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Flaky sediment in blended fuel, why???

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  • Flaky sediment in blended fuel, why???

    Hey all.
    Twice now recently I have gotten what looks like fatty flakes( crystals perhaps) forming in my fuel tank causing the fuel line pick-up to get blocked and engine to starve of fuel!. So now twice I have had to drop my fuel tank and clean it, painful !!
    I strained the fuel after emptying the tank and there is flakes floating around.

    So here is all the info I can think may be helpful.

    # the inside of the tank had a light cover on fat/slime on the inside wall. And some floating flakes.
    # I have been blending wvo with 20% unleaded for 2 years.
    # I filter to 5 micron
    # I blend outside the van.
    # issues are happening with my newly purchased van a Kia Pregio, same type of van I have successfully been running blend for 2 years.
    # fuel return line is circulating and not returning to the tank.
    # blended fuel gets filtered when filling the tank ( 2nd filtration)
    # I sometimes add Diesel to the mix straight to the tank if I feel the mix is a little thick and the van is struggling a little.
    I really don't know what is going on, as I have been doing well with blending fuel for 2years. Only had the odd blocked fuel filter.

    Hope someone can help.

  • #2
    Re: Flaky sediment in blended fuel, why???

    Can you test the flakes to see if they melt in your fingers?
    If so, the flakes are purely high melting point oils. Has your supplier had any change to what they are cooking in the oil or a change in oil they use?
    With your previous Pregio vans, did you use the same loped return configuration?
    By returning the hot fuel to the tank, you will help melt these flakes, so they can be burned in the engine, especially when the tank is low and on a long run.
    Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

    Current Vehicles in stable:
    '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
    '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
    '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

    Previous Vehicles:
    '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
    '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
    '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
    '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
    '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
    '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
    '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
    '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
    '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

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    • #3
      Re: Flaky sediment in blended fuel, why???

      Thanks for your reply, I was thinking I should return the fuel to the tank, I think you are right perhaps just a different oil, I get oil from a few different places and that could be a issue too. The flakes seam soft enough to melt between my fingers. I was just surprised, and was wondering if it was a reaction with the metals in the new van, or a reaction of some sort or algie as I haven't seen it before. I was running the same loop in the old van.

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