Fuel Polishing

Trundlebug

Trundlebug

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Following my recent thread on my fuel filter changeover system, a reply from Forumite Firefly625 got me thinking.

A homemade fuel polishing system would improve the condition of the fuel in my tanks, which has been on my mind for a while, and my confidence in the boat's reliability as a result.

So with full credit to Firefly for inspiration and ideas on pump and basic set-up, last weekend it finally came together and I rigged it up for the first attempt.

I've changed a few details from Firefly's design, but the principle is the same.
It worked a treat! Well after some initial problems with priming and blockages - it picked up some solid bits which stopped things for a while and had me baffled, but they were soon sorted and it's cleaned things up a treat.

Here's the rig:
View attachment 18025

It worked too, look at the black bits in the clear hose:
View attachment 18026

Feed from the tank was via a 10mm hole I drilled in the centre of the forward section of the port tank. I poked a length of 8mm copper pipe to the bottom and moved it all around to pick up as much muck as I could.
View attachment 18027

Filtered return was fed back via a rubber fuel hose with a short 8mm pipe in the end fed into the tank breather hole.
View attachment 18028

I still have to do the rear section of this tank, (access will be via the filler hole shown in the last pic where the blue hose goes in) and the starboard tank, but at least the system works.

This system cost less than £100, it's already paid for itself as getting the professionals in to it would cost at least that per visit.
No doubt the resident forum filtration expert will disapprove, I wouldn't expect any better, but I'm happy with it.

Looking forward to doing the rest of it now! Thanks Firefly!:cool:
 
I did a similar thing to mine, when the boat arrived the Ali tanks were not cleaned out and swarf was being picked up as well as shti.

I used an inline pump and a swimming pool filter that is about 2 ft high with a filter in. I removed the sender unit placed the inlet in there and it went through the filter and back in the filler. I left it running for about 3 hrs and it did the job.

I still have the filter if anyone wants to borrow it.

What I didn't do and had I thought about it I should have had something to agitate the fuel, air line or something

SP
 
Fair play to you trundlebug. What you have created is a basic version of a commercially available fuel polishing system for a fraction of the cost so well done
 
Trundlebug said:
Following my recent thread on my fuel filter changeover system, a reply from Forumite Firefly625 got me thinking.

A homemade fuel polishing system would improve the condition of the fuel in my tanks, which has been on my mind for a while, and my confidence in the boat's reliability as a result.

So with full credit to Firefly for inspiration and ideas on pump and basic set-up, last weekend it finally came together and I rigged it up for the first attempt.

I've changed a few details from Firefly's design, but the principle is the same.
It worked a treat! Well after some initial problems with priming and blockages - it picked up some solid bits which stopped things for a while and had me baffled, but they were soon sorted and it's cleaned things up a treat.

Here's the rig:
View attachment 18025

It worked too, look at the black bits in the clear hose:
View attachment 18026

Feed from the tank was via a 10mm hole I drilled in the centre of the forward section of the port tank. I poked a length of 8mm copper pipe to the bottom and moved it all around to pick up as much muck as I could.
View attachment 18027

Filtered return was fed back via a rubber fuel hose with a short 8mm pipe in the end fed into the tank breather hole.
View attachment 18028

I still have to do the rear section of this tank, (access will be via the filler hole shown in the last pic where the blue hose goes in) and the starboard tank, but at least the system works.

This system cost less than £100, it's already paid for itself as getting the professionals in to it would cost at least that per visit.
No doubt the resident forum filtration expert will disapprove, I wouldn't expect any better, but I'm happy with it.

Looking forward to doing the rest of it now! Thanks Firefly!:cool:
Click to expand...

I was also recently trying to plan a similar project but not managed to get it working yet so well done Trundlebug.
With an older boat with accumulated crud in the bottom you have to ensure you dont get anywhere near empty, if you can truly polish your fuel you either increase your range by 20% or have to carry 20% less fuel so you save weight and fuel.
You could easily recover your £100 outlay in fuel saving in one season.
:)
 
If you have room consider mounting the polishing system permantly. It's not practical to move the pick up around with a perminant system, but rough seas do a good job of agitating the tank.
I have such a system and it's made a difference to the fuel cleanliness.It uses a smaller pump, but I usually run it for a few hours every day.
 
noelex said:
If you have room consider mounting the polishing system permantly. It's not practical to move the pick up around with a perminant system, but rough seas do a good job of agitating the tank.
I have such a system and it's made a difference to the fuel cleanliness.It uses a smaller pump, but I usually run it for a few hours every day.
Click to expand...

I agree......... I have posted this a few times in the past, it "wont" clean a really bad bug problem quickly, but it will remove the small amounts that build to a big problem. Mine runs all the time the engine is running and sometimes when I'm at the dock.

100_0812.jpg


Tom

Paul (Latestarter)

Seems to be a CAV head same as mine with the same filter..........5-7 micron filter.
 
ANDY59 said:
Looks like its working and thats the main thing , how did you seal the hole that you drilled ?
Click to expand...

Er, with gaffer tape for now.. :o (runs for cover).
That was a question I was going to ask, what's the best way to seal the hole again, such that I can reuse it probably on an annual basis?

I have some s/s sheet, and had considered making a small cover plate, poss held on with self tapping screws and silastik? Or just silastik? Gaffer tape seemed OK for a short term solution whilst I came to a firm conclusion...

