Diesel fuel woe

WestWittering said:
Can anyone tell me what this is?

Left the boat standing for a 'good while' and returned to a tank of jelly. The engine ran for a while, then the filter blocked and the fun began. The fuel was pumped out, tank removed and cleaned out. Refilled with 'road' diesel. Three weeks later, we are back to square one. I'm going to get a new plastic tank, but in the meantime, what is this? It's quite gritty, the crystals are square and the last batch tasted sweet. I thought it might be crystallisation of the fuel, but we haven't had the weather conditions or the time for that. Could it be glycerine?


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Just been doing some googling, sugar doesnt dissolve in petrol or diesel, so the old war time era stories of sugar in petrol causing issues with engines? It would appear that it only acts as a blockant much as sand does. So, the OP, needs to check it out to see if it is actually sugar crystals.
Stu
 
If it is sugar the culprit for dosing your tank will undoubtedly have dropped some on the deck near the filler cap so perhaps a careful look around might elicit the answer.
 
Thank you to everyone who's replied. I'm coming (sadly) to the conclusion that it is sugar. Well get the tank out again, run through the cleaning process again.
It is a huge amount in the bottom of the tank - feels like about 2cm with the dipstick, but with a steel tank there is no way of seeing the distribution. The thing that made me think it couldn't be sabotage is that you need to lift the cockpit grating to access the filler cap and a potential saboteur would worry about being seen. The second time could only have happened since the boat has been berthed stern in, so even easier to spot someone in the cockpit with a bag of Tate & Lyle.
 
WestWittering said:
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The thing that made me think it couldn't be sabotage is that you need to lift the cockpit grating to access the filler cap and a potential saboteur would worry about being seen. The second time could only have happened since the boat has been berthed stern in, so even easier to spot someone in the cockpit with a bag of Tate & Lyle.
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Hmmm, not sure how much importance to put on this - if I were planning on sabotaging a boat, I would not do it in broad daylight, I would wait till dark. Most marinas are pretty quiet places on a mid-week evening. If you seriously consider the possibility of sabotage, then I guess you may need a night vision, motion activated camera to set up pointing to the cockpit. There are some cheap options around these days.
 
skipper_stu said:
Just been doing some googling, sugar doesnt dissolve in petrol or diesel, so the old war time era stories of sugar in petrol causing issues with engines? It would appear that it only acts as a blockant much as sand does. So, the OP, needs to check it out to see if it is actually sugar crystals.
Stu
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Not sure about that.
I bought a non-running motorbike which had had sugar put in the tank.
There was a hideous gunge in the tank, fuel pipes and carbs.

Possibly this relies on there almost always being water in fuel tanks, but that's generally less true with a motorbike.
This was about 25 years ago now, the bike was a 2stroke, so I assumed the colour of the gunge was due to the 2T oil.
 
I think you need to find out for sure if this is sabotage and, if it is, involve the police.Anyone who does that to a boat's engine is putting lives at risk and needs to be caught.
 
Our pontoon has several liveaboards on it, so was assuming that the perp would worry about disturbing one of them, even at night as the slightest sound carries. My first port of call will be the marina office when I get back on Friday. There is CCTV.

Coincidentally, after we sorted it out the first time, the VHF aerial stopped working. We continued with our plans & used the hand held. We were only off into the harbour anyway. Soooo, we did loads of electrical tests, concluded it was the aerial, bought a new one, climbed the mast and removed the old one & cabling. No thought of sabotage was in our minds at the time - so did not check at the gland for interference. There is a slight crack in the aerial base so we put it down to that, although I was a bit surprised tbh. Sorry this has turned into quite a tale. And the aerial could be coincidence. Truly, I am amazed at this TBH!

Dianne
 
WestWittering said:
Our pontoon has several liveaboards on it, so was assuming that the perp would worry about disturbing one of them, even at night as the slightest sound carries. My first port of call will be the marina office when I get back on Friday. There is CCTV.
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Does one of the liveaboards maybe suspect you of grassing them up over something? Many liveaboards I know seem to be in an on-and-off low-level running battle with the marina. If someone has recently been penalised for something they may be looking around to see how they could've found out.
 
