fouled up diesel tank

[catmandoo]

Unfortunately a problem which I did not face earlier has become a reality when my engine indicated displeasure by faltering during a long trip after a primary filter change and making my heart flutter . I almost swallowed the lemon in my G and T.
I now find I have a 140 litre diesel tank with 80 litres of dirty diesel in it . What should I now do to both tank and diesel. Local engineer in Sardinia says chuck out diesel , take out tank steam clean and reinstall --a weeks work . Being a miser and also Scottish I am horrified about chucking out all that fuel . Stuff from bottom of steel tank is reddish looks like blood and blood corpuscles . Presumably this is water and protein coloured by rust from top of tank exposed to air when partially full etc There is also a protein hazein the rest of the diesel . Tried decanting some from a bottle but the little buggers are still in suspension . Also aint got enough containers and a side stream filter seems impractical

Once tank cleaned out I will be extra vigilant with biocide(not readily available in small ports) and keep tank full over winter but to filter every time I fill up seems excessive and to top up tank every time I leave the boat for a couple of summer months may be impractical in the locations I might be in eg no local diesel available apart from a trip to a road petrol station with a few jerry cans - not practical on a bicycle.

Some people might prefer stainless tanks to avoid internal top rusting but Nigel Calder in his book reckons that an epoxied mild steel tank is better in that no welding problems or pinholing etc ..

Any one got experience or advice to offer . My steel tank seeems in good condition

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[kindredspirit]

If it's that bad, bite the bullet and go with the engineer.

Then use an additive like FuelSet or Soltron or similar in future.




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[Chris_Robb]

If you cannot get inside through an inspection hatch, then I am afraid you must follow the engineers advice.

If you do however have a hatch, then you can pump out the contents and clean in situ. However most boat manufacturers don't bother with providing this ammenity, which is nothing short of criminal.

Once you have solved the problem, use an enzyme like Soltron, but do not use a water dispersent at any price as all this will do is to disperse the water into a fine haze, increasing the surface area hugley, giving the most wonderful breeding ground to the diesel bug.

Good luck

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[silverseal]

I cleaned out a diesel tank using a Pela oil extractor, at 5 litres per time, storing the dirty diesel in 25 litre drums. I let the diesel settle and was able to get about 10 litres of clear diesel from each drum, which was reused. The rest of the residue was passed through a crude filter of Kiesleguhr, which took the rest of the suspended matter and some water out. I probably got 80% back. In Sardinia, I suspect that you may have to use cat litter, as this is fullers earth, and will have the same filtering effect. Chucking out diesel at any cost is against my better instingts - we scots have a reputation to maintain.

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[BlueChip]

I wonder if you could rig up a pump and an external fuel filter/seperator and pump the diesel through this and then back into the tank, you could leave it running for some days
If you got some way of mixing the fuel in the tank - maybe an aerator or some sort of rotating paddle, eventually you would filter out all the grot and catch all the water in the seperator

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[Marsupial]

Fuel Set will cure the problem, I have used it in tanks contaminated with the diesel bug and it works. It also "removes" water from the fuel. It has worked even in a case where the bug returned days after the owner had drained, removed, steam cleaned and refilled the tanks with clean biocide treated diesel.

The only thing you have be aware of is that the dead bugs will collect in the primary filter so you will need to keep a close watch on it, and have a few spares to hand.

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[pvb]

Dead bugs...

It's the debris from dead bugs which blocks the filter and leads to the engine faltering and stopping. I've experienced it, and it's not a happy moment. In my case, I used Soltron which - unlike Fuel Set - contains enzymes which eat up the slimy remains of the dead bugs. The result is that the primary filter is much less likely to get blocked up. As far as I know, Soltron is unique in this regard and so is probably the product of choice for this problem..

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[DepSol]

If you use a product that removes water from the system then the water is passed through your filter. Some water removers break the special coating on filters (RACOR for example) that are there to repell water so it goes to the trap. Once this coating is broken down then the filter elements are able to absorb water thus making them soggy and liable to collapse.

Also water is allowed to get through the system so therefore, why have a water trap if you are allowing something to pass by, that it is there to stop?

Removing the water doesnt always remove the problem but may cause more problems in the future. Also why start using a product that is going to cost you lots of money in filters? Seems a bit daft doesnt it?

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>
MMS Making boating more affordable

 

[catmandoo]

I think that after looking at all the comments on this post and others I really want to clean out the tank . There is a 6 inch inspection hatch and all parts inside can be reached by hand . My reason is that there may also be flakes of rust inside and I won't be happy with less. I also want to give the top of the long flat tank a good wire brushing on the inside because this is the part that gets exposed to air . I plan to pump out fuel to 4 / 5 plastic 20 litre jerry cans and this leaves me with three options .

1 dose each can with Soltron and leave for a couple of months and then decant into dry tank and biocide
2 Decant each can back into tank and dose with soltron and biocide leaving tank about 75 % full over winter months depending on how much decanted . Then use ? I assume that Soltron then does its job and reduces all mats to soluble hydrocarbons etc
3 Either of above but also filter through Portable CAV filter with spin on replaceable oil cartridge/s as I fill the tank.

Any comments ?

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[DepSol]

1...2...&3 dot bother with the biocide. If the contamination is still alive it will still breed in your jerry cans if it is dead adding biocide will have no effect.

