Clean Fuel Tips

Heavy Equipment Fuel System Tips

Dirt and dust in your fuel system can cut your machine’s engine life in half. In fact, these types of contaminants are the reason behind over 85% of fuel system failures. Even tiny amounts of foreign particles can hinder your engine’s normal processes. Engines on newer machines are even more susceptible to damage, because their fuel injection pressure is higher, and the smallest pieces of dirt and dust can hurt operation.

To avoid costly repairs and downtime, follow our tips for fuel system maintenance

Problem areas
The parts of your engine where dirt and dust can cause the most issues are where there are quick, sliding movements. Even the smallest particles will greatly accelerate wear and tear and interfere with the smooth movement of components. These especially sensitive areas include the inner and outer valves, nozzle needles and seats, command piston sliding portions, the interface between the injector barrel and plunger, and the control valves.

How to keep dirt and dust out of your fuel system
To prevent damage to components in your engine, it’s critical that you take steps to keep harmful particles out. Below are some best practices and tips for doing so:

Fueling
It’s important to properly maintain all your fueling equipment. When you refuel your equipment, it’s critical that you always replace the nozzle directly back onto the pump, rather than allowing it to fall on the ground where it will become covered in dirt and dust.

Operation
Your machines will typically operate in dirty, dusty environments. The best way to keep particles from entering your fuel system is by ensuring all the vent tube and fuel tank caps are tightly sealed.

Service
Servicing your heavy equipment can expose your engine and fuel system to contaminants. If possible, we recommend changing filters, refueling, and making any engine repairs indoors. The less you expose your engine to dust and other particles in the air, the smaller the chance they will enter the fuel system.

Filters
It’s very important to change filters promptly at the intervals outlined in your owner’s manual—clogged filters will not prevent dirt from entering and circulating throughout your engine. Only use filters that are approved by your machine’s manufacturer. We also suggest carefully following the instructions provided in your operator’s manual when replacing both the main filters and the prefuel filters, so that contaminants do not enter the fuel system during this process.

Pay attention to your check engine codes
The most important thing you can do to keep fuel quality from affecting your machine is to pay attention to what your equipment is telling you. Modern machines are full of sensors and electronics that will alert you to a lot of different issues, including if there is water in the fuel system, if you need to change a filter, or if something else is wrong. Paying attention to these engine error codes can help you save thousands of dollars by catching problems and fixing them as soon as possible.

If your machine alerts you to something wrong, you should immediately check the owner’s manual to understand what the code is telling you.

How to change your filters
Crucial for fuel system maintenance is replacing your filters the right way.

• Main filter – Do not fill the filter element with fuel when changing the main filter. Doing so may introduce dust during the replacement process. Also, it’s important to make sure the o-ring fits properly. Operate the priming pump to fill the new filter with fuel.
• Prefuel filter – Fill the new filter cartridge for your prefuel filter with fuel before installing it. Check to make sure the cap is attached to the new filter cartridge, then pour fuel into the cartridge (do not use the center hole). Once the cartridge is full of fuel, take off the cap and discard it. Install the prefuel filter cartridge onto the filter holder after applying a thin layer of engine oil to the packing surface of the cartridge. When the packing surface on the cartridge comes in contact with the sealing surface of the filter holder, tighten the filter cartridge to turn.

Don’t let water enter the fuel system
Condensation can cause water to enter your fuel lines even with the cap sealed tight. Condensation will often occur at night when temperatures drop and equipment is not in operation. To avoid it, at the end of each day, you should completely fill up the tank. Before beginning to operate your equipment the next day, drain any water or sediment that have accumulated at the bottom of the tank. Similarly, about ten minutes after refueling, all water and sediment has to be drained from the fuel tank.

Be proactive with your fuel storage systems
It’s important to have your fuel tanks inspected for water, dirt, debris, and other contaminants and then cleaned if necessary. We recommend hiring a professional diesel fuel cleaning and inspection service to check and clean your tanks about every six months. A clean storage system will go a long way to keep harmful particles and water out of your fuel.

Conduct routine quality testing
Regular diesel fuel testing is essential to maintaining top equipment performance. If you store diesel fuel for regular or emergency use, it’s crucial to test it at least once a year. Poor quality can lead to inadequate performance and can damage equipment. In extreme cases, poor quality may lead to equipment failure. Sending fuel samples to a certified lab for testing will reveal important information like combustion speed, efficiency, and contaminant build up. Using that data, you’ll know if you have to replace your diesel, or if you have to make changes to your storage and fueling methods.

Use the right additives
There are multiple types of diesel fuel additives that can be added every time you fill up, quarterly, when temperatures are below freezing, or if certain types of microbial contamination are present. These additives can do everything from cleaning injectors and lubricating pumps, to preventing gelling and freezing, to removing water and stabilizing during storage, to killing microbes, and more. If you have questions about which fuel additives you should be using, contact our team. We’ll recommend what you need based on your equipment and working conditions.

Cold weather fuel tips
If you’re working or storing fuel through the winter, we recommend adding fuel conditioner to your equipment and storage tanks. Conditioner will help make sure your engine starts in the cold and will keep your fuel from freezing overnight. It’s important to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the amount of conditioner required. Always match the fuel conditioner to the type of fuel you’re using (e.g., low sulfur).

If you have any questions about fuel system maintenance or maintenance in general, contact our team today.