What are asphaltenes?
Asphaltenes are tarry, organic particles that naturally occur in #2 diesel fuels. Asphaltene particles are generally thought to be in the one-half to 2 micron range and are harmless to the injection system, as they are soft and deformable. Concentrations of asphaltenes in diesel fuel vary widely and can increase through heat and fuel oxidation. As these tiny particles pass through the filter media they tend to stick to individual fibers. A build up of asphaltenes is the normal mechanism that plugs diesel fuel filters, not hard particles.