The filter head, and filter (FS1221) are both Fleetguard items bought from a local Fleetguard outlet, following advice from Fleetguard's Tech dept in Rugby. Speaking to them direct was the only way really as their website is hopeless for speccing parts for a system like this. By "hopeless" I mean cumbersome, complicated and incomplete. Overall though I found the Fleetguard parts were considerably cheaper than going down the Racor route.

There were a number of options available but this seemed the best value overall and matched the pump flow rate well. Filter head was only around £20, filters about £14 each.
 
Last edited:
DIY Fuel Polishing system

Hi Trundlebug

excellent work, very pleased you have set up your own system and glade that my ramblings helped someone else! I do honesty think the more folk who implement a simple on board fuel polishing system using a good quality filter the less chance of breakdowns due to poor fuel / line blockages and such like will occur. It is a genuine safety feature and £100 very well spent!

I was inspired by Blue Thunder, a pretty special Lochin with single Dutz 600hp engine with a fuel polishing system installed, when I first read about it I assumed the complexity of such a system was beyond me, but actually it is really simple. ASAP supplies have a PDF on a basic system and can supply most of the equipment (although I sort a fair few bits cheaper off fleebay). I tend to switch my unit on most weekends we are down on the boat but will / can also run when the engine is running.
 
Last edited:
noelex said:
If you have room consider mounting the polishing system permantly. It's not practical to move the pick up around with a perminant system, but rough seas do a good job of agitating the tank.
I have such a system and it's made a difference to the fuel cleanliness.It uses a smaller pump, but I usually run it for a few hours every day.
Click to expand...

I have considered mounting the system permanently, and may do so in the future (I have identified a suitable location for the rig) but permanent installation would be quite difficult I think because of the feed and return connections to the tank. It's a little project for the future.

I have found the method of moving the inlet pipe around the bottom of the tank amazingly effective so far, so am keen to retain that flexibility for now.

An inlet with fixed location wouldn't be anywhere near as effective from what I've seen so far, particularly at the fairly low flow rates involved (around 110 litres / hour) it's just not enough to wash everything round and stir things up to push them towards the inlet.

The sludge is so thick it just doesn't flow easily, so moving the pipe along the bottom to the sludge is much more effective.

As I'm river based the boat only really gets to rock on the sea and stir things up when I'm on a long holiday trip, and polishing fuel, lifting hatches to change filters and messing with all that is the LAST thing I want when I'm on holiday!
 
LittleShip said:
You were robbed...... I think mine are about £6.00 :)

Tom
Click to expand...

Where from, where from? I've searched all over but can't seem to improve on that price. PM me if you don't want to go public on it!

Feeling ripped off now.. although they are still cheaper than equivalent Racors, even from ASAP
 
burgundyben said:
This pump will do it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELECTRIC-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cc5aadfbc
Click to expand...

Ben, that pump looks fine. This is the guide I posted on trundlebugs last post a few weeks ago...

Well here are the parts used. As you say, various folk offer the service, but I have heard time and time again how people have spent the money getting their tanks clean and 6 months later diesel bug returns.. I don't have the spare cash to the moment to throw money at people so much prefer to do the job myself. Fortunately the most difficult part of the job for most, which would be sorting out the issue of getting a fuel line out the tank and back in was the easy part from me. My stainless steel tank had 2 x redundant threaded plugs in the top of the tank, plugs removed & one now has a fuel connector screwed in for the return, the other has a elbow joint and pipe which reaches down to the bottom of the tank as the pickup, both pipes have inline fuel cut of switches in case of any leaks. Anyway, these are the parts I used and where I got them from..

Fuel pump;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FACET-REPL...item3369109cab

8mm fuel line;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marine-Fue...item4163edd1e5

2 x fuel cut of valves;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1208656186...84.m1439.l2649

bracket used (to mount filter & pump, although requires quite a bit of modifications to fit height of filter, at the end of the day a home made wooden bracket would probably have been easier!);

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3704351464...84.m1439.l2649

Racor fuel filter;

http://www.asap-supplies.com/marine/...on-fuel-filter

Quite a few fuel fittings from asap;

http://www.asap-supplies.com/marine/...ilter-fittings

and the all important thread sealer;

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Adhe.../sd2340/p21229

days work and job done.


Also I found this is a useful starting point...

http://www.asap-supplies.com/file_up...ing_system.pdf


-
Click to expand...
 
Trundlebug said:
Where from, where from? I've searched all over but can't seem to improve on that price. PM me if you don't want to go public on it!

Feeling ripped off now.. although they are still cheaper than equivalent Racors, even from ASAP
Click to expand...

You were not ripped off, you have Fleetguard FS 1221. This is a premium filter desinged for large construction equipment and was standard pre-filter on 12 liter engines in adverse operating conditions, mainly Volvo TD122. Has double pass coalescing element. Therefore you have large capacity filter capable of holding at least twice its own weight in crud before suffering excessive restriction. Fleetguard technical advice was spot on.

Properly engineered premium spin on filter which does the job £14.

Vs some pleated paper in a tin can, 1950's technology with bolts and rubber o ring seals, as much use as tow bar on a Reliant Robin. 1/10th as effective for £6.

Once you have cleaned up your crud with 'stirring stick' I would consider making system permanent with fixed pick up pipe. Lots of options, for example incorporating a timer or powering the pump with a solar panel, system becomes fit and forget if you fit a restriction gauge.

Good luck.
 
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