If this is, as it seems to be, sabotage then that's a very sad and shocking thing.
The cameras that others have mentioned can be found by searching for "wildlife cameras" if the marina cctv doesn't adequately show your boat.
Could you devise a way of making it impossible to lift the cockpit grating when the boat is unattended...maybe wooden blocks screwed down with Torx or some other uncommon headed screws, or dome headed coachbolts with the nuts on the side that's locked in the cabin.
It must be very unpleasant to think there's someone doing this to you, you have much sympathy from me and I'm sure from everyone else on here too.
 
I dont think many yachts have locking caps and I have to admit looking around not because I am presently concerned but there are also other good reasons why a lock might make sense. In my case it is quite possible to imagine someone putting water into the fuel tank - albiet they would need to be reasonably stupid as the cap is marked, but it is right next to an identical cap which is the black water pump out.
 
Anyone who sabotages someone's boat on the suspicion that they may have reported them for an infringement of marina regulations must have some serious MH issues. FWIW, there has been no behaviour in the locality that would warrant tittle-tattling to the manager about. Even if there were, I'm not a running to the teacher type person, so I'm ruling that one out.
It is a friendly pontoon - lots of people there long term and I can't think of anything in my behaviour that would have provoked such a reaction. I think I am very polite, I keep my voice down, no loud music or even music really, quite a smiley, happy helpful person and will stop doing boat jobs for a chat with the neighbours. I don't have a generator/guitar/yappy dog/cook smelly food/get drunk/brawl/create mess in the marina loos..... I am mystified.

I think the first thing to do will be to follow that excellent suggestion of securing the grating. Then I shall check other vulnerable parts such as the glands, running & standing rigging, nav lights etc. Still hoping a molecular biologist will offer up some evidence of a rare, sugar like bug that lives in BPs finest. The deliberate sabotage is really quite scary to contemplate.
 
I suggest at you confirm that it is or is not sugar first. The suggestions about warm water or ( better ) melting would be good and better if you could see what temp 'melting' takes place ( around 145 C I think)
Unpleasant as the thought is then at least you would have positive info.

I cannot think that any chemical activity or slight ingress of contaminants could cause the effect you describe in the time scale you suggest.

Good luck!
 
If ongoing sabotage is suspected and assuming that your cockpit grate is not interference fit, you could drag it to one particular corner when you leave the boat. As that postition is unlikely to be replicated by someone at night you will be able to tell upon boarding if it has been moved.

If it is a tight fit perhaps wedge a piece of carrier bag somewhere only visible to you ... any movement of the grate will be obvious.

By the way if I was the culprit I would use sugar cubes, far more directional and controllable. Know anybody that uses them?
 
WestWittering said:
Can anyone tell me what this is?

Left the boat standing for a 'good while' and returned to a tank of jelly. The engine ran for a while, then the filter blocked and the fun began. The fuel was pumped out, tank removed and cleaned out. Refilled with 'road' diesel. Three weeks later, we are back to square one. I'm going to get a new plastic tank, but in the meantime, what is this? It's quite gritty, the crystals are square and the last batch tasted sweet. I thought it might be crystallisation of the fuel, but we haven't had the weather conditions or the time for that. Could it be glycerine?


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I admire your bravery for tasting the contents of your fuel tank! Reminds me of those oldtime physicians who used to tast patients urine:)
 
maby said:
Hmmm, not sure how much importance to put on this - if I were planning on sabotaging a boat, I would not do it in broad daylight, I would wait till dark. Most marinas are pretty quiet places on a mid-week evening. If you seriously consider the possibility of sabotage, then I guess you may need a night vision, motion activated camera to set up pointing to the cockpit. There are some cheap options around these days.
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Wildlife camera. Lidl sell them from time to time.
 
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