With regards to the algae.... when I found that I had it... and started to order the "L" fuel filter at the engine... I found that one major company showed a clear filter in its catalog but was going to send me an opaque one.... so it pays to ask,,,, because you sure want a clear one in order to monitor the situation....

If you decide there are too many " problems" there are many people who would really like to have the relatively minor, even if annoying , types of problems you have... take it from someone looking at replacing sleeves/rings in their car....

yeah, the car is really clean so I guess I am doing okay. I live up north so diesels (outside of tractor trailers) and shops that work on them are pretty rare (I would be really lucky to find someone reliable to replace the chian) so I might have to do the timing chain myself. Anything I need to be careful with here? I plan to post a second message looking for advice on how to replace this thing. Thanks for all the great advice.

cleaned the banjo bolt and tubing today...was about 1/2 or more plugged.

Up north, where?

well, the canadians just across the border call me a souterner....but it doesn't get much colder/snowier than western new york in jan., I've been here 5 years and we had at least 3 major storms, one that included 8 feet of snow.
jb