Simple DIY diesel scrubbing?
- Thread starter chuzzlewit
- Start date
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Personally ?
If you have good access to drains ... periodic drain of a touch to be sure water is out.
If you are regularly using up / topping up fuel - then use of additive such as Fuelset or 16 IMHO should be good enough.
Its actually good to use up as much of the tanks 'existing' fuel if possible before adding more ... so you do not carry over any risk .... use of Fuelset / 16 again helps to mitigate this.
I am not against filtering fuel .... or 'polishing' as its got termed - but I don't do it and my fuel actually sits for long periods ... I just give it a dose of Startron now and again (reminds me - must get some more). Why don't I use company product ? That's owned by clients and under customs seal - so its easier for me to buy a retail bottle - even though that's about 10x the price !!
John100156
Well-Known Member
Great that's all very useful thanks to FF for pump spec and RF for fuel info, helps us all make an informed choice.
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Update.
Polisher built.
Sample 1. No precipitated water but cloudy
Same sample heated in an open pan till finger warm.
Went clear as water flashed off.
Conclusion, water emulsified in diesel.
Added this stuff. Write up indicated it is a de-emulsifier. Note dose was for “normal” use and not for initial or for contaminated fuel.
Took boat out and bounced it around in a F6 over the weekend (this tank is separate from main tanks)
4 days later.......
Sample 2. Initial pump run looked like soup
Sample 3. After 5 mins was just as cloudy as before treatment.
Sediment is from centrifuge bowl. Total water removed about a cupful.
Sample 3 heated in open. Went clear, tilted to show slight sediment present
Conclusion:
Dosing obviously works as now getting water separated
Polishing works as centrifuge is removing water (and a few particles)
Still cloudy? Should have put in a higher dose as the dosage used is probably spent
Am running for an hour or so now, will re- dose
Watch this space
Polisher built.
Sample 1. No precipitated water but cloudy
Same sample heated in an open pan till finger warm.
Went clear as water flashed off.
Conclusion, water emulsified in diesel.
Added this stuff. Write up indicated it is a de-emulsifier. Note dose was for “normal” use and not for initial or for contaminated fuel.
Took boat out and bounced it around in a F6 over the weekend (this tank is separate from main tanks)
4 days later.......
Sample 2. Initial pump run looked like soup
Sample 3. After 5 mins was just as cloudy as before treatment.
Sediment is from centrifuge bowl. Total water removed about a cupful.
Sample 3 heated in open. Went clear, tilted to show slight sediment present
Conclusion:
Dosing obviously works as now getting water separated
Polishing works as centrifuge is removing water (and a few particles)
Still cloudy? Should have put in a higher dose as the dosage used is probably spent
Am running for an hour or so now, will re- dose
Watch this space
Zing
Well-Known Member
A cupful of water in such a small amount of fuel is very abmormal. I'd be worried about a major leak of water into the tank. Have you tried putting a dip tube in to measure how much water settles out, or by draining from the bottom?
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
This is from a long range tank that I gather from 2 previous owners has sat for at least 2 years and has been carried around in the lazerete holding the back of the boat down, as a rough guess about 10 jerrycans.
the outfeed is at the lowest point of the tank as there is no dip tube. It is from here it is pumped into the main tanks.
First polish revealed no sedimented water, just emulsified. Then dosed with de-emulsifier to give a cupful on first pump run a few days later.
Zing
Well-Known Member
So that's a cup out of a 200lt tank. Not so bad. I misunderstood.
John100156
Well-Known Member
The following is an interesting video from Separ, its the model of the primary fuel filter I have fitted on my boat, the cartridges go down to 10mic which I may use for polishing with 30mic in use:
Useful video from Separ
Useful video from Separ
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Yep same as mine as well - as you would expect.
And going back to our case of the diesel bug, none of the bug passed the Separ filters.
It was the Separ Filters that blocked.
My system has a pressure switch that detects low pressure fuel and it was this that alarmed us to the problem.
As you say, the 30 micron filters are the ones that we normally use in the system.
They are expensive but they do seem to do the job.
I have bought some MUCH cheaper filter cartridges to see if they work as well.
Separ original 30 micron filter cartridges (01030) are about £27 each - Inline Filters do a compatible for £8.01 +VAT
Our generator uses a smaller one (00530) and are about £21 each - Inline price is £5.13 + VAT
The Inline ones look similar so should be OK
Just thought these prices might be interesting.
John100156
Well-Known Member
Interesting, whilst I do like to buy OEM filters they are often re-badged and same filters sold for a fraction of the cost.
I will be building a polishing kit to take out (not this visit tomorrow, but later in July ), I will fit two suction pressure gauges, we can then compare the pressure drop with each clean filter. Can you find out the differential pressure that your switch operates, to tell when the filter is challenged?
I will be building a polishing kit to take out (not this visit tomorrow, but later in July ), I will fit two suction pressure gauges, we can then compare the pressure drop with each clean filter. Can you find out the differential pressure that your switch operates, to tell when the filter is challenged?
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Doubt it.
It is all part of the MTU engine management system.
John100156
Well-Known Member
You mean to tell me you haven’t cracked the MTU code yet and downloaded their software, after all I recall you spent days at the factory many years ago?
No problem, I will measure dP clean and challenged - it will depend on system configuration and flow rate likely specific to an engine but Separ may be able to give me an approximate drop when challenged.
No problem, I will measure dP clean and challenged - it will depend on system configuration and flow rate likely specific to an engine but Separ may be able to give me an approximate drop when challenged.
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Update.
Double dose of de-emulsifier, after 4 days fuel did not clear and no more water in the separator.
It was suggested that it may be petrol as this was sometimes added to stop fuel waxing if very cold, though modern additives have negated the need for this.
4 different people have sniffed and said without any prompting that it does have a faint smell of petrol.
So have now got 8 containers of cloudy diesel kicking around.
I am also told that I can feed this into main tanks at 10% rate.
However I am also also told that the petrol in the fuel will remove the wax coating on the 1st stage filters which is there to collect water and drain to the bottom of separator bowl.
Not so worried about the cost, it is just a pain to dispose of so much fuel
Double dose of de-emulsifier, after 4 days fuel did not clear and no more water in the separator.
It was suggested that it may be petrol as this was sometimes added to stop fuel waxing if very cold, though modern additives have negated the need for this.
4 different people have sniffed and said without any prompting that it does have a faint smell of petrol.
So have now got 8 containers of cloudy diesel kicking around.
I am also told that I can feed this into main tanks at 10% rate.
However I am also also told that the petrol in the fuel will remove the wax coating on the 1st stage filters which is there to collect water and drain to the bottom of separator bowl.
Not so worried about the cost, it is just a pain to dispose of so much fuel
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Leave it to stand for a few weeks and see if it clears naturally. If it does pass it on to you nearest Corvette owner - he will get rid of it for you !
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
It has already stood for 3 years