We wanted to share some recent findings from our service work on two Caterpillar C18 ACERT main engines and gearboxes.
During a routine 250-hour service on the vessel, our team inspected the Racor elements and discovered excessive diesel bug contamination inside the filter bowls.
These were promptly removed and cleaned out.
It’s worth noting that such contamination is unlikely to have solely originated inside the filter bowls, it’s more likely to indicate issues with fuel tank contamination.
Notably, both sets of filters were affected, with more significant contamination found in the filters supplying the port engine.
The engineers carried out the required process for this, however, to address this issue effectively, we strongly recommend the operator drain and flush both fuel tanks to ensure the complete removal of the diesel bug.
Subsequently, treating the fuel is essential to minimise the risk of reoccurrence.
We hope this information is helpful, and encourage you to take proactive steps to check the condition of your filters.
