Cummins fuel filter change

Four Suns said:
The black crud on the bottom of your Racor bowls is probably asphaltenes that precipitate out of diesel fuel. Apparently, ULSD made asphaltene issues worse. Do a google on "aspahltenes in diesel fuel" and you can find more information. I have petcocks on the bottom of my racors and drain out the black crap from the bottom about twice a year from them (about a shot glass worth). There is really not much you can do about this stuff precipitating. I took the bowls off the Racors and few years ago and cleaned them out really good before I put the drain petcocks on.
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Thanks Gary, very helpful. Was it a big deal to remove the bowls? I see 4 bolts, is there a gasket?
 
Russ Calasant said:
Thanks Gary, very helpful. Was it a big deal to remove the bowls? I see 4 bolts, is there a gasket?
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I actually got four (4) rebuild/service kits. It has gaskets, a metal ball and some other stuff. I took them all apart and cleaned everything (from the black gooey tar crud stuff), put in the new parts and added the petcocks. Taking them home and doing it on a bench is a good idea. I had what literally looked like black asphalt covering the bottom of the bowls. About 1/4"... But that's what these things are designed to do. I looked a few weeks ago and I've pumped something like 28,000 gallons of fuel through the boat... So I can't complain.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=6448
 
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Gary- Holy sh*t that's a lot of fuel. I don't have that kind of build up, it's like a film but needs to be physically wiped off not flushed. Just on the white cone shaped piece on top and the very bottom of the bowls. Thanks for the link, I see a winter project ahead.
Have you or anyone else heard of or used clear diesel? I am going to use the biokleen and 911 but noticed and wondered.
 
Frank, thank you for the reference.
I spoke with Power Systems and they told me to use clean diesel, a new product, in place of 911. Of course I already have the 911 and biokleen. Has anyone used these products? I am concerned that if I start breaking things up in there and stirring the pot so to speak I will risk clogging filters during my upcoming trip. Should I wait? Also I'm not sure if I should get the clean diesel or not for this exercise, Power Systems stated 911 is almost all alcohol and some prefer not to run it through the motor.
 
Russ Calasant said:
Frank, thank you for the reference.
I spoke with Power Systems and they told me to use clean diesel, a new product, in place of 911. Of course I already have the 911 and biokleen. Has anyone used these products? I am concerned that if I start breaking things up in there and stirring the pot so to speak I will risk clogging filters during my upcoming trip. Should I wait? Also I'm not sure if I should get the clean diesel or not for this exercise, Power Systems stated 911 is almost all alcohol and some prefer not to run it through the motor.
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Russ, I think you're referring to Diesel Kleen: http://www.powerservice.com/dk/

I use it all the time in combination with Stanadyne Formula: http://www.stanadyne.com/view.php?id=74

All suggested by Frank.
 
All this talk of everyone using diesel additives has me concerned. I don't use anything, although my racors have had over 43,000 gallons through them (only 15,000 by me) and there is no buildup in the bowls. There is some flaky looking black crap on the white turbine looking things inside. But, I've never noticed any water or contaminants in the bowls.

Should I start using something? Could there be crap building up in my tanks that I can't see. Like Russ, I don't want to break it loose just before a big trip.
 
All it takes to convince you to start using additives is to have your Racors clog up one day about 75 miles off shore in 6-8 ft seas.

My other observation is that this is a lot like hitting the bottom with your props. It isn't a matter of if you will, but a matter of when.


Russ......

Power Service began offering Clean Diesel about 2 years ago. It is supposed to be a combination biocide/fuel treatment/stabilizer. I might change to it in the future, but Power Service still offers all the products I mentioned in the Fuel Management article and I bought several cases of the biocide at a steep discount when the marina switched everyone else to Clean Diesel. For now, I'm mixing my own.

As far as the chemistry in Diesel 9-1-1, this isn't a product you use regularly. Once a year or when you have a mess to clean up is all. This is the only product I know that will chemically clean up a load of bad fuel or a tank full of algae. If you don't want to use it, great, but you limit your options to calling a fuel cleaning service to have your tanks pump out and the fuel polished/filtered.
 
Okay, maybe the rep thought 2 yrs was relatively new, not sure but he did say that Walmart just signed on to stock it in the near future and only one chain auto parts store, not in CT, regularly stocked it.
I have no issue using 911, was just asking due to others concern. I don't have a mess to clean up and I have used a biocide and Stanadyne since I owned it but I'm pretty sure the previous owner did not. So no problem using the biokleen and 911 once (shock quantities) as a preventative measure? Should I wait until after vacation?
 
I use Diesel Klean. Bought some today at the Wally Mart. Been using it for about a year. One jug treats 250 gallons and costs about $15 at the Wally, or about $20 at O'Reilly Auto Parts.
 
I may not have been clear (no pun intended) it's clear- diesel that I am talking about.

Alex, I do also, in maintenance volumes I am talking about shocking it. Ten ounces per 200 gallons of biokleen and 80 ounces of 911.
 
Russ Calasant said:
..... I am talking about shocking it. Ten ounces per 200 gallons of biokleen and 80 ounces of 911.
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Why do you think it's necessary if you're cruising and putting fresh fuel in the tank?

I only do the shock treatment and add 911 one time in spring to treat the 5 months old fuel. Other than that I'm only doing maintenance dosage.
 
Alex F said:
Why do you think it's necessary if you're cruising and putting fresh fuel in the tank?

I only do the shock treatment and add 911 one time in spring to treat the 5 months old fuel. Other than that I'm only doing maintenance dosage.
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I had the same question, but am almost afraid to ask. Frank W will tell you that there are two ways to handle the situation - in advance, or after the fact. He'll tell you that you don't want to handle it after the fact. That being said, I haven't shocked it.
 
Didn't Russ say he thought he had gunk in his tanks? That would be a good reason to treat his tanks with 9-1-1 now, before he departs.

If you know your tanks are clean, then all you need to do is use a maintenance dose of a biocide......however, if you bought a boat a year or so old or one that has been sitting a while, you might think you know the condition of the fuel in the tanks, but you are guessing. All it takes is one fuel purchase to get a load of water/crud so my view is to start at a known place and that means shocking the tanks, running 9-1-1 thru them at the first fill up then beginning maintenance dosing.
 
In that case it does makes sense, Frank.
 
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