of there in the winter months. Most cannot get up the mountain, if headed south you can coast into Harrisburg if your lucky. I have a mobile maintenance vendor in Hegins PA, I swear I put his kid through college .

They run a B20 from their pumps, I don't know why but once it hits the atmosphere it turns into Butter.