Why Is My Diesel Fuel Clogging My Filters

Did you know, your diesel fuel is spoiling while you sleep?


Diesel fuel quality issues are creating a heightened level of concern for consumers worldwide. Fuel deterioration is a primary cause of clogged filters, loss of engine power, and worst of all, engine failure. By educating yourself, and preparing your equipment for this inevitable failure, you can avoid emergency problems and insure a continuous flow of clean, clear and optimal diesel fuel to your equipment.

Before we deal with the solution we must first understand the problem. Diesel fuel is an organic compound that is refined from crude oil. Through the refining process the resulting fuel molecules become polarized and unstable. We will deal with polarization and stability one by one.

The effect of the polarized molecules allows these to recombine or attach to one another ending up, over time, in a cluster of what we commonly refer to as sludge. Sludge is the extreme effect of these clusters. At the point that you can see the formations it is too late. Your engine pulls this sludge into the fuel system, the filter traps most of it in the filter media, and when the sludge covers enough of the filter media to prevent fuel flow, the engine shuts down.

The particles that get through the filter cause damage to the very fine passages in your injectors and pump. You can change the filter and wait for the next event or begin a proactive approach, through annual tank cleaning or permanent automated fuel polishing systems, that deal with the root cause of this polarization. Look for a future article on “How Magnetic Fuel Conditioning Works”.

Secondly is the issue of stability. During refinement an oxygen molecule is stripped from the chain of thehydrocarbon fuel molecule. Needing to fill that void is the desire of the fuel molecule. Since refining uses high pressure steam in most cases the simplest way to fill this void is to grab an oxygen molecule from the steam during the cracking process. Unfortunately there are also a couple of hydrogen molecules attached to the water molecule that fuel just grabbed. In fuel speak this is known as entrained or emulsified water and is carried with the fuel for the rest of it’s life. In most cases this is not seriously harmful on it’s own but when left to rest this water combined with other free water will create a recipe for disaster. Because, when your engine is running the fuel is drawn into the system and is separated at the filter. The level continues to elevate until the high water alarm sounds or until the filter flow is blocked and fuel ceases to flow. In extreme cases when using substandard filters the water continues through the system thereby damaging injection pumps and injectors.

Getting the water, particulate (dirt) and sludge out of your fuel prior to use by the engine is, and must be, your prime focus. There are systems that clean your fuel and keep your fuel in optimal condition at all times. These systems circulate fuel outside of the engine fuel system. Our fuel polishing systems provide primary filtration, magnetic fuel conditioning, and secondary filtration. They utilize a free water removal filter on the inlet side and in most cases a water block filter on the discharge side. Go to our Cleanfuelmanagement site to see and learn more.

Before And After Pictures of Diesel Fuel After Polishing

Keeping fuel clean.........................................it's what we do