Biodiesel apparently causing problems

[scbk]

Just seen this on the BBC news website:

 

 

Biofuel sparks hundreds of farmer repair complaints

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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NFU Scotland says the addition of biofuel to diesel is causing vital machinery to break down.

 

 

[Jake Andrews]

It’s caused us huge problems this year with the Valtra. Diesel bug is a PITA to get rid. Many hours list trying to sort it and diagnose it.

[swinny]

30 minutes ago, Jake Andrews said:

It’s caused us huge problems this year with the Valtra. Diesel bug is a PITA to get rid. Many hours list trying to sort it and diagnose it.

What was it doing to the valtra? Lack of performance etc?

[swinny]

Always makes me wonder how clean the tanks are when they deliver the diesel.... My tank was spotless... Now has a load of black crappy stuff In the bottom now. Was a bit miffed but hey ho. Never checked it after the last top up

[Jake Andrews]

What was it doing to the valtra? Lack of performance etc?

Yes. Diesel bug was blocking filters massively reducing fuel flow. Couldn’t her above 1500rpm.
We had to pump out the diesel from the tank into a bowser, then repump from the bowser through a gauze to get rid. Because of the forestry guarding in the tractor we couldn’t take the tank off to clean it properly.
No exaggeration, I think we pumped the fuel out around 12 finding more each time. Filters blocked the lot.

Key is to keep the machine topped up with fuel as the condensation drips in the tank and it’s the water layer where the bug breads and spreads. We learnt the hard way. We now also use a fuel additive which kills the bacteria. We add it to a new fuel batch as soon as it comes in.

I know someone who changes the filter on their mog and Valtra monthly to avoid the problem! Costly.

[david wood]

we also had problems on a A93 Valtra with bug,    amount of much out of pre filter was unreal.  ended up getting our fuel storage tank cleaned despite using additives every fill. dropped contents on main tank to completely empty.  

 

got a fill in earlier in year and amazing how much black muck in it so we aint clear of it yet.

 

[Jake Andrews]

We added an inline filter to our system so now there are effectively 4 filters before the injectors. More to get clogged but prefer a filter to get clogged than making the piston.
Here’s a pic of our first 3 inlines after 20mins of running[emoji85]

[Stubby]

3 hours ago, Jake Andrews said:

We added an inline filter to our system so now there are effectively 4 filters before the injectors. More to get clogged but prefer a filter to get clogged than making the piston.
Here’s a pic of our first 3 inlines after 20mins of running

That is bad ! We had a 6 liter Ford Cargo that had a pre filter . you could get at it if you squeezed yourself between the right front wheel . This needed cleaning out/ replacing every couple of months and that was before bio was available . 

[porky]

How many emergency standby generators are not going to start up due to this I wonder?

[eggsarascal]

26 minutes ago, porky said:

How many emergency standby generators are not going to start up due to this I wonder?

Probably very few because they are topped up full with diesel, diesel bug is well known in narrow boats due to the condensation created in partly filled fuel tanks that sit in the water.