Elgin Black
3668 Bougainvillea Ct Winter Park, Fl 32792
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We have a 38' motorhome with a Cummins engine. The lift pump is clogged with alage. We have been given 3 options and would like some imput so we can make an intelligent decision.
1. Install a filter prior to the lift pump, put chemical in tank to kill the alage and be prepared to change the new filter several times until problem is cleared up.
2. Drop tank and remove all fuel, clean tank and replace with new fuel. We will have to pay to have haz mat remove fuel to a hazarazed waste site.
3. Take coach to a company who says they can clean the fuel and tank without removing fuel.
Option 3 information came from one of the mechanics working at the shop. The shop foreman is working up tenative prices for us and will have them sometime Monday.
If any of you have any knowledge about this, we would appreciate info.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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After some reading on the subject IF I ever have that problem I have decided to got with your #1 option.
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Bill1374
northern New York
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All three are viable options with one probably being the cheapest. Expect to go through several filters. Three is quite common in the marine environment.
Bill
2010 Hitchhiker 295fk
2007 Dodge quadcab, 6.7 auto
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TEXAS
Centerville Tx
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Option 3 is common in standby generators. The ones we used were big box truck. With pumps and filters in it. They can pump the fuel from your tank. Clean it and treat it and return it to your tank. This can be done without removing the tank. They can also clean your tank by doing this.
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deereone
NE
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Elgin Black wrote:We have a 38' motorhome with a Cummins engine. The lift pump is clogged with alage. We have been given 3 options and would like some imput so we can make an intelligent decision.
1. Install a filter prior to the lift pump, put chemical in tank to kill the alage and be prepared to change the new filter several times until problem is cleared up.
This may work, but if your on the road traveling who knows at what point the filter may need changing.
2. Drop tank and remove all fuel, clean tank and replace with new fuel. We will have to pay to have haz mat remove fuel to a hazarazed waste site.
This is your best bet for no more problems. This will end any worry of having a plugged filter while traveling.
3. Take coach to a company who says they can clean the fuel and tank without removing fuel.
This one is a hard call, as it may or may not work. If it's far less dollars to do and you can accept maybe sitting beside the road for another filter change go for it.
Option 3 information came from one of the mechanics working at the shop. The shop foreman is working up tenative prices for us and will have them sometime Monday.
If any of you have any knowledge about this, we would appreciate info.
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watache55
Deland, Fl.
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Like me, you're down here in hot and humid Florida. Add in a vehicle that may not be driven much and tanks that are not always topped off, and algae is the likely result. Your option #1 shold be a given, in this environment, along with a fuel/water separator. Always keep extra filters on hand. Keeping the tank full and driving your rig often (to circulate the fuel through those filters) is really the best defense against algae formation. I also use a fuel conditioner (CAT 256-4968) with each tankful to help prevent it. Cummins may have something similar. Good luck.
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okgc
southern Michigan
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As a recent purchaser of a DP I have to ask, Is this a problem because the MH was not driven frequently?
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Beagle RC Air
Washington
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Either option #1 or #3 will work. I think it is important to figure out where you might have got the contaminated fuel. This algea lives in the bottom of a lot of fuel storage tanks. If allowed to rise high enough off of the bottom of the tank it will be dispensed to your fuel tank. This problem is quite common with steel tanks in high humidty areas . I battled this algea thing for 5 years trying to keep a truck fleet going. The solution was to replace the fuel storage tank that was being contaminated by ground water. It had rusted thru on the bottom of the tank allowing ground water in. One other point,,, if a tanker truck is dumping fuel, I go look for another fuel up station. Dumping the fuel really stirs up the water and algea if it is present.
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rchonly
Kingman, Arizona, USA
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I had a 105 gallon transfer tank when I was pulling my 5th wheel and found it to be badly contaminated with algae.
My cure was your item #1. I installed a 10 micron water separating filter directly off the tank and 2 micron filter right behind it. It took a few tank fill ups to finally get clean fuel. I used an algae killer to start with, purged the water and changed the 2 micron filter with each load, until the fuel was clean. My gauge to see if the fuel was clean was a simple clear in line filter for observation just prior to the fuel getting to the injector pump.
I pulled that 33' - 5'er with that Dodge Cummings around 50,000 miles after that using that auxillary tank all the time and never had a dirty fuel problem again.
You already have the water separator and filters in place, just change the cartridges more often until it's clean. Get the fuel filtered.
The current MH I list below sat for about 5 years before I bought it last April and I had it gone through by Cummins in San Diego and had about 125 gallons of fuel transferred out filtered and returned to the tank along with having the pumps and injectors all cleaned before I brought it home. So far all is running just fine and I carry extra filters with me at all times.
With the pumping facilities that are available today, unless that tank is badly rusted, I think dropping the tank is a waste of time.
Happy fuel cleaning
Roger
1991 - 38" American Eagle - 8.3 Cummin's w/Allison 4spd
(Purchased 4-15-10 w/5,600 miles on it)
99 Dodge Durango/SLT 4X4 - Toad
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wolfe10
Texas
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I would add that option #1 is no option-- it is mandatory irrespective of how you solve your immediate problem.
You SHOULD have a primary fuel filter/water separator before the lift pump and a secondary (fine) filter after the lift pump. If your fuel system is not set up that way, DO IT. That is on any diesel.
Fuel polishing is a common solution, particularly around marine equipment.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
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