Fuel Clarity Sensor?

[Kentbob]

Apparently there is a sensor in the fuel line that determines how clear the fuel is, and thus whether the fuel is regular diesel, or something more like WVO or WMO. My brother and I have been looking for a way to disable this sensor so that I can run WMO in my truck. Does anyone have any information?

Kent

[rapidoxidationman]

what truck do you have?

Guessing it's a d-max, but what year?

It's a potentially very expensive game of roulette running anything other than diesel in these trucks- injectors aren't cheap. I ran 100% biodiesel in my 6.5L, but wouldn't chance it in my LLY.

My $0.02

[Kentbob]

Yes, Duramax, 2006. It's torn apart at the moment, so I'm trying to get information on this before putting it back together.

Kent

[DmaxMaverick]

Welcome aboard!

I've never heard of it, and neither has the service manual or a couple techs I've talked to about your question. The fuel system diagrams for every year Duramax powerplant, light truck or otherwise, doesn't show any such device. The color, or "clarity" of fuel says very little about the fuel itself. Normal, right out of the pump #2 Diesel fuel color can vary, from clear (such as kerosene), to nearly like maple syrup, or green, red, blue, pink, tan, etc. Some additives can also change the appearance of fuel color, and some fuel is died (such as off-highway fuel), but none of it will always indicate the quality, composition or viscosity of the fuel, and does not indicate other grades of acceptable fuels, which vary opacity as well. Black fuel, however, will almost always indicate a biological contamination, but that's a purely large particulate condition managed by the filter(s). Actually, they are all a particulate condition, but the particulate size difference of a coloration compared to bio contamination is astronomical, microscopically speaking.

Now, there may be something to your question, but it doesn't relate to Duramax engines. The 1994+ 6.5L GM Diesels with electronic fuel injection have an optical sensor inside the injection pump, as part of the fuel injection timing system. These can be sensitive to fuel opacity or color, in some rare cases, but isn't intended to "sense" the "clarity" of fuel, by any means. It's purely incidental, when it does occur.