Filtering fuel

[mick]

After dire warnings about dirty diesel I have started filtering fuel as it goes into the tank. I only ever use cans for filling as I don't use much fuel. I have two funnels: one is awkward to handle but has a very fine mesh filter, the other is easy to use but has a much coarser filter. I would much prefer to use the latter. Just how fine does the filter have to be to ensure that only clean fuel goes in?
Thanks in advance.

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[DepSol]

try a pair of tights over the funnel, stops splashes and filters dirt,

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[paulrossall]

I am no expert but work very hard to ensure I do not get problems at sea that I can avoid. I use a very fine mesh filter. If I were in your situation I would buy another filter with a very fine mesh that is easier to use. Cost less that £10 I would guess. It will be interesting to see what others say.
Paul

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[MedMan]

What fixed filters do you have in your system? Youe engine will be fitted with a fine filter, but do you also have a coarse filter/water separation unit? If not, fitting one should be your number one priority before worrying about filtering the fuel as you pour it in.

Assuming you have two in line filters, I feel that a funnel with a reasonably fine mesh is adequate and I wouldn't worry about trying to use tights or muslin or anything of that ilk. To say which of your two funnels would fit that bill without seeing them is a bit difficult - how fine is fine? If you are unsure I would buy a new one that fulfills all your criteria - it can only be a tiny price to pay for peace of mind.

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[Gunfleet]

be sure to take the girl out first nm

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[g_s_millington]

I go along with Med Man. Years ago I fitted a large Combiened Seperator/filter with a clear glass bowl suitable for a 150 HP engine to my 20HP BUKH as the first filter the fuel reaches and left the other filters in line. Despite some dirty fuel it has never reached the engine so we have had no dirty fuel problems. We do watch the fuel as it is poured into the tank always using a funnel even if the deliver pipe would fit into the tank directly.

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[charles_reed]

It's a bit of a waste of time - far better to have a separator, next to the tank, a separate filter with removable element and then the engine filter.

Water in the fuel (usually in solution) is the most normal problem and, in heavy seas, the muck being churned up from the bottom of the tank.

The most common fuel blockage is caused by bacterial infection of the fuel and that happens in the tank and usually ends up blocking the separator and 1st filter.

Any mesh that filters out really small particles (5 micron) is going to take hours to pass the fuel through.


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[johnsomerhausen]

Re: be sure to take the girl out first nm

In the US, the "standard" for filter funnels until recently was the "Baja" fuel filter (so named because it was intended for filtering the Mexican West Coast diesel fuel which was supposed to be particularly dirty). It was pretty pricey at $ 140...
Two years ago, a firm in Alaska came out with a filter that prevents both dirt and water (the cause of bacterial growth in the tank) from passing through. It came out the winner in a comparative test by "Practical Sailor" (a sort of "Which" for the sailing crowd) and costs only $ 19 (£ 12) for the medium size. You can find it at west marine under the name "Fuel Filter Funnel". I bought it direct from the manufacturer before the PS article and WM's inclusion in their catalogue. It does not slow down the filling too much (the great objection against the Baja). My engine has a CAV filter/water separator and the filter on the engine, so I'm pretty well covered...
john

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[Heckler]

far better not to get it in tank in first place, then bugs cant exixst in fuel water interface. but where are you getting diesel from? if its red and comes from garage or marina should be perfectly ok, fish docks etc maybe more iffie.
if you are not sure of quality the mesh that looks like a silvery shimmer will do it, but fill can first and then pour at leisure thru filter, read some of the world girdler books and they all say for piece of mind, filter first. my nan used to use paraffin lamps and the filter in the funnel always used to knock out the water.
stu

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[brianhumber]

Waste of time in Western Europe. Consider when bunkering from 45 gal drums etc in Black Sea, Africa far East etc.

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[Talbot]

I use a smart tech funnel available from pumpkin, force 4 and others, it not only filters out the very very small particles, but will also prevent water from entering the tank. The largest size has a pretty good flow rate. I also have seperator and 2 further filters before it gets to the engine - a little extra time spent during refuelling is better than an engine failure!

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[seaesta]

What about the contaminantion from the funnel? which unless you have very special storage facilities may be worse than the little muck you are likely to have in the fuel you buy.
Like you I only use cans and my preffered solution for funnels is to womble the empty plastic 2 litre coca cola bottles discarded by my kids, chop the top third off, wash 'em thoroughly to remove any trace of sugar etc, dry well and keep em individually wrapped in plastic food bags on the boat. I then use a "new" clean funnel every time I add fuel and chuck the old one. This is much cleaner than a reusable funnel, is envirnomentally OK and avoids keeping a smelly old funnel on board. Its only suitable for small quantities but has worked well for me for a few seasons
Martin

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