PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-628
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 628
MARCH 2005
Most TMs don’t tell you to check generator fuel tank contaminant levels. But
anytime you find water or other contaminants in the fuel-water separator or fuel sys-
tem filter sump, here’s what to do:
•
Open the fuel tank drain cock and
drain a small amount of fuel into a con-
tainer that will let you see the fuel.
•
If the fuel is free of contaminants and
water—water will appear as various-
sized beads in the container bottom—
close the drain cock. Your system is not
contaminated. If contaminants and
water appear, continue to drain the fuel
until samples are not contaminated.
Then, close the drain cock.
•
In cases of severe contamination it will be necessary to de-fuel the system,
replace all filters and clean all strainers. Follow the TM instructions for this job.
Fuel filters may have to be replaced two or three times after severe contamination.
If you found contaminants in the fuel-water separa-
tor or fuel tank and you get rid of them, you’re done,
right?
Wrong! That contamination had to come from
somewhere and you need to find out where. It
could be a fuel truck or an external fuel tank or
anything else in your fuel pumping chain. Get other
users to help you. It’s in their interest to find the
source of the contamination, too.
T
he engine in your generator will run poorly—or not at all—with dirty fuel.
To prevent dirty fuel, the PMCS in
your TMs call for checking the fuel-
water separator for water and other
contaminants and to drain them.
Too often, this is not being done!
A small amount of contamination
is normal, but it needs to be removed
just the same. If contaminants are not
removed, they’ll accumulate in the
bottom of your fuel tank. You won’t
know it right away because the fuel
pick-up tube for your fuel system is
a few inches above the tank bottom
and the fuel will float on top of most
contaminants.
The problem becomes noticeable
when the contaminant level rises to
the level of the pick-up tube. By then
you have severely contaminated
fuel!
In a diesel system, fuel transfer pumps, injection pumps and fuel injectors have
parts that rely upon lubrication. Water and other contaminants can permanently
damage these parts.
PS 628
MAR 05
44
Generators…
T
Open fuel tank drain
Check fuel/water separator like this
one on the 10-KW generator
Has contamination
reached pick-up
tube inside tank?
We've found a
shocking level of
contaminants
in
the generator's
fuel supply!
maybe
it’s my
breath.
None
of
this would be
necessary if
people had
been checking
my fuel-water
separator for
contaminants
all along!
628.44-45(C)
1/25/05
10:42 AM
Page 1
Click here for a copy of this article to save or to email
Back to TopBack to Top
