I have a 98 tradition w/300 cummins. It was a 1 owner when we bought it 4 years ago , I have been adding fuel conditioner every fill up and she gets used every 6 weeks or so . I have it in for routine annual service ,at a Cummins RV shop, and have been informed that the tank has Algae ,needs to be dropped and cleaned $$$$ ,It didn't affect performance at all but the filter is loaded . How do I keep this from happening again? Being a 98 is a long time , maybe it just caught up with me . Thanks

What are you putting in it for additives - there a lot of different types?Bill

Very seldom will any vehicle get algae in the tanks, have the shop prove you have algae. Algae requires water and sun to grow, 99% of the time algae will be pumped in, and that can't happen with filters in line. Your first symptom will be continued clogged filters. and low fuel pressure shut downs. Black fuel is not algae. take a sample and have it analyzed prior to paying big bucks chasing a problem that you don't have. BTDT over the past 4 years. Algae develops a slime that will not pass filters. If you do not have filter problems, 999 times out of a 1000 you don't have algae problems.

You need some algae biocide fuel additive. Also, once you get this cleared up, always store your fuel tank full of fuel, so that condensation can't form nightly in your fuel tank. It's that condensation that provides water that provides what algae needs to bloom and grow in your fuel.

Flay Crosswell wrote:It didn't affect performance at all but the filter is loaded . ThanksLoaded with what? how did it get there?

There are additives specific for algae and should be used in vehicles that sit a lot and don't use up the fuel for many months. And it doesn't need sunlight to form in this case. The algae forms when there is water in the tank so if you have a drain on the bottom of the tank that would help. But most tanks don't have a drain so an additive is needed. Some auto parts stores and most commercial truck dealers should have some.

Algae in fuel | Good Sam Community

Raften
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
I may have as much or more experience with alge in fuel. Get the biocide from a store that deals with marine products, West Marine is one. Fishing boats deal with alge often enough. The biocide added at the refinery is not good enough sometimes.
racer4
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
Killem is the biocide product for diesel fuel I have seen the most often.

Killem link.

Be careful handling it.

Water and diesel will allow that slime to grow at the interface level (water on the bottom, bacteria in the middle, diesel on top). The bacteria live in the water and feed on the diesel. Killem is lighter than water and heavier than diesel, so it will float at the interface between the water and diesel and will kill the bacteria. The problem is worse in warm temperatures.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
Flay Crosswell wrote:
I have decided to have them change the filters now and check the filters in a few months . I will treat the fuel and keep an eye on it and rely on both my filters to do their job. There is an additive called Diesel Tech for boats/algae problems. I have never lost power , chugged or had the check engine light come on . Thanks to all for your responses , the guy at the Cummins center agreed with me .

Good plan. Have the fuel from the filters tested see what you are dealing with. It's a waste of money to buy treatment you don't need.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Mar 10, 2016
hughesjm21
Explorer
Mar 12, 2016
If your filter is loaded, it is hard to believe your performance was not affected.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Mar 12, 2016
hughesjm21 wrote:
If your filter is loaded, it is hard to believe your performance was not affected.

Define "LOADED"

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