The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Anyone Heard of Sulper Reducing Bacteria SRB?

Someone just told me that the engine in his diesel powered truck was ruined because of Sulpher Reducing Bacteria. Said its eats away the metal. His cam was pitted and the rod bearings finished.
I Googled it but found no reference to it in automobile engines.
Anyone know anything about it?

Bill,

It's fairly common for diesel fuel that has been in storage for a long period of time to actually grow a strain of bacteria that will plug filters and injectors. It's a black gunky looking sludge, but this would be on the fuel side and would have no contact with things like engine internals. Could your 'someone' have his facts wrong.

EDIT. More stuff.
http://www.debugamericalatina.com/bacteria-in-diesel.html

Stuart

Good question about him having his facts wrong! Story of his life! That is why I posted the question because I have heard of it attacking organisms but actually destroying metal cams or bearings was something alien to me.

Blu,
I have heard of them but from a biological standpoint - not automotive end. Sulpher reducing bacteria are a strain of chemoautoroph - simply put, they need no sun light for energy, they make thier own from reduction (electron exchange). They live in very hostile enviromentents, use carbon dioxide for all of thier organic matter to live on.
This is cool Blu! Never thought of them in an engine. Nitrifying bacteria are the chemoauotorophs that I am most familiar with and in water. Sulpher reducing bacteria cause that rotten egg smell in stagnant sediments like salt marshes and the like.
Stuart,
Could be logical I guess, since a bacteria that uses CO2 (which can be acidic and acids work via electron transfer)and by the process of reduction - exchange of electrons - in this case recieving elctrons from another element(could be iron (Fe2)the motor is made of.
Besdies what's a more hostile than a Cat or Cummins?
Gotta love Stovebolt!
Cavebull

TC,
That is really cool. Sorry ya'll, the marine biologist tend to come out in me quite easily.

Thanks, I would never have thought of them in engines.
Brett

Don't be sorry - I learned something today. Thanks

So did I! Always thought the guy who owns the vehicle had a vivid imagination and this would have rung true. However IMO the reason he ruined it was because he only filled the crankcase with half the oil required because he wanted to blow debris out of the injector holes which got in there when he was cleaning the crud off the head. I think you have the picture!

I had that same kind of scuzzy thing happen to me years ago when I got suckered into trying a lubricant additive. It was introduced into the hydraulic system of a track loader. It had claims of of all this anti-wear and cooling advantages over just using the recommended hydraulic oil. At one point the loader sat over the winter and when I opened up the hydraulic tank in the spring, the walls were coated in this black sludge. That was money well wasted.

Brian

In our jet aircraft we use a product (additive) to remove the bugs that live in jet fuel. Jet fuel is just aviation grade diesel, so it stands to reason SRB's live in trucks too!