Just double dose the lot with Soltron and either leave it or throw it back in.

Only empty the ank if you want to get rid of other particulates which arent organic.

Hope this helps.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>
MMS - Discount Chandlery

 

[boatmike]

Yes. It's definitely a wise decision. It's OK to dose a tank of diesel to keep it sweet but if its this bad dump it. What would you rather have? Peace of mind and a bill for a tankful or save money and worry? So far it has only got to the filter which is there to stop it. Overdose with bug killer and the slime goes through the filter and bungs up fuel pump, injectors, fuel pipes and everything. The rust is a different problem. Obviously not a stainless tank so it needs thorough cleaning somehow. Dont have it shotblasted though. You will never get rid of the residue. Hope for your sake you have a big hatch in the top for cleaning. If not could you have the tank top modified to include one while its off?

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[DepSol]

Once the bug reaches the filter it will disintergrate and not clog any thing else.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>
MMS - Discount Chandlery

 

[andy_wilson]

Before you do anything or add anything, can you separate the worst by phyical means, that is decant, syphon or draw off the worst rusty watery gunk leaving dirty diesel.

Then rig a small in line pump after your filter/separator leading to your jerry cans.

For an hours rigging up time you should be able to rescue plenty of it for the price of a few filters.

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[boatmike]

Judging by your post you are a chandler and sell the stuff. Will you therefore guarantee to catmandoo that however heavily contaminated his fuel, if he dumps this in his tank it will solve all his problems? His filters won't clog and his engine will remain clean as a whistle? Will you go and clean it all out if it does? I think not.

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[DepSol]

As I said before if he thinks there are other items in there other than live or dead organic matter and he wants those clear then yes he should empty and clean out the tank.

If he empties the tank into Jerry Cans then he should syphon the good diesel from the top when returning it after it has settled (about a week) through a clear tube as then he can see when suddenly the dirty stuff starts to pul through and stop the syphon. This then leaves the cleanest diesel in the tanks.

Yes I do run a Chandlery in Guernsey which I do mail order and other services from however, my main business is that of Distributor for Soltron in UK and Europe to the marine trade.

Therefore I am guaranteeing that after cleaning out the crap diesel and getting rid of the leftover crap in his tanks and then double dosing with Soltron and then using Soltron every time he fills up he will have no problems.

IF the contamination level in his tank is below 30% and he feels no need to drain it all off for other purposes then double dosing with Soltron will aslo clear the tank turning the dead contamination into usable fuel.

AND HERE IS THE BIT YOU WANT TO HEAR. IF he follows the guidelines above and it doesnt solve his problem I will get my new fuel cleaning machine when it has been built and go and clean the tanks for him myself. Happy now?

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>
MMS - Discount Chandlery

 

[boatmike]

Actually yes! Much happier anyway. Thats an encouraging reply. I would like to know more and will send you a PM. For general consumption however I would say this:
I think there have been many biocides on the market that can do a good job but have seen none of them remove heavy contamination from fuel. I also am suspicious of better mousetraps..... However I am impressed that you are standing behind the product with such a guarantee and must admit that I have no personal experience of Soltron. I therefore remain mildly cynical but am willing to be convinced. Fuel manufacturers do in fact as you are no doubt aware include biocides in their fuel which is sufficient for most usage. In fact the increasing popularity of diesel engines in cars and the volume of fuel turned over in the commercial market means that most car users have no problem with biological contamination and seldom if ever use any additives other than those put in by the fuel companies. In the marine sector however we suffer from contamination due to the decanting of already contaminated fuel from dirty shoreside tanks and often layup our boats with stagnant fuel in the tanks which is an ideal breeding ground for the bugs. Fuel should always be filtered on delivery through at least a course wire mesh bucket filter before putting it in and an efficient filter should be employed on the way to the engine that should be examined and cleaned regularly. If this is done most people have no problems. Personally I have always advised that at the end of the season tanks should be filled with clean fuel and a heavy dose of biocide added. At the beginning of each season the filter should be examined carefully and cleaned after a few hours running to clear and sludge in the primary system. This regime has always worked for me and I have never suffered from the dreaded bug during the "working" season provided the boat is in regular use. The problem does remain however and if Soltron can help I would be the first to applaud it. I still think that decanting the fuel into some other container and filtering or settling out the worst before doing anything else is the way to go for this guy though and see that you agree at least in part with this philosophy so remain willing to be convinced!

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[catmandoo]

As I said in an earlier theme " cast a stone into a pool and watch the ripples grow "

Little did I know that such innocent queries for advice on diesel storage and treatment would generate so much interest . Unfortunately the one with over 67 posts has been inadvertently removed from the forum for some unknown reason.

Perhaps PBO will provide an article on this emotive subject in some future issue ??????

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[boatmike]

Interesting though.
If there is anything in this relatively new treatment system I will certainly find out and report back. I would like to think there is. We could do with something!

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[catmandoo]

New fuel cleaning machine ???

I assume it does not incorporate a magnetic device??? Or does it ?

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[pvb]

DepSol is on a safe bet....

As one of the few people on this forum who has actually used Soltron to overcome problems caused by heavy contamination in the fuel tank, I can tell you that DepSol is on a safe bet here! Like I said in my other post on this thread, Soltron is the product of choice.

(Usual disclaimers - no connection, just a happy customer, no criminal record, never posted on the BoatsYachtsMarians site, etc).

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