The lurgy

[Jamie Dundee]

Bought my Antares back end of last year and finally launched in May this year. Previous owner used Marine 16 and I’ve continued to do the same. The fuel tank was kept full and dosed with a maintanance dose of M16 during the winter. I’ve run around 35 hours so far this year with no problems- until today. Revs suddenly died and I jogged back to harbour at 7kns. Changed the Racor pre-filter and drained the bowl which produced the gunk pictured. I had a longish and bumpy trip earlier this week which dropped the fuel level to around 1/4 of a tank which I think has brought this issue to the surface. I intend to remove the tank this winter and steam clean but the question is how to finish this season. Will a 500ml dose of M16 and a fuel polish (if I can find someone to do one) suffice for the next couple of months? Fuel seems to be running clean from the Racor although obviously this crap is still in the tank. Photo insists on lying down ?

 

[gordmac]

Shock dose with M16 as per instructions. If you can get access to the tank get a cheap pump and pump fuel out of the tank through a filter and then put it back in. Use a hose you can get to the bottom of the tank with. Or just run it after dosing and change the filter regularly until it is clean, a lot of the fuel is returned to the tank after filtering in normal use.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Shock dose with M16 as per instructions. If you can get access to the tank get a cheap pump and pump fuel out of the tank through a filter and then put it back in. Use a hose you can get to the bottom of the tank with. Or just run it after dosing and change the filter regularly until it is clean, a lot of the fuel is returned to the tank after filtering in normal use.

Just given it a double shock dose, fully drained, cleaned and primed the filter/separator so fingers crossed. I’ll empty the tank and get it steam cleaned during the winter.

 

[Powersalt]

I had the same problem and the engineers replaced filters and just put. A whole bottle of marine 16 in each tank, well over normal dose. Run engines and the bug turned to like little bits of grit which the filter bowl collected. Over one season the problem was gone

 

[Frederick911]

Hi, not sure where your based, but can fully recommend The Clean Diesel Company who storted out my diesel bug, polished the fuel, cut an inspection hole in the tank and cleaned tanked. They are based port Solent Hampshire

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Hi, not sure where your based, but can fully recommend The Clean Diesel Company who storted out my diesel bug, polished the fuel, cut an inspection hole in the tank and cleaned tanked. They are based port Solent Hampshire

Thanks for the recommendation but a few hundred miles from me.

 

[Frederick911]

Hi, Bit to far then! I had a bad case of bug when first got my boat, since the tank clean out and 4 years later using fuelset treatment each top up its been all good. Key is to use the boat and burn fuel !

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Key is to use the boat and burn fuel !

Doing that - Covid allowing.... Historically though a 19 year old boat with ~600 hours hasn’t done much. I’d have been surprised if there hadn’t been evidence of bug, just pleased it became apparent in benign conditions.

 

[Bandit]

Jamie, if you have fuel bug you have water in your tank, it needs to be removed and treat the fuel with a proprietary fuel treatment.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Jamie, if you have fuel bug you have water in your tank, it needs to be removed and treat the fuel with a proprietary fuel treatment.

Agreed, I’ll hopefully get the tank out for a steam clean in the winter, would also be an opportunity to add a drain to the bottom of the tank. Currently the fuel has been double shock dosed with Marine 16, which I use in maintenance doses as a matter of course.

 

[Easticks28]

Agreed, I’ll hopefully get the tank out for a steam clean in the winter, would also be an opportunity to add a drain to the bottom of the tank. Currently the fuel has been double shock dosed with Marine 16, which I use in maintenance doses as a matter of course.

I was advised after contracting 'a dose' to use a 'Pela' type of extractor to remove some of the fuel and whatever else from the very bottom of the tank at the finish of the season, as well as regular use of M16. It's worked for me, with no need for tank removal etc.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

I was advised after contracting 'a dose' to use a 'Pela' type of extractor to remove some of the fuel and whatever else from the very bottom of the tank at the finish of the season, as well as regular use of M16. It's worked for me, with no need for tank removal etc.

Good point, I need to buy an extractor to change engine oil so I could give it a go on the tank. I need to have a look at the fuel gauge sender anyway as the top plate seems to be suffering from a bit of rust.