Diesel cars

[Rob_Webb]

So how come you never hear of problems with:

1. diesel bug
2. water contamination from condensation

with diesel cars? (Well I don't hear it anyway). What's the difference with boats?

 

[Topcat47]

Deisel cars use a tank-full every week to 10 days, sailing boats seldom use a tankful a season. Cars are not laid up for winter....need I say more?

 

[Cliveshep]

Nope!

 

[shmoo]

Add to last:

Usually fill up under some sort of cover

(Mostly) Have near vertical filler cap hole

Seldom have filler cap awash with water

Maybe, just maybe, have better looked-after, and faster turned over supplies, at petrol station rather than dirty tank on a dock somewhere

 

[TigaWave]

I've never had a diesel problem on a boat and no direct experience of friends with water or bug in thiers. I've never used an additive and I've used diesel from the solent to Trinidad and back. Maybe I've been lucky, or maybe my fuel filter/water trap changing/cleaning routine helps?

I've also left a diesel car for a year whilst sailing and it ran fine on my return, although the battery was flat.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

By the same token:

When did you last contemplate injector servicing on your diesel car as opposed to your boat's engine?

 

[Strathglass]

It is not only boats that suffer with water in the fuel.

Diesel car's, or rather old white vans do suffer very much with water in the fuel.

Especially when the diesel is of dubious quality and from dubious sources.

It is quite common practice for drivers of older diesel vans to carry a spare fuel filter around with them. This is to cover both water and other gunge in the fuel.

Iain

 

[FullCircle]

As a long term engine engineer, I can confirm that the colour of the fuel is different.

 

[oldharry]

[ QUOTE ]
By the same token:

When did you last contemplate injector servicing on your diesel car as opposed to your boat's engine?

[/ QUOTE ]

About every 150k miles. But DERV tends to be more highly refined than some of the stuff you get from the marina, so injectors have a harder time of it in boats.

And cars do get water in the diesel - particularly if like boats they are left unused for a long time. The bug only appears when there is a water - oil interface in the tank, so cars tend to suffer less.

Anyway IME the diesel coming from the marina tends to have more water in it to start with than DERV from the local garage.

 

[Sailfree]

You have sussed it. Its a rumour spread by Customs & Excise to stop you transferring the boat diesel to the car!

 

[Birdseye]

[ QUOTE ]
By the same token:

When did you last contemplate injector servicing on your diesel car as opposed to your boat's engine?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never kept a diesel car for 5 years let alone the 15 between injector checks on the boat.