Causes of Diesel Bug and How to Treat It
What is Diesel Bug?
Diesel bug, also known as diesel fuel contamination, is the growth of microorganisms and bacteria within diesel fuel. This is often caused by water getting into fuel tanks, due to bio-diesel attracting water. Once water gets into the fuel tank, this provides the perfect environment for diesel bug to grow. Diesel bug can cause deterioration in your fuel and damage to your engine due to the microorganisms feeding on the hydrocarbons and oxygen.
Signs of Diesel Bug
There are a few key key signs that may suggest to check for diesel bug. Keep on top of fuel contamination by regularly checking fuel for the following diesel bug symptoms:
- Filters being blocked, leading to reduced fuel flow and issues with engine performance.
- Sediment in fuel tanks
- Loss of power due to fuel system issues
- Black smoke or bad smell from the exhaust as well as increased exhaust emissions
- Increase in fuel consumption
- Trouble with starting engine
Diesel Bug Treatment
The process of treating diesel bug contamination involves eliminating the microbial growth and removing any accumulated sediment and sediment from the fuel system. It is important to remember to treat the fuel and tank to eliminate the chances of re-contamination after the cleaning process. To ensure that is is done to the full extent, inspect the fuel system before and after the diesel bug cleaning process. This helps to identify the areas of the system that need more attention and review that the presence of diesel bug is completely removed. After the initial inspection, use the following steps to carry out the process:
- Drain any water and sediment as these can be a breeding ground for diesel bug.
- Use a diesel biocide such as our Anti-Bug treatment
- Filter the fuel to remove the dead microorganisms from the fuel
- Agitate the fuel to distribute the biocide throughout the fuel
- Clean the fuel tank to remove any remaining sludge and biofilm to prevent re-contamination
Get in touch with us today on 01743 761415 or email: sales@fastexocet.co.uk to talk to a specialist.
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