Old Diesel in tank.

[jimbouy]

Here's the background.

my "New" Centaur will hopefully be fit to go into the watersoon, then i can move her from her expensive Port Solent hardstanding to my berth in Ryde. And spend the winter and spring trying to finish the to do list

she's been layed up for 4 years and has some diesel in the tank.

I've started the engine a couple of times "with a bucket of water into the cooling" and she's started no prob. But I've only run her for a few minutes.

So i'm wondering now whether I should drain off whats in there and fill with fresh? Or shall i just top it up, may be chuck some addative in, and once she's a float give the engine an extended run, to see what happens.

It strikes me that either way is likely to stir up any crud at the bottom.

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[gjeffery]

Tank cant be that big. Probably worth emptying it. Possibly, a Pela oil extractor would be a convenient way of clearing the dregs from a tank without access ports?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Evadne]

Definitely worth emptying, after my experiences I'd assume that there are diesel bugs in there and clean everything out and disinfect. If you're clean, no harm done. If not, and you've run the engine however briefly, it will have made its way down to the main filter.

When I had a new tank made, the same size and shape as the old one, the welder said it was exactly the same as his old Centaur tank, oval cross section and about 2.5 gallons, although I'm not sure that they had a drain and crud trap on the underside. If it does, then emptying the bad bits out is easy, probably no need to empty the lot out just fill up to the brim with diesel treated with biocide then clean out the filters etc.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[roger]

If you dont do anything else - at least use a hand pump to suck a sample out of the bottom of the tank. If the sample is dirty or has water you have certainly got a problem.

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[IanPoole2]

Empty it anyway. The Pre-filter may give you a clue but if you empty it with a Pela extractor and then put in some "clean" fuel, leave it to settle if your worried and then run the engine when the boats in the water but moored before risking a passage.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimbouy]

Is it worth emptying it, adding a gallon and then sucking that out as well. To give it a bit of a rinse as it were?




<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[silverseal]

Diesel tanks tend to get a certain amount of condensation in them resulting in the diesel floating above the water which has condensed. I would strongly recommend use of the Pela oil extractor, to suck out as much as possible, before refilling. You can quite easily separate the diesel from the water once it is allowed to stand. If infected with any sort of bug, then you may have a source of accelerant for a NOV 5th bonfire

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Chris_Robb]

Read this

This post has been running for a few weeks now - it will cover a lot of what you ared with some very helpful answers - (and some unhelpful!)

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=pbo&Number=587235&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&part=2#Post593466>http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=pbo&Number=587235&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&part=2#Post593466</A>


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

Empty the remains into containers .... if you have clear plastics all the better.
Once empty ..... if you have a decent top access that you can reach inside the tank with sponge on end of stick ? then have a swab round to see what comes out.
If you have a garden spray with lance ? then a gallon of settled diesel of the top of your remains sprayed around will take a fair aamount of shite of and mix. Pump that out and repeat a few times.
Leave old diesel to settle and filter it into another container .....

Now here is the bit that others will argue with !! But as you know Jim - my boats sits year after year without my loving care - except top up tank when I use boat .... now I do not advise everyone to be slack as me .... but a lot of crap is given about Biocides and what should be done.
So ...... best route of all : (If you have time, patience and facility's to do it ) Drain tank, steam it out as this sterilises the tank. Dry by venting. All old diesel left to settle and siphon off clean clear to separate conatiner. Filter remains as well.
Fill tank with fresh diesel adding a good dose of Soltron or similar. The old diesel you have can be dosed as well and added so that it dilutes in the fresh.

OK now onto the quick method .... drain off .... look at it. Filter the old and add a good slug of Soltron or similar. Mop out tank - if you can flush out - even better !! Using clean old diesel as above.
Fill up with fresh and a dose of bio and add old filtered diesel that is also dosed.

Once boat launched ....... give the engine a good run before committing to the run across Solent etc. Check primary filters often to see if any build up of crud. If you get black / brown goo - thats dead bugs and will clog up everythimg ..... stop engine if that happens and clean out again.

Pity you didn't ask me when I was there .... I could have dipped and checked the fuel for you !! Bit late now !! (Quick way to see if any problem ... stir up tank, take a sample into clear jar and look at it ..... hold it up to light, if its clear red and bright .... likely ok ....


