Within the past two decades, diesel has gone through significant manufacturing changes. These changes have come with many issues that diesel owners and operators have to deal with. One of these issues is the diesel bug, also known as microbial contamination. Most people assume that fuel is a hostile environment for growth to thrive. However, this is not the case. Given the right conditions, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can thrive in fuel tanks and storage systems. For this reason, bacteria and fungal growth are common in fuel tanks and the use of diesel test kits is essential. However, fungal and bacterial growth is not an issue in itself. The issue is that the growth triggers microbial growth. The elements that lead to diesel bugs include water, food source, and the right temperature range. Diesel big looks like a thick concentration of slime. Its colour can range from dark brown to black, depending on the type of diesel bug. The bug primarily lives in the layer between water and fuel, and it may give off a smell like that of a rotten egg.
What Can a Diesel Bug do to your Fuel?
The diesel bug can clog your vehicle’s filters, corrode your fuel tanks, and significantly damage your engine, and leave you stranded on the road. The bug can also damage your fuel injectors and cause a complete shut down of your engine. If left untreated, a diesel bug can also cause fuel degeneration, which leads to reduced combustion efficiency, poor detergence, and elevated pour and cloud points. High clouds and elevated points can increase fuel gelling, especially in the cold seasons. In addition to the poor vehicle and engine performance, diesel bugs can also increase fuel consumption and alter the fuel composition. Therefore, if you notice these symptoms, it is a sign that the diesel bug has grown significantly. However, before such effects start to develop, it may be hard to tell if a diesel bug is growing in your fuel. This is where diesel bug test kits come in.
Diesel Bug Test Kits and Why You Should Use Them
Diesel bug test kits help you determine the presence of microbial in your fuel. This is mostly done through laboratory fuel analysis services or test kits developed specifically for diesel bug infestations. A diesel fuel kit can be defined as a microbial that allows you to accurately monitor bacteria and fungi levels in areas of your fuel system. The kits are usually coated with a different medium for detecting fungi and other bacteria. Most diesel bug test kits use the dip slide detection method. All you have to do is take a suitable sample of water or diesel from the bottom of your tank and smear it into the slide or the test kit. The slide is then inserted into a tube where the culture will grow. In such a test, the microorganisms are shown as a culture. Note that the kit functioning may differ from one manufacturer and type to the next. However, the legal purpose of the kits remain the same; monitoring bacteria and fungi levels in hydrocarbon fuels. Using a diesel bug test kit will help you address the issue before the diesel bug can multiply rapidly and cause engine failures and other issues explained above. Therefore, using the kit can help you avoid expensive repair costs to your machinery and vehicle.
Treatment and management of diesel bug contamination
Besides frequent testing and sampling using diesel bug kits, you can also manage the condition by conducting routine system maintenance to lessen water exposure. You can also use fuel treatment to disperse fungi and bacterial contaminants and prevent sludge buildup. You can also treat your fuel to kill off an existing contamination.
Diesel Bug Test Kit Wrap Up
A diesel bug is a single microorganism or a group of microorganisms that grows on fuels, including bacteria, filamentous moulds, and yeats. These organisms feed on fuel hydrocarbons and create biomass which can damage by-products. The diesel bug is one of many different types of bacteria that dwell in fuel. The contamination can cause significant issues, especially as it worsens and multiplies. Using a diesel bug test kit can help keep the contamination from multiplying avoid the expensive repercussions to your fuel system. A diesel bug testing kit is recommended for instances where there are no clear symptoms of a diesel bug contamination.
