When I did my first algae treatment about a month ago it really clogged the fuel lines with black looking crap requiring fuel filters being changed. Last week when I filled up I hit the tank again with 2 oz of the algae killer from PowerService.

Today I pulled the sending unit out of the top of the fuel tank. My first thought was they anodized it black, then I realiazed as I moved my fingers on the thing it was dead algae. After a full can of carb cleaner inside and out it was finely a clean, shinning, piece of aluminum art.

I'm wondering if this will cure my gage not going to the full mark or the fuel warning light not working except when I start the car. The "O" ring seal for it was hard as a rock, so I call the local dealer (200 miles away) and he said he would put it in the mail tomorrow.

I have the "O" ring for bottom tank screen, so when I can run out most of the fuel I'll pull the screen for that job. That looks like it might be messy, and I don't need another fuel spill in the garage floor. I may take it over to the Dodge dealership and pay $30 to have it done. I don't have a wrench big enough to fit the thing from the looks of it anyway. Besides they will let me hang out in the shop and watch the techs.

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'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

Hopefully you will be inspired to maintain it once you get it all killed: BioGuard, 1/2 oz. every fillup, even has a nifty measurer built right in. Condensation sure is evil...

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 300CD
1982 Mercedes-Benz 240D - stick

ok...I'll admit, I'm a novice....can someone explain the algae thing to me?

Reason I'm asking is that I've had a slight power problem in the last 1.5 weeks....thought it might be a bad tank of diesel, but it isn't going away....stealership was out of both of the filters for the fuel line....

when cold, car seems to run fine with good power...but as I drive along it feels that it's starving for fuel....won't get up to Revs...downshifting doesn't help....just feels like walking into a 300mph wind.

Stop somewhere to take a 5 minute break, get back in and it goes like normal for at least 15-20 minutes, then back to the no power feel.

All started at the same time my fuel guage started bouncing like a bean instead of reading a solid line...still getting great mileage (even better since I'm stuck doing about 65 or less....)...all guages read normal, A/C or no A/C doesn't matter...

So, does it sound like I have an algae problem????

Thanks!

__________________
1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

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The way you explained "power loss." I would suspect clogged filter. Primary "plastic" or main filter.
There are those that try and back flush them. I don't. I always carry spare of each.
If you had that much algey in tank, probable have it all the way up to filters.
I would change them if it was mine.
Charlie

Algae grows in diesel and I understand it needs water to thrive. This speaks to using redline 500 once in a while. It's an excellent additive, boosts cetane and rids you of water in the tank.

Once you get algae, like I've seen for years in diesel boats, ya gotta kill it and then do periodic treatments to prevent it reoccuring.

I let an empty tanked 300D sit in a paint shop for 4 months and it would hardly run. I had to have the tank dropped and cleaned and I used algaecide a bit and the occasional red line and no further problems.

Algae will restrict your flow thru the filters badly , so change 'em a few times.

Phil at FastLane has them, saves bucks and free shipping if you buy enough stuff. BioBar is the stuff to kill the algae, go to a marina or West Marine if FastLane doesn't have it.

Good Luck.

Thanks for the info Shark and Charlie....I'm gonna get those filters and get them replaced!

__________________
1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

http://banners.wunderground.com/weat...Round_Rock.gif

Oldnavy -

You might be better off to run the fuel level down to near empty and then remove and clean the tank. At the same time I would back-flush the lines. Along with new filters, you would be starting fresh and could control the algae problem.

I always carry spare plastic filters and treat them as though they are expendable (which they are - considering the price).

just my $.02,
Wes

Yup, Wes that's what I have planed. It's just that I only have 125 miles on this tank and it will take about three weeks before I get the thing down enough to do the screen removal, unless I do a road trip. I do have spare filters at the ready on the shelf.

__________________
'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

After having to drive on the shoulder to keep from blocking traffic because I couldn't get over 40 miles per hour.....

I finally changed my fuel filters.......

Wow.........

We are cruising once again!!

The prefilter was black!! Very Very Black.....

__________________
1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

http://banners.wunderground.com/weat...Round_Rock.gif

Fuzzball,

Why are your filters plugged?

What ever plugged them cane from your tank. Start at the source. Clean the tank, install a new strainer, blow out the fuel lines, and install new filters. Dose with bio-cide and you should be good to go.

Kip....

When I bought the car in April, I made a concious decision to not use any fuel additives for the first 4-5 tanks....just to set a base line for MPG, fuel level indicator quirks, etc.

After going through about 6 tanks, averaging about 24 mpg, getting used to the way the fuel level indicator would work, learning when it was crucial for me to get to a station, etc. I decided to start using an additive that was recommended by one of my friends.

The first few tanks I noticed an increase in mph with the best being about 28.5 mph in mostly local driving. Then my problems started......it seems that this additive did a great job cleaning up my tank, but not being prepared for it, I clogged the filters without having a spare available.

I now want to do a complete cleaning on the tank and pump/filter, but not sure how much work that's going to be. I'll find out next time I read the book, but it's not currently a huge concern.

Fuel through the clear filter now looks about the color of beer...so I'm pleased.....the black crud that caked the old one doesn't appear to be doing the new one, but I stopped using my additive until I changed the filters...

Think it may be time for a purge now...

__________________
1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

http://banners.wunderground.com/weat...Round_Rock.gif