Fine dirt in banjo filter

[TonyBongo]

After sitting in my garage for about 5 years, to get my Bongo back on the road as well as changing the starter battery, one of the things I did was pump out the old cloudy diesel (attaching a pump just before the fuel filter), and replaced the fuel filter. After adding about 20l of fresh diesel and some engine cleaner I then drove the Van about 30 miles for a full service and MOT which it passed fine.

On the way home from the MOT the van slowly lost power. Slowly limped home and after cleaning out the banjo filter the van was fine again. I put the very fine dirt in the banjo filter down to disturbing crud in the bottom of the fuel tank when I drained it.

After driving the van for another 200 miles of so I had the same problem again - very fine dirt on the banjo filter blocking the mesh and bringing the van almost to a halt.

Couple of questions:

1. Why would I have this problem twice? Shouldn't the main fuel filter be capturing any crud?

2. Fishing out and cleaning the banjo filter is a faf when away from home, so I'm thinking of popping in an extra inline filter that is easier to replace after the main filter in order to stop crud getting to the banjo filter. Any recommendations for what to use? Something that is clear might help spot any build up of crud.

Ta

Tony

[Gasy]

Is there a bit of rubber hose after the fuel filter
And before the pump which is breaking down
And clogging banjo

[cmm303]

Diesel in damp conditions can develop a diesel fungus. A problem in boats when unused over winter. It causes filters to block up more rapidly. Loads of advice through Google. One example that may help you see if it applies.https://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bi ... d-Bacteria

[Northern Bongolow]

maybe worth dropping the tank, sort it once and for all, change the short rubber pipes on the top of the tank while your there, 20 years old rubber and all that.
if you take out the tank you could even do the filter on the end of the pickup pipe if you go in through the gauge opening.

[TonyBongo]

Is there a bit of rubber hose after the fuel filter
And before the pump which is breaking down
And clogging banjo

Good point. It looks good externally but would be easy to swap it for a new hose.

[TonyBongo]

Diesel in damp conditions can develop a diesel fungus. A problem in boats when unused over winter. It causes filters to block up more rapidly. Loads of advice through Google. One example that may help you see if it applies.https://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bi ... d-Bacteria

Had a mechanic look at the filter. Said he'd seen plenty of bacterial infection causing slimy fuel contamination and blocked filters. He didn't think it looked like that - looked more like very fine particulates blocking the filter.

[TonyBongo]

maybe worth dropping the tank, sort it once and for all, change the short rubber pipes on the top of the tank while your there, 20 years old rubber and all that.
if you take out the tank you could even do the filter on the end of the pickup pipe if you go in through the gauge opening.

Dropping the tank sOunds a bit tricky. Would deterorating runbber on the tank side of the fuel filter make it through the main fuel filter to the banjo filter?

[rita]

Remove the sender unit and mop out the tank, if you don't want to remove it.