Cummins ISL And ISC Engines With CAPS Fuel Injector

[jleamont]

Herman, I owe you one, or a few. Hope our paths cross. BBQ on my Traeger and some cold ones are in order.

[hermanmullins]

That's what it's all about, helping each other. Glad it is working for you.

Herman 

[wildebill308]

Glad you got it working.

Bill

[jleamont]

Thanks, now on to the ABS light, I have to call Monaco tomorrow to get a list of abs fault codes, seems like a power problem to the module the way the light was flickering like a strobe light. 

[jleamont]

I just ordered a case of this product, "Diesel Mate"

http://northamerica.certifiedlabs.com/products-fuel-quality.html

Recommended by a friend that just went to a diesel fuel lab class to discuss how bad the new fuels are. Expensive but if it saves me one breakdown its worth it.

[jleamont]

So I called Monaco tech support for my ABS diagnostics, mentioned the bucking experienced, the tech laughed and said the ISL will buck violently with a partially blocked fuel filter, he had no idea why the ISL acts different than the ISB or ISC (other than the pumps are completely different, the ISB and ISC are similar while the ISL is similar to the ISM and ISX).

He also mentioned my main power solenoid in the rear of the coach, it looks original and from previous posts on FMCA I bought the Marine one mentioned (cant think of it at the moment) and I keep it as a spare, I may just install it into the coach and keep the old one as the spare, just for some piece of mind.

 

[dickandlois]

Joe, Got to wounder a little about the product you mentioned in regards to using it for better lubricity as Bio already has a higher level then straight ULSD. Might ask your contact how they compared the product to the Bio fuels.

Just curious !   Rich.

 

[jleamont]

I did ask, the explanation was bio has more water, due to a bi product of the manufacturing process, while the lubrication is higher so is the sludge which is another bi product or manufacturing that didn't go as planned. I avoid bio blended fuel while traveling when possible, it seems like its starting to pop up everywhere from 5%-20%.

Supposedly it will remove water and breakdown the sludge that is common in bio blended fuels. I have often found it puzzling how a product could do both, but I am no chemist. We will see how it works. If it keeps me off the side of the road it was well worth it.

[jleamont]

Ok, just got my fuel sample results back. Cetane was only 41 (almost bunker fuel not diesel, which is pretty bad) (50 would be good) and I have bacteria in the fuel, the stuff in my filter was waste from the micro organisms (yea, the same stuff in your black tank ) and fungi was also discovered (the slimy stuff on my filter when I cut it open). It could be much worse than it is so we are going all Rambo on it. 2oz of the Tank Tonic will kill all of it, (yea its that strong).

None of it can be seen in the tank with the human eye, which is the good thing, I have heard of floating bacteria in diesel tanks which would be an entire different process to remove that.  

So I am hitting the fuel system with the following products and stocking up on filters in my under storage since once it dies and gets passed into my filters I have a feeling they will not last long. Thank Monaco for placing them right out in the open, I can change them and prime the system in less than 10 minutes with an Allen key and the DW cycling the ignition 3-4 times.

So here is what the cocktail is;

"Tank Tonic" for the bacteria/fungi and "DZL Clean" just to clean out the nozzles (a little extra to make all of the sub systems operate better). I have already added "Diesel Mate" to the system to get my Cetane up, stabilize the fuel and keep that injection pump well lubed and happy. Plus its a fuel stabilizer so my fuel quality should hold its own after with any residual remaining during a fill up. I will pull another sample after I run this tank out and see where it stands with the fuel condition. Looks like I will always add Diesel Mate moving forward to keep it maintained after I get rid of the bacteria.

The next trip should be full of adventure .

[obedb]

Unless things have changed since I retired, PA only mandates 5%. Biodiesel. The lowest in the country.  I will check the diesel pumps at a nearby station. I dipped our tank with water finder paste available at Tractor Supply last year. Nothing there. A petroleum engineer told me many years ago that water was a byproduct of the refinery process. He dipped my saddle tank's as a courtesy when I filled at his retirement project (a fuel stop just east of Amarillo he owned.) Nothing there.

I recently changed my fuel filter (only have one) as a precaution after two round trips to Colorado's western slope. 9000 miles total. I always use Power Service Additive at every fuel stop. Adds 7 cents per gallon to cost. I also add Lucas injector cleaner occasionally. Don't laugh. I had a miss that Lucas fixed. Went from embarrassing to smooth.

Joe/ you will soon be an RV expert. School of Hard Knocks Diploma.

[jleamont]

Update: the products listed above worked.

