# Sludge in diesel engine **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 29, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805 "2007-11-29T13:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sorbus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@sorbus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sorbus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/1 "2007-11-29T13:57:19Z")
Actually, this is a tractor engine. But, I’m thinking it occurs in diesel cars too. Periodically, the fuel tank has to be siphoned or the tractor runs into problems with fuel supply & air-lock when it’s running under a heavy load - plowing for instance. When we siphon the tank, out come these globules of a thick slime. That’s what we think the problem is. Is there a fuel additive or some other solution for this problem? ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/2 "2007-11-29T17:05:29Z")
how often do you use a tank of fuel? Bacteria can grow in diesel fuel, so unless you get new fuel often, you should treat it with a biocide. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/3 "2007-11-29T17:57:32Z")
And were are you getting the fuel. There are some anti-bacterial additives, but I would suggest first checking to see why is it happening. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/4 "2007-11-29T18:11:28Z")
Marine diesel engines suffer greatly from this problem. It’s caused by a slight amount of moisture in the fuel which supports algae growth, which quickly plugs fuel filters…After the tank is cleaned out, additives are available to suppress this algae. ---
**Author:** ![sorbus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@sorbus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sorbus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/5 "2007-11-29T19:12:41Z")
It’s a tractor. Unfortunately, it often sits a long time before getting used. Ditto with the fuel which sits around in 5 gallon cans. Biocide…Makes sense. Can you give some brand names? All I seem to find around here are are generic “diesel fuel treatments”. Will those do the job? Is there a product that will disperse the junk in the tank now & allow it to burn away? ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/6 "2007-11-29T19:32:54Z")
If you find a diesel fuel treatment, read the label and see if it has biocide in it. The products I have seen were at marine supply stores. I don’t know where else you can look. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/7 "2007-11-29T20:24:33Z")
“Bio-Guard” is one brand name used to treat diesel fuel… ---
**Author:** ![sorbus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@sorbus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sorbus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/8 "2007-11-29T21:29:50Z")
Thanks for the help. The local auto parts sold me “Sea Foam”. Are any of you familiar with that product? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sludge-in-diesel-engine/7805/9 "2007-11-29T22:20:20Z")
Sea-Foam has a good reputation, as long as the product is a biocide designed for diesel fuel. They make several fuel additives. You will still need to clean out the tank and remove the now dead algae or it will continue to plug up your filters…The fuel can still be used if you carefully filter it somehow to remove the suspended algae…Marinas have “fuel polishing” machines that perform this service…