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/searider/

 

[Scubafill]

If you are talking about a couple of gallons in a sailing boat why risk a breakdown? Dispose of all the old diesel in the marina oil collection point (or local authority), clean tank and replace with fresh diesel. Red diesel even at marina inflated prices is very cheap in relation to cleaning the engine fuel lines.
Phil

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Gunfleet]

uses for Old Diesel

Instead of chucking it you can keep it and drip it onto rags. Placed near your bins they are an ace way of keeping foxes away from your rubbish.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimbouy]

Didn't get your message in time but i "sucked out" several litres of murkey diesel with the odd red fluffy lump. Eventually after poking the extraction pipe in to various corners the diesel ran clear.

Tomorrow I'll check the filter. Then i reckon top up and give the engine a good run once she's in the water.

What do you think?

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[Stemar]

Assuming you're alongside a solid pontoon, make sure your lines - esp aft line and bow spring are solid and well cleated off, then run the engine in gear at around half throttle for a couple of hours. Vary the revs up or down a bit from time - not sure why, but this is supposed to even up wear - and don't forget the stern gland greaser - everything's working just as hard as if you were at sea. The difference is that if you do get that going, going, gone feeling, you don't need a tow home!

Just a thought - if the engine's been for A few months, check your impellor first. They can perish and they're cheaper to replace than head gaskets...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

Red fluffy lump ------- that could be congealed dye after years of use ....

Murky is not unusual and unless it has 'gunge' in can be just shitty tank ....

Filter and run fingers through the residue ...... if its hard and gritty - its not bugs and only tank crap / grit from not filtering fuel.

You say it ran clear after sucking out .... then I would take the filtered old clean fuel and flush the tank ...... then fill and go !! You can try a bit of Bio or Soltron if your wallet is still full !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/searider/

 

[Guest]

Pity the poor sod in next boat ... with you chugging for a few hours !!!

Impellor ..... if I remember rightly - when you bought - previous owner ran engine and you saw water exit exhaust / overboard ?

I don't say the advise is wrong ..... no far from it, but I also note that many have an excessive vent to over-kill on many aspects. If we did all the bits and bobs that some advise - we would never have time to use the boat and forever be testing / pulling apart and replacing etc.
In respect of the impellor ..... this falls into the leave it alone variety unless necessary - my luck is that I take casing aprt and then forever leaks after I put back !!!

I have a small drip on the water pump of the 4107 I have .... nothing excessive ..... thought about stripping and replacing seal or pump ..... but then scrooge Luther returned to normal and along with engineers comments ..... left it for later consideration ......


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/searider/

 

[Katouf]

Probably of no use to you but my 1973 Centaur has a rectangular tank, top filling through the cockpit floor. Used a dinghy pump to empty the tank of about 20 litres of very old diesel (which I was NOT allowed to empty into the old engine oil containers at the local tip) before removing the tank to find that it had a drain plug at the forward end. If this is a factory fitted tank, yours may be the same.
My tank had to be de-rusted and repainted with Hammerite but removal and refitting was straightforward if a trifle fiddley.
Not recommended if you suffer from dizziness working with your head lower than the rest of your body!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[catmandoo]

Interested about the hammerite . Presume only applied on the outside?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimbouy]

same as mine. It looks easy enough to remove. Which I'll do one day. But just dealing with the impellor and fuel filter gave me a head ache.

Any tips on fitting the rubber o ring that seals the fuel filter. Bit of a bugger to get it in place and I'm not convinced it's sitting correctly even now.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[Katouf]

Yes, you're right. Impossible to paint the inside through a 2" pipe!
Steel was basically sound but after wire-brushing, treated with Kurust (phosphoric acid?), red oxide primer and two coats of green glossy Hammerite. Colour wasn't chosen for looks but the local motor factors shop had a dented can and offered it at £3 off.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Katouf]

Both filters have a groove into which the O ring fits. Have you tried drying everything off with paper kitchen towel, especially the ring and the inside of the groove, and then holding the ring in place with a small dab of grease? Hold the filter body carefully in place and tighten the bolt without spinning the body.
Works every time for me, even on the car oil change.

<hr width=100% size=1>