Fuel Tanks

[LittleSister]

I suggest you put a Henderson hatch in the tank as a method of accessing the tank.

Too difficult. It won't happen.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I see that at least some of the firms offering tank cleaning use steam jets.

The challenge in my case is that the access to the large tank is very limited - just a small plate that holds the fuel outlet, return and breather pipes. One could probably get an arm in, but not reach the whole of the tank nor see what you were doing.

The StarTron cleaner sounds interesting, except I'm doing it trying to avoid clogged filters, not precipitate them! I'd want to choose very carefully when to do it, so that anticipated following trips were least vulnerable to sudden engine expiry.

I can understand that, especially if it is preventative cleaning as opposed to solving a problem, which I was doing. Regarding seeing in tight spaces, I bought a wifi boroscope, low cost on eBay, waterproof, for poking about in spaces I can't see. A good aid on the boat. It links to the phone. Something like this: -

5MP WIFI Waterproof Inspection Camera Boroscope Endoscope For Andorid/IOS Phone | eBay

 

[Cobra]

You need a fuel treatment which not only kills the bug, but also dissolves it so it no longer clogs filters.
When I had the bug, I used Grotamar for this and it was very effective. No need to clean the tank.
I did not even need to polish the fuel or anything complicated.

An Update!

After a lot of thinking and consideration, the decision is that taking the tank out is going to be a bloody nightmare involving cutting part of a bulkhead away and even then not 100% certain if the tank would come out without dismantling a quarter berth completely.

So, the plan is to remove and dispose of all the fuel in the tank at present, then try to remove as much of the gunk in the tank as is possible using a vacuum removal system. Once the worst of it is out and only minor traces are left, then the plan was to treat the tank to a goodly dose of Grotamar as westernman recommended chuck in a litre or two of new fuel from our local forecourt and then run it through the system.

This is where the plan has come unstuck. Grotamar is no longer available for retail sales as it has "potential carcinogenic properties" and as such is considered unsafe. Odd that I always thought that Diesel had "potential carcinogenic properties" as well? So, it seems that whilst I can blithely fill my fuel tank with 50 litres of a potentially carcinogenic liquid, I cannot add 25 millilitres of another potentially carcinogenic substance to it, to allow the engine to run without getting full of crud!

So, have purchased the (hopefully) next best thing Hydra FPB77 which has decent reviews. I will update on how we get on and if the stuff actually works!

 

[Refueler]

If the amount of fuel you are removing is significant - why are you disposing of it ? I can easily afford fuel - but I am a cheapscate and I would just treat and let it settle out - put back the Clear and Bright fuel - dispose of the residue.

Good luck.

 

[superheat6k]

An Update!

After a lot of thinking and consideration, the decision is that taking the tank out is going to be a bloody nightmare involving cutting part of a bulkhead away and even then not 100% certain if the tank would come out without dismantling a quarter berth completely.

So, the plan is to remove and dispose of all the fuel in the tank at present, then try to remove as much of the gunk in the tank as is possible using a vacuum removal system. Once the worst of it is out and only minor traces are left, then the plan was to treat the tank to a goodly dose of Grotamar as westernman recommended chuck in a litre or two of new fuel from our local forecourt and then run it through the system.

This is where the plan has come unstuck. Grotamar is no longer available for retail sales as it has "potential carcinogenic properties" and as such is considered unsafe. Odd that I always thought that Diesel had "potential carcinogenic properties" as well? So, it seems that whilst I can blithely fill my fuel tank with 50 litres of a potentially carcinogenic liquid, I cannot add 25 millilitres of another potentially carcinogenic substance to it, to allow the engine to run without getting full of crud!

So, have purchased the (hopefully) next best thing Hydra FPB77 which has decent reviews. I will update on how we get on and if the stuff actually works!

If you need somewhere to put the fuel you are dumping it can go in my tanks please, via my polishing system of course.

And no I won't put any snake oil in either !

(stands by for incoming)