Diesel Fuel Filter issues

[Chuck]

We have had 4-5 fuel filters prematurely foul, with subsequent engine power down / "codes" being thrown.   We run a total of 12 diesel trucks and this is the first time we have experienced fuel filter problems.

 

We first experienced the filter issue in late August, when it first hit one truck, a G4500.  It subsequently effected a E-450 in December and just last week a Kodiak C1500  (there is another failure back in the fall, I just can't exactly remember the details). 

 

All of these filters became fouled within 13k miles of being changed.  Before the second incident, we were changing at either 12k or 15k depending on make.  We now change all vehicles at 10k.  

 

The most recent vehicle, the C4500, had its filter changed in August, about the time the first issue occurred. 

 

While the first two vehicles were fueled at several locations, including location X, the C1500 was exclusively fueled at Location X.   It is possible that excessive fouling occurred from a single batch of fuel from Location X.  We have started drawing fuel samples, the same way our helicopter counterparts do.  But latest batch appears clean.

 

Here is what the filter looks like:

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/116932143951301184587/albums/5978842202690644993

 

 

Any thoughts out there?

 

Thanks

Chuck

Capital Ambulance

Bangor, Maine

 

 

[Alex Morisano]

Chuck-  Have you checked the fuel tanks for any delamination?  The filters in your picture look very similar to ours after the tanks on our F450s started to delaminate.  Alex

 

Captain Alex Morisano

Operations Division

New Britain Emergency Medical Services

New Britain, CT 

(860)225-8787 ext.8703

 

Visit our Websites:     

Operations: www.nbems.org

Academy: www.training.nbems.org     

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[Chuck McMahan]

No,

 

I am going to have them take a sample from the bottom of the C4500 tank today, let that settle.  Where it is across all three different chassis, delamination doesn't make sense unless something in the fuel is causing tanks to delaminate.

 

Chuck McMahan

[Art Groux]

We have this issue in past on our units,  We have 3 c4500's.  We switched to fuel filter changes with each oil change (4,500 miles) and have not had an issue in about 3 years.  We had the fuel tested a few times and one test they found some "organic material" growing in the fuel.  I have no idea what that means but they felt that was what was causing the filter issues (we were doing filters then at 10,000 miles).  Hope that helps.   Art

Art Groux

[David Shrader]

In the aviation world, one problem that has come up is the growth of algae in jet fuel within the tanks of airplanes. Jet fuel and diesel fuel are very similar in composition. Aviation fuels generally have anti-algae agents added to them to prevent this problem. It may be possible to locate some of the anti-algae agents and try them in your diesel tanks.

David A. Shrader

David A. Shrader, President

The Polaris Group

EMS & Public Safety Consultants

273 North Dogwood Trail

Southern Shores, NC 27949

252-441-8844  Direct Voice

252-441-8856  Fax

252-255-8262  Cell

dshr...@thepolarisgroup.org

www.thepolarisgroup.org

[Kyle Dixon]

We have two C4500s and experienced fuel filter issues when we first took delivery. Our problem stemmed from two areas; one for not changing the fuel filter after taking delivery of the ambulance from the manufacturer and two not using OEM fuel filters or OEM for any filter for that matter on the C4500s. 

From your pictures I would say that is algae directly from the fuel source. Are you able to change fuel sources and see if the problem clears up?  Also, I would suggest you change the fuel filters every oil change especially your medium duty trucks. It seems to be the industry standard. 

Kyle Dixon, EMT-P

Fleet Coordinator

Adams County Ambulance & EMS

330 Vermont St

Quincy, Illinois 62301

C: 217-257-7879

[Chuck McMahan]

Very helpful.   Yes there is lots of literature out there on microbes and the like.