Diesel bug

[ip485]

I would get professional polishers to do the job. They should turn up with a van with professional polishing kit in the back. Park the boat next to the van on the quay. So a little logistics involved. The key is they will give the tanks a proper clean, get rid of all the crud while they are about it and return clean fuel. They may well treat the returned fuel or do so immediately yourself. It is well worth the effort and the job will not need to be done again. In future at least screen the first few gallons of fuel through a water separation funnel, never, ever fill without doing so, and treat at the maintenance level. You will never suffer again.

 

[lw395]

Thanks again Guys

My tanks are steel welded into the steel hull so cannot be removed but I do have big top hatches that can be removed to gain access to the inside around the baffles.

The crud id soft black and I am in the process of pumping out from the bottom of the tank using a pipe probe so I can get into the lower corners. The pump I have been using id a jabsco gear pump with a mesh strained that catches to crud.

Once I had got out all I can that that pump I will use my transfer pump that passes through a strainer and my primary CAV filter.

Each of my tanks are about 650 litres each and one is full and the other is 3/4 full so cannot really remove all the diesel and remove the crud by hand.

Any advice on treatment considering the size and that there is no water in the tanks.

Due to the shape of the tank/hull the crud does tend to accumulate at the lowest point that is a drain point.

With that amount of fuel, assuming I actually wanted that kind of range, I would fit a permanently installed polishing system. Run the fuel through a re-usable sintered filter, something like a CAV with cheap filter elements and perhaps a fine filter from a modern diesel car or truck. It could be integrated with tank to tank pumping.

 

[rogerthebodger]

With that amount of fuel, assuming I actually wanted that kind of range, I would fit a permanently installed polishing system. Run the fuel through a re-usable sintered filter, something like a CAV with cheap filter elements and perhaps a fine filter from a modern diesel car or truck. It could be integrated with tank to tank pumping.

Where we are located I wanted to have an extended range as some of the fuel supply up the east coast of Africa can be a bit iffy.

I did fit a transfer pump to allow movement of fuel between tanks that sucked through a primary filter and then back to the tank suction and discharge are selectable so I do have as such a polishing system by version of the transfer function.

I did have a small "strainer" but on a recent trip that blocked quite quickly hence the investigation.

After cleaning out as suggested I plat to fit a bigger strainer that will not block so quickly and can be inspected and cleaned more often.

Having multiple tanks with separate primary filters I can change over tanks as an interim measure when on passage if no wind.

Thanks again guys for your help.