Fischer Panda Maintenance - Important item

[HMBJack]

To all who have a Fischer Panda generator,

My FP genset ( a 4200 FCB built in 2006) was starving for fuel after running for 45 or 60 minutes. I spent a lot of time looking for the issue and replacing things like fuel filters, fuel pumps, fuel pump relays, solenoid checks, etc.

After much head scratching, I FINALLY determined the root cause of my issue and wanted to share it here to save some pain by others.

In my case, my 12 year old generator began to accumulate crud on the bottom of the 12G remote diesel tank.
The particles or muck from the tank jammed the Check Valve at the top of the tank such that it was 80% closed and starving my engine from fuel! In my case, I drained and removed my 12G tank, then poured 2 quarts of muriatic acid in the tank and let it sit overnight. The muriatic acid did an amazing job removing the muck in my tank but for safety sake be sure to wear eye protection when handling any acid.

I also removed the check valve (which I didn't even know was there).
In my case, the check valve is a 1/8" barbed fitting that is mounted on the top of the 12G tank and screwed into the 90 degree elbow on the feeder line side. I removed and cleaned the check valve (aka an anti-siphon valve) with muriatic acid and it opened right up. My FP now runs perfectly and no longer suffers from fuel starvation.

If your FP is 10 years old or more, I think it would not be a waste of time to inspect the interior of your tank and test and clean your check valve. Hope this helps. I suffered through this for quite some time!

Cheers,
Jack

 

[seasick]

Is your tank aluminum?
Muriatic acid will etch aluminum and depending on how long it was in contact that will affect the amount of etching. I am not so sure using that acid is a good idea.

 

[HMBJack]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's aluminum like most boat fuel tanks are. It's super clean now (shiny metal) and many mechanics use muriatic acid to remove rust and crud from inside fuel tanks. I rinsed it out real good with water afterwards and the diesel oil should keep it happy now for another ten years plus.

 

[DennisG01]

Any chance the crud could have been microbes? It's certainly not unheard of for bacteria and algae to build up in diesel tanks - especially if there was any moisture in it. Could come from condensation build-up or even from a fill-up. On the chance that it was, you might consider running a biocide to make sure everything is killed off then use a additive year round for protection and an ocassional dose of biocide for good measure.

 

[HMBJack]

Yes Dennis, it sure could have been microbes (or perhaps dead ones). I have been using a biocide since day one but I still had the crud in there which gummed up my check valve on top of the tank.

I think moist air enters the tank through the tank's vent line and water accumulates. The microbes need water to survive. Not sure why my Biobor-JF Biocide didn't work but the crud was there. As stated, it would not be a waste of time to inspect your own tank and check valve regardless of your maintenance program. Just sayin.

 

[HMBJack]

More on this from the Biobar-JF product description.

I'm pretty sure this was what was happening inside my 13 year old diesel fuel tank...

Microbial Growth:
When discussing issues in diesel fuel, microbial growth is widely known as the most common reason for fuel related engine failure. Inherently, diesel fuel and fuel tanks have the tendency to accumulate water whether by tank condensation, entrained water from fuel delivery or just receiving a bad batch of fuel. To compound this issue, today's ULSD can successfully carry much higher concentrations of water providing a breeding ground for HUM Bugs (or Hydrocarbon Utilizing Micro-organisms). Hum-bugs live in the water phase of a fuel tank and feed off of the fuel developing dark, slimy gel-like mats. As these colonies of bacteria and fungi grow (potentially at a rate of doubling every 20 minutes), they can quickly clog fuel filters, plug injectors and lead to excessive sludge accumulation. Additionally, their waste products are one of the leading causes of corrosion in fuel tanks and metal components. With the continued use of Biobor JF, microbial growth will be eliminated from the fuel system leading to a sterile fuel system, extending the life of fuel filters and preventing corrosion issues.