What is the "stuff" that clogs my filters?

Filter plugging can have several causes. Low temperatures cause waxes that are part of the fuel solution to  crystallize (AKA-cloud point), which can lead to filter plugging. An example would be using summer diesel in cold weather. Wax or paraffin is part of the diesel fuel. Cold temperatures cause the wax to turn into crystals.  These crystals stop the flow of fuel through the filter.  A use of an anti-gel or heated filter will help with this problem.

Chemical incompatibility may cause dramatic filter plugging. This may happen when fuels with incompatible additive packages are mixed.

Contaminant build up resulting from excessive microbial growth and bio-degradation of fuel can cause filter plugging. Micro-organisms, bacteria and

What are problems related to long-term fuel storage?

Fuel stored in tanks for long periods (6 months and more) requires special attention.  This fuel suffers from multiple problems that influence it's quality.  One of the biggest concerns is water.  Some water is delivered with your new fuel.  This is emmulsified water and is suspended in the fuel.  Some of this entrained water will fall free but not all.  Free water is a different animal.  This water is introduced from changes in temperature, a poorly designed vent, leaking fittings and more.  The presence of free water provides the medium for microbiological growth that results in the formation of slime and acids causing

Fuel Treatment

With winter fast approaching it is important to speak with your fuel supplier about the additive package they use in your winter fuel.  We have seen problems in the past with additive packages.  The problem seems to be more pronounced when your engines are of the common rail type.  These engines use extreme pressure on the supply fuel side prior to the injectors.  In several cases (found in the mining community) there has been a thick brown residue on the injector tips and on the piston crown.  In all of these known cases the engine suffered serious power loss and in some instances downtime.  We do however know that on vehicles where we have installed the fuel conditioner the engine suffered no injector related problems or downtime.  To learn more go to http://www.cleanfuelmanagement.com/ and click on mining.  To learn more about our complete fuel catalyst go to www.cleanfuelmanagement.com/p_fcatalyst.html.

Tim
Engines1

Portsmouth, VA