diesel fuel quality?

[Fergus]

The engineer who winterised my engine said that this year they had had quite an increase in diesel bug infections and other fuel problems. He said he'd heard that because of the biofuel requirement there was increased danger of fuel deterioration and he had heard that increased imports of fuel from Russia had given rise to more problems due to lower quality standards.

Interestingly he also said that the average engine hours for a mobo was 19 hours compared to 110 for yachts!!

Anyone care to comment?

P.S. water in my fuel filter for the first time!

 

[aluijten]

Interestingly he also said that the average engine hours for a mobo was 19 hours compared to 110 for yachts!!

Given the increased fuel consumption of the avarage Mobo I wonder if the average boating season is limited (mentally or financially) by the absolute volume of fuel used....

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Saw a BP garage today getting a fill up from a tanker that was definitely NOT BP today. So you can't even trust the big garages, for quality fuel.

 

[Fergus]

The other rumour was that tesco get their fuel from Russia..!

 

[BlueSkyNick]

The engineer who winterised my engine said that this year they had had quite an increase in diesel bug infections and other fuel problems. He said he'd heard that because of the biofuel requirement there was increased danger of fuel deterioration and he had heard that increased imports of fuel from Russia had given rise to more problems due to lower quality standards.

Interestingly he also said that the average engine hours for a mobo was 19 hours compared to 110 for yachts!!

Anyone care to comment?

P.S. water in my fuel filter for the first time!

I'd like to know who told you that , and put him right!!

There is NO biofuel requirement for seagoing vessels and marinas in our area continue to sell traditional red diesel. Secondly if the crude is imported from Russia, the refinery is still in Fawley producing BS products.

As for water in the fuel, that is a different issue !

 

[Fergus]

http://www.350resources.org.uk/2011...l-and-diesel-is-unethical-says-major-inquiry/

Applies to all diesel afaik

 

[LittleSister]

What this thread/forum lacks is 'Refueller'!

 

[BlueSkyNick]

http://www.350resources.org.uk/2011...l-and-diesel-is-unethical-says-major-inquiry/

Applies to all diesel afaik

Simply not true Fergus, I sell about 250k litres of red diesel a year.

There are dozens of threads on this subject, in summary

Seagoing vessels are excused from using low-sulphur fuel which contains FAME (bio content) and as such the marinas in MCA Cat 3 & 4 waters continue to sell red gasoil (to use the correct term).

 

[Dockhead]

The excellent, friendly fuel barge in Cowes guaranty their fuel to be free of bio carp. They clean their tanks every year, too. Never had a problem with their gasoil. Never a speck of crud or drop of water in my dual Racors in 500+ hours.

 

[David2452]

Simply not true Fergus, I sell about 250k litres of red diesel a year.

There are dozens of threads on this subject, in summary

Seagoing vessels are excused from using low-sulphur fuel which contains FAME (bio content) and as such the marinas in MCA Cat 3 & 4 waters continue to sell red gasoil (to use the correct term).

I think the word "continue" needs to be prefixed with "may if they wish" to reflect actuality, some do some don't. Ours for instance sell FAME free ultra low sulphur red, others sell gasoil as before and others sell ultra low sulphur with FAME.

 

[Fergus]

have a look here
http://www.sailingtoday.co.uk/latest-news/the-new-marine-diesel-fuel-a-warning
and here
http://www.conidia.com/downloads/diesel-bug-the-basics.pdf

 

[FishyInverness]

But doesn't that last link reinforce what MoodyNick was saying there? I quote directly from the Conidia Pamphlet here:

"1. Fuel specification and supply
The EU Directive 2009/30/EC came into force in the UK on 14 Jan 2011. It introduced new
standards for Marine Diesel Fuel to be used by Inland Waterway Vessels and Recreational Craft
when Not At Sea."

"Current fuel standards
The new ‘red diesel’ specification, BS2869 Class A2
applies to all NRMM, which definition includes Inland
Waterway Vessels and Recreational Craft, ‘when Not At
Sea’."

So evidently MoodyNick is correct that those vessels in seawater marinas do not have to use fuel containing FAME? Unless i've totally misinterpreted what that pamphlet is saying?

 

[Fergus]

I'm concerned about other fuelling points (e.g.france) and the fact that red diesel may in fact contain fame

 

[Burnham Bob]

Having asked local marinas, I know that Bradwell and Burnham have sought out non-FAME red diesel as they were aware of the issues with FAME. It's worth asking at the marina as the non-bio stuff is available.

 

[FishyInverness]

I was doing some research yesterday into a Diesel Bug prevention product, and came across an article which explained how the definition of "Sea" in the UK is being redefined by the authorities to include all estuaries, rivers and lakes in the network connected to the sea, precisely in order to defeat this legislation and make life easier for boat users...if I can find the article again I'll post it.

 

[angelsson]

The engineer who winterised my engine said that this year they had had quite an increase in diesel bug infections and other fuel problems. He said he'd heard that because of the biofuel requirement there was increased danger of fuel deterioration and he had heard that increased imports of fuel from Russia had given rise to more problems due to lower quality standards.

Interestingly he also said that the average engine hours for a mobo was 19 hours compared to 110 for yachts!!

Anyone care to comment?

P.S. water in my fuel filter for the first time!

I doubt his figures very much, unless something lost in what he was indicating to you.

However, this is a long standing problem and has been discussed endlessly here with many excellent ways to protect your fuel and or treat it.
I personally use an additive recommended, but I have also installed a fuel polishing system which pretty well guarantees clean fuel arriving at my primary filters, which in turn provides my engine feeder filter with very clean fuel. It is not difficult to install using an electric pump, (engine Perkins 4108 with a mechanical pump) which can also be used to prime filters at filter change time, (I have now doubled the hours before changing) which i still do even though they are still serviseable, the cost is well worth possible engine failure just when you need it most.
Happy to share the system with others.

 

[cliff]

http://www.350resources.org.uk/2011...l-and-diesel-is-unethical-says-major-inquiry/

Applies to all diesel afaik

Under the
European Union’s renewable energy directive, 10% of transport fuel must come
from renewable sources such as biofuel by 2020

I think the telling words are "transport fuel" i.e. road fuel - petrol and white diesel.

 

[charles_reed]

UK is, of course a law to itself but those in non-UK waters have to use road-diesel which DOES contain bio-diesel - in France it's 8%, though I think EC regs only demand 5%.
As different bugs like different oils, having an high sulphur diesel is not necessarily a means of excluding infection. High bio diesel does appear to wax more readily than straight.

 

[HotProperty]

I own a newly formed diesel polishing company called Diesel Clean Machine www.dieselcleanmachine.co.uk and in doing work at Chichester Marina found out that they had used FAME red diesel as they are classed as being in an inland waterway.

The job i did there involved a not old boat with only about 200ml of water in the plastic tank but had about 100ml of diesel bug grown in it. This boat had just been bought and the new owner had broken down on his way out of Chichester harbour.

The boat had not been used since May and the previous owner had no history of bug but it was filled up in Chichester before being put up for sale.

Obviously if the fuel tank had no water in it the bug would not of formed but shows that even a small quantity of water can breed this bacteria quickly in this type of fuel, but making sure your tank is water free and putting in an additive is probably more of a priority than finding non FAME fuel.