bad morning - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chad300tdt · #16 11-16-2007, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan G

And thanks Chad - I think I may end up boiling it either way. I mean, if I'm going to go through this whole process again, I might as well be thorough. Could you drop off some homebrewed beer to facilitate my cranky do-over?

I wish I could. I'm sure it would help.

I still have a case of Red Ale left and have the stuff for another batch of Stout ready to start.

SD Blue · #17 11-16-2007, 11:26 AM

If your tank strainer appeared to be reasonably clean, I believe I would continue with the biocide and get a handful of those pre-filters. As long as you are seeing the culprit trapped in the in-line filter, you are making progress and for low $'s. You stated running 2-3 tankfuls of fuel through the system so far. If some bad fuel and/or fungus gets into the fuel system, it will take quite a bit to eliminate it sometimes. The last time I got bad fuel, it took nearly 6 tanks of treated fuel to get the system back to normal, with each time a little improvement over the previous. Running on B20 seemed to make the most improvement.

Palangi · #18 11-17-2007, 07:59 PM

Two bottles of Startron in 600 miles is serious overkill. That amount may be doing more harm than good.

Be sure to download and read the MSDS on that stuff.

Mustang_man298 · #19 11-17-2007, 09:34 PM

Interesting looking stuff, from what little I can make of the fuzzy pic,lol. Is it gelatinous or crystalline in nature? I wonder if theres a possibility someone put some brown sugar in the tank or something.....

Jordan G · #20 11-20-2007, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

Two bottles of Startron in 600 miles is serious overkill. That amount may be doing more harm than good.

Be sure to download and read the MSDS on that stuff.

I'm pretty sure I read on the bottle that overdosing will not cause any problems.

I agree with you though - it is a bit excessive. I suppose I freaked out and tried to "overtreat" the problem.

Jordan G · #21 11-20-2007, 09:41 AM

I'll try to post my pictures later today......but I was able to blow out both my return and supply lines with compressed air (and carb cleaner). A fair amount of crud/dirt came out.....but I don't think it's the source of my problem.

I also cut open my clogged filter and took a pic. The best way to describe it is brownish dirt (as opposed to purple dirt

?. It's really fine stuff, almost like sand. I suppose it's fine enough to pass through my tank strainer and then glob together in my primary filter?

Rust is the only thing I can really think of.....but wouldn't rust particles be larger.....and more, well, flaky? My sending unit also works sporadically.....so I think this weekend I'll pull that out, clean it and look down in there with a flashlight and hopefully see something?

This past weekend wasn't a total loss though......I fixed up my battery tray with por15 and pinpointed my long irritating vac. leaks. Slowly but surely....

Brian Carlton · #22 11-20-2007, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan G

Rust is the only thing I can really think of.....but wouldn't rust particles be larger.....and more, well, flaky? My sending unit also works sporadically.....so I think this weekend I'll pull that out, clean it and look down in there with a flashlight and hopefully see something?

When you pull the sending unit, you'll find globs of the stuff all over the bottom of the unit and covering the wires. Spray it clean with brake cleaner..........you'll use up 1/2 the can in the process.

The tank on the SD is similar. When the prefilter turns black, I change it.

Palangi · #23 11-20-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan G

I'm pretty sure I read on the bottle that overdosing will not cause any problems.

I agree with you though - it is a bit excessive. I suppose I freaked out and tried to "overtreat" the problem.

The reason I say that is because Startron is mostly naptha, which is very potent stuff. An excessive amount may free up 20 years worth of tank crud all at once, which will certainly plug filters as you describe.

Also, I was serious about reading the MSDS. Naptha is evil stuff. The advertising for Startron makes you think it is gentle as Ivory Liquid, however that is not the case.

dunl · #24 11-20-2007, 10:31 PM

I'm thinking blaukraut (red cabbage) from the colour....lol

pizzachef · #25 11-20-2007, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan G

So this morning, excited to finally make the work commute (60 miles roundtrip) legally...

You work in the Hbg area? Keystone Biofuels is in Camp Hill, they sell straight bio, which would help loosen up whatever is in your lines...if the brake cleaner didn't take care of it.

It sound like your tank is clean, but if there's dirt/sludge settled on the bottom, you may not see it looking through the sender hole. Buy a handful of pre-filters, fill up on bio (well, maybe this time of year cut it with 50% diesel) and go for a long drive.

And if you get stuck around Harrisburg, I've always got tools in the back of the wagon.

Jordan G · #26 11-21-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

The reason I say that is because Startron is mostly naptha, which is very potent stuff. An excessive amount may free up 20 years worth of tank crud all at once, which will certainly plug filters as you describe.

Also, I was serious about reading the MSDS. Naptha is evil stuff. The advertising for Startron makes you think it is gentle as Ivory Liquid, however that is not the case.

thanks for the advice Palangi - I'll read up. You're totally right....right or wrong, I WAS under the general assumption that the stuff was pretty harmless. Of course, it kills stuff living in diesel fuel, so it makes sense - I guess the powder blue color threw me off

.

Jordan G · #27 11-21-2007, 07:48 AM

Thanks all for the help - here is a better shot of my prefilter (hacked open) and the crud I eventually blew out of my fuel lines.

At this point, I've just resolved to check my prefilters every day (and keep my toolbox IN my trunk)......I ordered a copious amount of prefilters(fleetfilter.com- POS's shameless plugs must be working).....and I've even gone the P.E.H. route - I've cleaned a couple out with carb cleaner to reuse. I suppose eventually I'll get the thing cleaned out.

Oh - and thanks for the offer PizzaChef - I actually work in York but I'm in Harrisburg fairly often too. If you see a forlorn 240d on 83 or 283, it's probably me

obwielnls · #28 11-21-2007, 10:29 AM

This looks like rust to me.. I had an old chevy blazer that something similar happened to and the stuff coming out of the tank looked just like that.. I had to clean the tank and we put some coating on the inside of the tank to stop the rusting. You poured this stuff in and closed up the tank and swished it all around and let it dry. Not sure if I would use it on my Mercedes but it worked well on the old K5 Blazer.

Bill

Jordan G · #29 11-21-2007, 10:38 AM

I guess that's where I'm conflicted.....it kinda looks like rust......but I would really think that rust would have clogged my tank strainer first (not the case)?

I suppose if the clogging continues for an extended period of daily driving (and keeping the tank relatively full)......I'll need to drop the tank, clean it and seal it with the POR 15 tank sealer. Don't really want to do that though.

TTCummins · #30 11-21-2007, 10:46 AM

I have seen this before in heavy machinery I used to work on. Can you feel a texture of it? Slimey, it is definitly a bacterial growth. I do not know what startron is or what it is supposed to do, but you need to go to a diesel injection shop and get a bottle of a good biocide. Some bacteria are resistent to certain formulas so if one doesn't work try another. You will plug filters until you get all the little critters killed. If it is gritty, i would tend to agree with the above posts that you do have a rust issue and a hot dip wouldn't be a bad idea. or a salvage yard tank you inspected to make sure it didn't have the same issue. If you use the biocide you need to have a FULL and I mean full tank they love to live in the corners of the tank where they only get a splash or two of fuel every so often. Best of luck.

Kurt Kiefer