Refueling After 2 Seasons Of Non-Use

[demonboy]

Aside from turning the engine over every now and then to make sure it still works and that the battery is ok, our engine has not been used for almost two years. The tanks have some fuel left but not a lot (one-fifth). This fuel appears to be ok whenever I run the engine.

I have inspection hatches but if they're supposed to open, they don't. Hard to tell what I'm looking for when I take a look.

Bearing in mind my location I doubt that I am able to buy fuel-additives or bug killer. Although we are in the tropics Esper has aircon so the interior is pretty dry all the time.

What is the general consensus regarding refueling? Should I just fill up and hope for the best, or should I drain all the old fuel from the base of the tank?

 

[William_H]

Fuel

Yes definitely drain the tank and look at the fuel so removed in a clear jar. Any signs of black stuff would indicate a need to clean out the tank to remove all water and sludge.
The fuel so removed can be used again provided you leave it to settle for a day or 2 and don't use the dregs if any at the bottom.
Regarding the fuel additive. If you have an airport nearby the stuff used for jet fuel as anti microbial is good and much the same as marine stuff. An aircraft parts supplier or refuelling agent should be able to help.
You are looking for people who service small biz jets turbo props etc not big airlines. Kerosene (JetA1 ) has the same water and bacteria problems as diesel. olewill

 

[lustyd]

I have inspection hatches but if they're supposed to open, they don't. Hard to tell what I'm looking for when I take a look.

Buy some new diesel in a can then suck out some of the old from the tank. Put some of each in two glasses on a table and compare them. If something is wrong you'll easily spot it. Also, change your filter (these will hopefully be cheap enough over there to waste one). If the old one is clean then your tank is probably OK.
Cheers
Dave

 

[Hamma]

You are looking for people who service small biz jets turbo props etc not big airlines. Kerosene (JetA1 ) has the same water and bacteria problems as diesel. olewill

It's known in the business as Prist (even when it's not actually Prist (like Hoover)) and comes in aerosol or pourable. If you get any, PM me and I'll give you some pointers on using it because it can cause clogging problems of its own. As William_H says - it's Biz jets and turbo-props that use it and there are not many of those to the square mile in India - but you might be lucky in Cochin.

 

[Ric]

Prist would be completely useless to clean boat fuel. It is an anti-ice additive which prevents dissolved water from turning to ice when the fuel temp drops below about -30ºC at very high altitudes. It does not kill bugs, and does not remove water from fuel at boaty temps.

http://www.pristaerospace.com/hi-flash/details/index.html

 

[ribrage]

Aside from turning the engine over every now and then to make sure it still works and that the battery is ok, our engine has not been used for almost two years. The tanks have some fuel left but not a lot (one-fifth). This fuel appears to be ok whenever I run the engine.

I have inspection hatches but if they're supposed to open, they don't. Hard to tell what I'm looking for when I take a look.

Bearing in mind my location I doubt that I am able to buy fuel-additives or bug killer. Although we are in the tropics Esper has aircon so the interior is pretty dry all the time.

What is the general consensus regarding refueling? Should I just fill up and hope for the best, or should I drain all the old fuel from the base of the tank?

You could make your own fuel "polisher" . disconnect the main supply fuel line to the engine
run it to an electric fuel pump (most low pressure automotive stuff will do - available in india i guess ) and back into the top of the tank using a length of fuel line through the breather or filler neck which ever is easier.

Leave it running for a while so that all the fuel has been disturbed and run through the filter(s) , youd be surprised how much muck gets pulled out, I did it on our work boats in Nigeria to keep them running on **** fuel, worked for me.

 

[oldfatgit]

Given that you cannot open the inspection hatches, you may consider using a cheap drill pump to pump your fuel out of your tank and into a suitable receptacle using a couple of lengths of garden hose, one passed down the filler cap and drawing from the bottom of the tank. I passed mine trough a funnel with a filter to remove any the rough stuff. If you draw large amounts of sludge then you know you have a problem; if not then you probably are ok. If ok then refill mixing your old fuel with new filtering both in the funnel. If not OK then you will have to clean the tank, somehow, but at least it will be empty and so easier to work on.

Given the fact that you obviously use very small amounts of fuel, it is probably worth going to the extra effort and expense of getting good fuel from the best source you can find and obtaining some additive if at all possible. Then the normal rules apply, keep your tanks as full as possible.

If you can receive mail order it will be worth getting a good additive. There are plenty of threads on the subject in this forum such as http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276821&highlight=diesel+bug.

 

[Hamma]

Prist would be completely useless to clean boat fuel. It is an anti-ice additive which prevents dissolved water from turning to ice when the fuel temp drops below about -30ºC at very high altitudes. It does not kill bugs, and does not remove water from fuel at boaty temps.

http://www.pristaerospace.com/hi-flash/details/index.html

Actually it is a microbiostat which means it inhibits microbe growth. William_H is correct.

I don't know whether you have any experience of the stuff - but if you read a bit more of the web site you link to - this bit for example you'll see that they admit it even though they make no claim for it.

I use the stuff on a daily basis exclusively for these properties. If you have information to the contrary I would be pleased to see it.

 

[demonboy]

Thanks for your replies. I particularly like the idea of this:

You could make your own fuel "polisher" . disconnect the main supply fuel line to the engine run it to an electric fuel pump (most low pressure automotive stuff will do - available in india i guess ) and back into the top of the tank using a length of fuel line through the breather or filler neck which ever is easier.

I have a Baja filter so this might just work.

 

[ribrage]

Thanks for your replies. I particularly like the idea of this:



I have a Baja filter so this might just work.

Ive used it in africa (mombassa-Tanzania- Nigeria) when the fuel quality is poor,
If you are buying fuel in containers you can use a similar technique to put it into your fuel tank which removes a LOT of the particulates before it goes into the tank its self.

You can buy filter heads with common sandwich type filters used on small commercial diesel engines and electric pumps from most car breakers, i carry them on board for just
that purpose mounted onto a hard wood board for transfering fuel.

good luck

 

[fireball]

Although we are in the tropics Esper has aircon so the interior is pretty dry all the time.

The fuel tank doesn't breath to the inside does it? Therefore your tank is open to a fair bit of moisture - that's not to say the fuel is knackered, but others have suggested the processes to undertake.

In the future if you are going to (to all intents and purposes) layup the engine for a period then it may be worth blocking off the breather - most basic method is just to tape a (plastic!) bag over it.

 

[demonboy]

The fuel tank doesn't breath to the inside does it? Therefore your tank is open to a fair bit of moisture - that's not to say the fuel is knackered, but others have suggested the processes to undertake.

In the future if you are going to (to all intents and purposes) layup the engine for a period then it may be worth blocking off the breather - most basic method is just to tape a (plastic!) bag over it.

Good point, didn't think about that. Thanks for the tip, the simple ones are always the best.

 

[fireball]

Thanks for the tip simple ones are always the best.

NP - they're also tend to be of the "why didn't I think of that" ones ... so I don't claim to making that one up - I've read it somewhere - probably on here.