FL Sprint experts? Fuel tank related....?

[RobWales]

Another question and this time for the Fairline Sprint experts....

As my boat is 200 miles away and I'm not going to see it until delivery next week, after completing the engine/leg service VP AD31 150 diesel, my engineer informs me that all is well but for peace of mind "if the boat were mine I would drain all fuel and replace" seems the fuel is very old and stale (boat lack of use maybe 2 yrs) plus evidence of dirt and water in tank!

I'm considering the D.I.Y fuel polishing route as per the other thread current...but was wondering does anyone have experience with the access to and draining of a Sprint 21 tank? Just to give me a head start before it arrives next week.

Thanks.

 

[oldgit]

"if the boat were mine I would drain all fuel and replace" seems the fuel is very old and stale (boat lack of use maybe 2 yrs) plus evidence of dirt and water in tank!

At £6.00 a gallon ??????.
Just fit some nice new fuel filters and keep a spare set on board.
Def check tank for **** and/or filter if needed..!

My boat was ashore with tank of diesel for 7 odd years,started first time and used every last olde expensive drop.
If you do not want that diesel send it down,will go nicely in my tank.

 

[RobWales]

"if the boat were mine I would drain all fuel and replace" seems the fuel is very old and stale (boat lack of use maybe 2 yrs) plus evidence of dirt and water in tank!

At £6.00 a gallon ??????.
Just fit some nice new fuel filters and keep a spare set on board.
Def check tank for **** and/or filter if needed..!

My boat was ashore with tank of diesel for 7 odd years,started first time and used every last expensive drop.
If you do not want that diesel send it down,will go nicely in my tank.

Full service has been carried out including all filters, he also said the "Diesel is almost yellow in colour and hardly smells of diesel" now this worries me....though he did say that the engine started and was running fine on the flush muffs!

 

[DAKA]

Hi Rob,

I dont really know the FL sprint 21 and I wouldnt normally stick my oar in but seeing as you asked me specifically on another thread this is what I would do but 'qualified', in that if Volvopaul/latestarter advise then best take a lot more notice of their posts


2 years lack of use wouldnt really bother me too much( you have probably not got any vegetable oil like the rest of us to worry about).
I have seen red/orange jelly taken out of a tank with a sauce pan but that hadnt been used for 20 years !

I would expect to find a fuel sender at the back of the tank which makes reasonable access to the top back via a 2 inch hole, I would use a garden hose on a drill pump to take out 20L from the bottom back into a clear/opaque drum , allow it to settle over night before tipping 3/4 back into the filler or taking more out.

If you have a problem then build a polisher like trundlebugs and take it from the fuel sender hole and send it back to the deck filler.

My fairline corniche was 15 years old, hadnt been used much prior to me buying it and didnt give me any problems.
I was seriously low on fuel when I sucked up the muck and a pre filter change at sea sorted it (you should carry spares along with a litre of diesel ).

 

[tico]

Rob
If the tanks in the same place as a sunfury, (probably is) its a case of taking out ~12 screws in the cockpit and lifting the panel. The gauge sensor is there as well as a bung that can be removed for access by a 1/2" hose.
So dead easy access. I'd get yr guy to extract a jam jar full and take a piccy and send to you.
Wouldnt be concerned about 2 yr old diesel.

 

[enterprise]

As already suggested, take a sample from the very bottom of the tank using a pump of some kind, let it settle and go from there, 2yr old diesel shouldn't be a problem but any water will be, it's the water you need to remove so as not to bugger the injection pump.

I have a fuel pump ready to make a polishing system, after suffering from diesel bug a couple of seasons ago I dont want to have it polished again (cost £600 last time).

Take a couple of spare filters and keep an eye on the sediment/water trap on the filter, refuel with fresh before use and add a diesel treatment, should't take long to pull the fresh mixture through.