Common rail diesel engines are here to stay, and to ensure they remain trouble free it’s important the diesel used is clean and free of water. Any contamination present in the fuel can wreck havoc with the delicate fuel pumps and injectors found on common rail diesels. Replacing these parts can easily cost upwards of $20,000 so it makes sense to take preventative action.
Many farmers and contractors have bulk or trailer tanks for their diesel. Each time fuel is transferred from one storage location to the next it is exposed to more contamination.
One way of preventing contaminants entering your fuel system is to use a good quality bulk tank breather. This prevents external contamination such as dust, bacteria and moisture from entering the tank, while still allowing the fuel to expand and contract with the heat of the day.
The second precaution to take is to fit a bulk fuel filter to the tank. This filters the fuel on the way out of the tank and removes any contamination already present in the tank like rust and sediment. These filters work with both pumped and gravity fed systems. Several types exist depending on the size of the tank.
The third and perhaps most important step is to ensure that your vehicle has a good fuel filter. Many clients are now fitting a prefilter before the factory fuel filter. This gives them peace of mind as the glass bowl on the bottom of these filters allows the operator to keep an eye on the state of the fuel entering the engine.
