Premature filter clogging...weird phenomenon

[Greenvans]

Hey Guys,
When I travel long distances, I pull a trailer holding a 125 gallon poly tote tank with enough reserve oil to get me from stop to stop. I fill the main fuel tank under the van from this reserve tank. I load myself up with 150 gallons of my own oil (settled and filtered to 1 mic) and it usually gets me about 2100 miles. I buy oil from fellow greasers around the country that I have met in my travels. I usually fillup the reserve tank when I'm close to the end, and it seems that whenever I get a new batch of oil, the Donaldson plugs up and it's time to change filters. This is usually about every 2000 miles, which is supposed to be the life of that filter, however, I just did a trip without the trailer, only filling up the 30 gallon van tank every 350 miles or so.

So far, the filter has clogged after every batch of new oil. It has happened twice, and both times within about 200 miles of getting the new oil. Both stops have sold me very high quality oil, and both times the filter clogs.
Has anybody else experienced this?? What's going on? The tank I use is a custom built aluminum tank that fits in under the van body. It is internally heated just like the RDS tanks. I can't figure this one out....

Thanks guys,

[VTVegiPower]

Both stops have sold me very high quality oil,

How do you know the quality of the oil? Are you seeing a hot pan test everytime?

[greasyX]

Josh is on to something there,water+winter=filter not pulling full pressure,and ICE.If there was any sediment at the bottom of the tank,that water found it while sitting under all that oil.don't forget stuff under 1 micron can still stick together like glue(I see it in my centrifuge),and get "myered" into hard to clean places.............greasy

[Clay]

I used to see this sometimes before i had my aux heat pump. The fact was when i filled my tank from the oil that has been setting in the tote, chicken fats settled to the bottom and that went into the tank as soon as i refilled it. the thicks fats were clogging the filter as heat was at a minimum and the fats were not liquified properly. You may well have a heat issue.

[Marv]

After working with my oil this winter, I have to agree with Clay that it's amazing how the oil will seperate from the animal fats if allowed to sit long enough. And that stuff will clog a filter in no time.

My prefilter won't even make it through an entire cube if I dump the fats in there. Here recently I've just been pouring the good oil off the top and saving the fats to deal with in the summer. They should pour fine when the temp gets up higher.

I'd bet that your experiencing this with your Donaldson too. Seems like I struggled with this a bit myself.

[billman]

I recently had what i thought was a premature cloging problem. I found that the oil was not heating up fast enough in the cold temps. I added a little diesel to the tank (5 gal in my 40 gal tank 3/4 full) and the problem worked itself out in short order. My guess is I had some fatty oil in there that needed a little thinning.

[lancaster,pa]

I have also experienced this problem. For me, it has been a situation with insufficient heat in the tank (something to be fixed when warmer weather arrives).

I feel confident that thick veg in the tank is making it difficult for the pump to pick-up oil and maintain pressure in the system. My filter and V-3 get very hot and even animal fat should not cause a problem as long as it is hot and up to pressure as it passes through the V-3 and filter.

Driving longer distances allows veg in the tank to heat sufficiently and remove the problem. I have also found that varying driving technique to increase sloshing of fuel in the tank will aid in mixing and speed resolution to the problem (temporary fix until warmer weather). - Patrick

[billman]

I tried to vary my driving tecnique to get a little tank slosh and it seemed to help. My guess is the thicker stuff settles to the bottom. I will NOT try this with the wife in the truck or police following.

[greasyX]

What about some baffles in the tank too "mix" the fuel up without aggressive driving.Could I suggest letting it sit over night and then drain the bottom of the tank?Does your rds type tank have a drain,my rds came with a drain in the lowest edge of the tank for such applications,a small drain with hose would ease this burden.............greasy

[billman]

My tank did not come with a drain plug. I had to pop a 1' hole in the bottom of the back wall to drain her off. I have a rubber expansion plug in the hole until I drop the tank this summer to have a plug tigged in. I think I will get a drain plug (valve type) that I can open to drain off the bottom junk once in a while.