Those little grey, black, or green spots you can see in the drain tray behind me?
That’s not dirt.
That’s algae in your fuel.
It’s more common than people think, and it usually starts quietly.
Condensation builds up in the tank — hot fuel, temperature changes, blocked tank breathers — or moisture gets in through a crack in the fuel tank.
Sometimes it’s as simple as picking up dirty fuel.
Once moisture is present, algae starts to grow.
At first, it doesn’t seem like much — but it doesn’t stay that way for long.
Algae clogs fuel filters, blocks the inlet and outlet of your fuel pump, and before you know it, the truck starts starving for fuel or cutting out.
If it gets past the filters, it can cause a whole world of trouble.
If it’s only a small amount, we can treat it with a biocide and let the fuel filters catch it as it clears.
But if there’s more than just a little?
The tanks often need to be fully drained, cleaned out, refitted, and then treated until there’s no algae left in the system.
It’s one of those issues that’s much easier — and cheaper — to deal with early.
If your filters keep blocking up or your fuel looks anything but clean, it’s time to get it checked.
📍 Webbie’s Mechanical — stopping small fuel problems before they turn into big breakdowns.