No Diesel Bugs alive, all dead. Oddly the percentage of them also dropped and I pulled the sample from the bottom of the tank on both sides. Not sure of the product dissolved them or what happened, not complaining. My Cetane jumped up to 47 which isn't great but not horrible either. Now comes the cleanup as the leftovers get pulled into my filters.

Hitting the road Friday, cant wait to see how it performs.

[manholt]

Joe.  It's great that it all worked out for you.  I must have missed something, why are you still running the same tank of fuel?  Siphon out the old and fill with new fuel?  Have a pleasant trip.

Carl

[jleamont]

Carl, the coach hasn't moved, I didn't want to run it until that stuff was dead since it multiplies so rapidly. Now I know it is I will be running that tank out Friday. here is what I had...cooties is what it is

http://www.diesel-bug.com/diesel-bug-information.html

I have three of each filter with me ready to swing them out when I arrive in Maine Saturday.

[manholt]

If you wish for them to remove and clean your bug problem out, starting at 90 quid, do they drive or fly across the pond?

Carl

[obedb]

Wouldn't it make sense to have a sump or low point area in the back or rear of the tank. That would eliminate road hazards from possibly dumping fuel on the ground. Never happened to me but in my early trucking years with the bottom hanging crossover between saddle tanks,  it happened to fellow truckers. Then with the sump and a shutoff drain installed, one could drain the crud into a suitable container. I had rear drains on most of my saddle tanks, I parked on a slope, especially before winter started, and drained mostly water with some crud. Of course burning maybe 600 gallons of fuel a week and using a big Racor fuel water separator helped. 

 Back to my point/ light aircraft have drainable sumps. Checking for water is part of  the preflight. Why don't DP owners have something like that. Most of our rigs set for long periods. Opportune times for things to breed.

Maybe Joe and others wouldn't have cooties crawling around in the tank if we could regularly drain the the junk out. IMHO

[jleamont]

ObedB, I agree a drain would be great especially if it was a low point drain with a sump like the older tractors were equipped with to remove water from the tank.

I considered having the fuel polished but I was told its not that bad no need . There is a local company in Delaware county that performs this work, $862.00 was the cost they quoted me. I'm going to run it into New England and see how it goes, I figured I have plenty of extra filters and.....well what the heck.

[manholt]

Agree.  Low drain point would be great!  I can and do get rid off water in fuel, but it's not from low point. 

Carl

[obedb]

I heard that fuel polishing was expensive, but didn't know that it was that high$$$.

[manholt]

That is ridiculous.  Dump what you got and refill, comes in at half the price...something stinks!

[jleamont]

Yea, I was surprised they told me it wasn't necessary, made me feel better about their trustworthiness. I saw how its done, I guess if my fuel looked like the fuel in the videos I would just have to do it. Believe me, there will never be fuel added to this coach without an additive going forward. I was considering an auto injection system to add it without doing more than pushing a button at the time of fill up. Since I like engineering and fabrication stuff like that I just might do it. It will save me the time to remove the funnel from the coach, make sure its clean, and pour it in while at the pump and getting that stuff on my hands and putting it all away after. Since the additives are not a scientific precise measurement and more only hurts your wallet I might come up with something.

[hermanmullins]

Joe,

Consider purchasing your additives in bulk, like gallon size and put the amount you want to add when fueling in throwaway bottles. No muss, on fuss and throw away.  

Herman

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, hermanmullins said:

Joe,

Consider purchasing your additives in bulk, like gallon size and put the amount you want to add when fueling in throwaway bottles. No muss, on fuss and throw away.  

Herman

Herman, my fuel fill is on a slight angle and what you pour in comes back out, a funnel or nozzle are a must unless you want it on your hands and feet. Is yours the same on your Monaco?

My neck on the fill in only 6-10" deep with a brass cap and you are into the fuel tank, I can actually see into the tank and have no plumbing connecting to the tank.

[manholt]

Joe.

Re-read the last line of your post.  No plumbing?  How do you get the fuel to the engine?  Osmosis? .

[jleamont]

On June 30, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Manholt said:

Joe.

Re-read the last line of your post.  No plumbing?  How do you get the fuel to the engine?  Osmosis? .

Ha, I meant my fuel fills have no plumbing. Some have hoses on each side to feed the tank, my fills are like on a truck, right on the tank itself

[jleamont]

Update; made it to Maine no problems. 500 miles or so. When I got close to the CG I noticed a very slight power loss and my boost gauge would go to 26 psi now only peaking at 22 ish. So I swapped both fuel filters at the CG, few days later went on our way to Massachusetts. Power back at full now boost gauge back at 26 psi. Topped off the tank in Maine along the way, put more Diesel Mate in it. When get home I will cut them open to see what's in side.