Dirty Fuel – what causes it and how you can fix it
Every time you fill up at the service station – petrol or diesel – you’re likely to also be filling up with contaminants that, over time, impair your vehicle’s performance. But there are solutions to the problem of dirty fuel. Fuel Doctor has been providing those solutions for more than 30 years, with a single, world-class product and a single vision of unrivalled customer support.
Problems with dirty and contaminated fuel rarely come from the fuel itself. Rather, it’s the underground tanks that fuel is stored in. Due to design, lack of maintenance or just the ravages of time, these tanks let in muddy ground water and microbial contaminants that promote algae and sludge. Pumping mechanisms that pull fuel up from the bottom of these tanks to the bowsers add rust into the mix, too.
The older the service station’s tanks, the more likely - and extensive – these contaminants will be. This damaging material collects at the bottom of the tank and, when occasionally agitated and emulsified, will be sucked up and migrate into your vehicle’s tank while you’re filling.
Filters on the service station’s pumps (at least, for servos that have filters) only catch rust of 10 microns or larger on average, meaning smaller particles, along with water and algae, pass straight through to your fuel tank. Of course, you can’t see material at that size, even if you could watch the fuel as it goes into your tank, so most drivers are completely oblivious to what they’re pumping in until their vehicle starts to have operational issues.
You can’t stop dirty fuel going into your vehicle, but there are two things you can do to limit its impact – one is really simple and the other is really affordable.
When the Tanker’s Filling – Don’t Fill Yourself
When a fuel tanker fills an underground tank at a service station, the fuel is falling from five meters of head through a 100mm drop tube and hits the bottom of the tank at 1000 litres per minute. This stirs up the contaminants into an emulsion that passes unseen into your tank.
Avoid refuelling your vehicle when you see a tanker at the service station, because it’ll exacerbate problems that are already there, potentially damaging not only your vehicle’s fuel pump, but also its carburettor/fuel injection system.
Add Fuel Doctor
You can’t do much to improve what comes out of the service station’s tanks, but you can improve what goes into your vehicle by adding Fuel Doctor.
Developed in 1994 as a ‘tool of trade’ for Fuel Doctors’ industrial fuel tank cleaning operations, the product was formulated to clean and disperse tank bottom contaminants, as well as minimise the damaging effects of moisture and microbial growths through ongoing application.
The full chemical formulation of Fuel Doctor is a carefully guarded secret, but its four main components are:
- detergent for cleaning and dispersing gums and varnish
- two specific dispersants to safely encapsulate moisture and fungal growths
- the world’s best upper-cylinder lubricant
The dispersants are composed of oxygenated molecules that pass into the combustion cycle, enhancing thermal efficiency and minimising soot for cleaner and longer DPF serviceability. The lubricant in Fuel Doctor ensures suspended sub-micron rust contaminants passing through the injectors and fuel system have zero detrimental effect to any fuel system component.
A bonus of using Fuel Doctor is that it is also a fuel stabiliser, extending the life of stored petrol for up to 24 months and diesel up to 60 months.
Why Use Fuel Doctor
If you’re experiencing poor fuel economy, rough idling, noisy injectors, premature fuel filter changes or reduced power, it can be – but not necessarily is – a symptom of contaminated fuel. You could go replacing fuel pumps, injectors, fuel lines and computers, but a simple, DIY way to potentially eliminate these problems is to add Fuel Doctor. You could save yourself hundreds – and potentially thousands – of dollars chasing problems that can be fixed with this simple, pour-in cleanser for your vehicle’s fuel system.
How to Use Fuel Doctor
First time users of Fuel Doctor should “shock treat” their tank with one litre of Fuel Doctor per 100 litres or less of tank capacity, for every 100,000kms travelled to remove endemic contaminants that have built up over time. So, if you have 200,000kms on your vehicle’s odometer, treat with one litre of Fuel Doctor per tank fill for two consecutive fills.
After that, an ongoing treatment of 1ml of Fuel Doctor per litre of fuel you put in will serve as preventative maintenance - controlling the contaminants in service station tanks that migrate into your vehicle’s tank.
Being developed as a tool of the trade for use in servo tank cleaning operations, the formula was specifically developed to be effective – and safe - for all fuels.
With some fuel additives, the instructions state you should not use their product more than three times between oil changes. Fuel Doctor is passive and designed to be added at each fill. Consequently, it will have zero detrimental effect should you overtreat.
Where to Buy Fuel Doctor
Fuel Doctor is available in 250ml and 1-litre bottles from Supercheap Auto, Repco and AutoBarn. Larger 5-litre and 25-litre containers are available from Truck-line, Maxi-Parts, plus marine and industrial suppliers that can be found on the Fuel Doctors website.
Occasionally, you will come across Fuel Doctor with a Castrol logo on it. Castrol and Fuel Doctors entered a joint branding/distribution agreement in 2000.
For more information on Fuel Doctor, including a how-to-use guide, testimonials and details on their tank cleaning services, go to: fueldoctors.com.au
Should you miss-fuel your vehicle, do not start it or move it before calling Fuel Doctors’ technical support on 1800-675-077. Quite often, we can prevent the catastrophic failure of your fuel system.
