Ultimate Guide to Diesel Bug Treatment

Are you here to learn more about diesel fuel bug treatment and kick those common diesel engine problems and solutions to the curb? In this article, we’ll lay down what you need to know about the causes of diesel bug and how to treat it, so you can always best prepare your fleet and get your trucks or buses back where they belong – on the road!

If you’ve never heard of the term diesel bug before, you should know that it refers to the bacteria, algae, and fungi that can grow within your diesel tank. Diesel bug can contaminate your fuel by growing inside the tank, multiplying rapidly and creating a film on the surface of the fuel.

This leads to various problems, from minor blocked filters to severe engine failure.

1. Water

Microbes can form diesel bug when water is present. As they don’t need much to develop, even the smallest amounts of water can cause microbes to thrive. Plus, biodiesel is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. Excess water collects from this and separates from the fuel, offering the perfect breeding spot for microorganisms to multiply.

In fuel, diesel bug microbes typically live in the water and feed on the fuel, living in the fuel system’s lower flow areas to avoid disturbances from turbulence. Water can enter your fuel system primarily through condensation, leaks, and poor storage.

2. Using old or low-quality fuel

Diesel fuel degrades over time, which can result in the growth of microbes. These microbes tend to feed on materials within the fuel, especially as the fuel starts to go stale. Putting old fuel aside, low-quality fuel may already be contaminated, so be careful about where you purchase it from.

3. Incorrect storage

Poor storage and handling of fuel can elevate the chances of contamination. For example, faulty sealing can expose the fuel to air, let moisture in, and promote the growth of microbes. Additionally, exposing the tank to heat, oxygen, and sunlight provides the perfect conditions for bacteria to thrive.

4. Temperature changes

If you’ve read our blogs on starting a diesel engine in cold weather and engine overheating, you’ll know that diesel fuel can be sensitive to changes in temperature. Condensation can form inside the tank when the fuel warms up in the daytime, creating moisture that microbes need to reproduce.

So, how do you get rid of fuel bugs? If you’re facing diesel engine problems and want to give the best diesel bug treatment a try, take on our top tips below!

Use a biocide

You can treat your diesel fuel with a biocide, a chemical treatment designed to get rid of any bacteria and fungi in your fuel. Simply add the biocide to the diesel fuel according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Replace your fuel

If your fuel is suffering from diesel bug, you’ll want to remove it from the tank and clean it properly to eliminate any organic material. Following this, refill the tank with fresh fuel.

Inspect and change your filters

Another diesel fuel bug treatment is inspecting and cleaning or replacing clogged fuel system filters.

Monitor and address water levels

As we’ve already discussed, water facilitates diesel fuel bug growth, so it’s critical to monitor and remove water within the tank. Remember to empty your water separator regularly if you have one. A water filter can stop water from entering the fuel system, so it might be worth investing in one if you haven’t already.

Regular maintenance

Aside from taking care of water in the tank, you should also ensure you engage with other maintenance tasks, such as checking the fuel tank is full to minimise water condensation and using a fuel stabiliser if you plan to store the vehicle for a long period. Regularly inspect your fuel system so you can treat it with biocides if necessary.

Professional cleaning

If your fuel is experiencing moderate to high levels of contamination, you may consider getting your fuel tank professionally cleaned. Our team of experts here at Foxwood Diesel can help take care of this!

Whilst there will most likely always be some diesel bug present in your tank, the best diesel bug treatment, such as biocides, can efficiently kill the microbes causing your diesel engine problems.

As long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, you should be good to go!

If you want to know when you should use diesel fuel bug treatments, you should look out for some common signs of problems:

If you notice these symptoms but aren’t sure how to treat diesel bug, please speak to a member of our team for assistance.

Diesel fuel bug treatment can benefit your fleet in various ways, helping to eliminate the symptoms we have highlighted above and improving engine performance, combustion, and fuel economy. Investing in the best diesel bug treatment can help get your fleet back on the road in no time!

Although being aware of diesel fuel bug treatment can be extremely useful, you may also want to know how you can avoid microbial problems in the first place. This can help increase your fleet’s productivity by minimising downtime.

Purchase fuel from the right place

Engine quality is important, but so is fuel quality. Some types of fuel are better than others, so always ensure you buy your fuel from a reputable supplier to lessen the chance of contamination.

Use your vehicles regularly

Diesel bug develops more easily when the fuel is left to sit, so you may want to keep your vehicles running frequently.

Inspect your engine components

It’s always worth checking your engine tank for any leakages or other damage, as issues here often indicate diesel bug. Remember – catching these problems early on can minimise their severity.

Seal your fuel tank

Your fuel tank should be sealed properly to be as airtight as possible. This can diminish the growth of diesel bug due to water condensation.

Keep your tank full

Keeping the fuel tank full leaves less room for condensation, thus decreasing the risk of diesel bug formation.

Leave it to the professionals

Here at Foxwood Diesel, we can test your diesel engine tank and fuel regularly and perform the right maintenance tasks to avoid diesel bug and keep your engine in good condition. Our services take care of everything, so you don’t have to!

Now that you know more about how to take care of your engine with the best diesel bug treatment out there, it’s time to purchase your next engine with Foxwood Diesel. Let’s get your team back behind the wheel and scale up your fleet’s productivity!

If you still have a query or a concern about using diesel bug treatment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. One of our diesel engine experts will be happy to lend a helping hand and address any questions you may have. We can also conduct regular maintenance checks and offer guidance on the best replacement parts should your engine require a little more attention.