Water separator gunk

[Kmyers]

First thanks again for everyone who helped in this thread

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39651


With the weather getting warmer I decided to do a thorough check of the tractor and fluids. Everything looked good except the water separator.

Obviously this needs cleaned and replaced.

What would cause this? I assume it sat for several months before I purchased but didn't know if that could contribute.

What else would you guys check/replace? It has 30 hours so its getting close the first full service, should I just have it all done now?

kmyers

EDIT: Images still not expanding much when I view, hopefully they are for you guys!

 

[SRG]

Probably a biologic. Clean out the separator good, and start mixing in a Biocide concentrate into your fuel.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Algae, I would dump all the fuel and put new in it, and like SRG said treat the new fuel with Biocide/Algacide treatment.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Everything looked good except the water separator.

Obviously this needs cleaned and replaced.

What would cause this? I assume it sat for several months before I purchased but didn't know if that could contribute.

What else would you guys check/replace? It has 30 hours so its getting close the first full service, should I just have it all done now?

kmyers

EDIT: Images still not expanding much when I view, hopefully they are for you guys!

That is quite possibly the nastiest water separator to appear on the forum what causes it is water sitting next to the fuel for a long time in the presence of a couple of algae cells. If this is in your L3301, avoid starting it until you have done as suggested above, clean and disinfect water separator, change fuel filter, drain fuel tank. You don't want that gunk or water in the high pressure fuel pump.

If the tractor sits for any length of time with a half empty tank, water will condense on the walls and get in the fuel lines and then to the water separator.

 

[Kmyers]

Other than unloading from trailer I have not drove the tractor and Im sure the previous owner hadnt used it in 6-8 months.

Thanks for the input SRG, North Idaho Wolfman, sheepfarmer

Will do as you have advised.

 

[200mph]

While I see many refer to this as algae growth including myself, I since learned this growth is either a bacteria or fungus, but not algae.

Found this to be an interesting read.

http://www.hpcdfuel.com/pdf/DOWfuel_training.pdf

After suffering from this with an older tractor, I have since treated all fuel as a precautionary measure.

Here's to clean fuel.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting article. No matter how you refer to it, it's still nasty. As an aside, I had my issue (with my pickup truck) with B20 and the sludge was red, not black. No matter though, still cost me a grand out of pocket to remediate it and I did it myself. Dropped the fuel tanks, cleaned them (and disposed of the fuel inside, new pickup units, new fuel gauge sending units, new fuel bowl and new lift pump. I'm lucky the gunk didn't get to the injectors. 8 injectors would have been bankruptcy for me.

I will never use B20 again. Might smell like french fries burning but the sludge formation makes it a no starter for me.

I use the biocide all the time now, in my bulk storage tank, in my pickup and even add a bit more in the tractors when they sit over the winter.

Learned the hard and expensive way that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I use Power Service Bio-Kleen but I imagine any microbial killer works.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'm of the opinion that diesel fuel don't have to sit unused very long to start to deteriorate.

 

[GeoHorn]

Diesel fuel should be treated with an anti-microbial and a gel-preventive if in cold climates, and the storage tank should have a water-separator/filter at it's delivery-hose and you'll be fine.
Personally I don't use a gel-preventive because I'm down south and rarely get below freezing, but I use Biobor-JF (anti-fungal/anti-microbial) in the diesel storage tanks because that's also what is approved and what we used in jet-fuel/kerosene for the reasons stated in the article.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Far as the separator goes, you don't need to replace it, just clean it out.

 

[JerryMT]

First thanks again for everyone who helped in this thread

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39651


With the weather getting warmer I decided to do a thorough check of the tractor and fluids. Everything looked good except the water separator.

Obviously this needs cleaned and replaced.

What would cause this? I assume it sat for several months before I purchased but didn't know if that could contribute.

What else would you guys check/replace? It has 30 hours so its getting close the first full service, should I just have it all done now?

kmyers

EDIT: Images still not expanding much when I view, hopefully they are for you guys!

The other guys told you what was in your water separator but nobody answered your question "What would cause this?"

What you have is sludge formed by bacteria that live in the fuel/water interface and feed on the fuel. They are able to survive because of the water. Water either got there from contaminated fuel (either from a fuel supplier or because the PO left the cap off in a rain storm) or from condensation. If you try to keep your tank full of fuel you can minimize but not eliminate, condensation as source of water. Using fuel with a biocide additive or adding biocide to the fuel can prevent the problem.

 

[Kmyers]

Drained the fuel, replaced separator and fuel filters. Luckily it appears the growth was contained in the separator.

Refilled with clean diesel and some Bio-Kleen. Did loader work for 5 hrs this weekend with no issue.

 

[OlFerguson]

Kerosene will clean that up Nice

 

[arto98607]

The other guys told you what was in your water separator but nobody answered your question "What would cause this?"

What you have is sludge formed by bacteria that live in the fuel/water interface and feed on the fuel. They are able to survive because of the water. Water either got there from contaminated fuel (either from a fuel supplier or because the PO left the cap off in a rain storm) or from condensation. If you try to keep your tank full of fuel you can minimize but not eliminate, condensation as source of water. Using fuel with a biocide additive or adding biocide to the fuel can prevent the problem.

Thank you, agree 100%

I store off-road Diesel fuel in 50 gallon drums in my barn for a tractor & mowers and always add Biobor JF when filling up the drums. Also have a Golden Rod filter in the drum pump outlet.