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21-12-2011, 17:21
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#31
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: gettin naughty on the beach in cornwall
Boat: 63 custom alloy sloop,macwester26,prout snowgoose 37 elite catamaran!
Posts: 10,594
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
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In excellent condition.
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21-12-2011, 17:24
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#32
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 774
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeepFrz
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This has nothing to do with putting water into one's fuel tank. It's about algae bloom in one's fuel; totally unrelated.
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21-12-2011, 17:28
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#33
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Resin Head
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle WA
Boat: Nauticat
Posts: 7,205
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Way back when I was in boatbuilding school, one of our wooden boat projects was a classic thirty-something foot steam launch. It was a great build, and the old codger we built it for was a retired Boeing engineer who built the steam engine himself. He was a hoot! But all I can say about steam engines is, holy crap they're dangerous! Steam burns hurt bad...
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21-12-2011, 17:35
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#34
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 40
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Be realistic. Your engine can be replaced for about $10,000. Try hard to save $50 and save as much diesel as possible. This is the true spirt of sailboating.
Or
Drain the whole tank, clean and service filters, etc. and then try again.
Harley
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21-12-2011, 18:07
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#35
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Isla Saboga, Las Perlas, Panama
Boat: 1988 48' Offshore
Posts: 255
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
I don't know, that seems like over-kill. In the real world, water gets in fuel all the time. The problems that would require fuel polishing and filter replacement, etc, only occur if the water remains in there for a long period of time.
In this case, he caught it right away, and the water was most likely filtered drinking water. If he pumps or drains it out of there promptly, there's no real need to polish the fuel, as the critters haven't had time to grow.
The existing fuel pickup in the tank doesn't quite go all the way to the bottom of the tank, so some water will remain in the tank regardless, unless you suck it out with a hose. A couple of bottles of diesel water remover should absorb the little bit of water that remains, and the Racor will catch it if it doesn't.
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21-12-2011, 18:18
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#36
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Resin Head
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle WA
Boat: Nauticat
Posts: 7,205
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldjags
I don't know, that seems like over-kill. In the real world, water gets in fuel all the time. The problems that would require fuel polishing and filter replacement, etc, only occur if the water remains in there for a long period of time.
In this case, he caught it right away, and the water was most likely filtered drinking water. If he pumps or drains it out of there promptly, there's no real need to polish the fuel, as the critters haven't had time to grow.
The existing fuel pickup in the tank doesn't quite go all the way to the bottom of the tank, so some water will remain in the tank regardless, unless you suck it out with a hose. A couple of bottles of diesel water remover should absorb the little bit of water that remains, and the Racor will catch it if it doesn't.
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You'd be surprised how effective the hose on a stick method is at getting all the gunk out. I've done some plastic tanks which you could see through like this (gasoline in small powerboats), and it's interesting to watch when you can see through the tank walls. The trick is to make sure it's had time to settle out nicely and don't agitate it at all. I agree with this post, polishing is probably overkill. Unless it already needed to be done.
I've even done a long 1/4" hose on an electricians fiberglass flexible "fish" to go in the deck fill when there was no inspection plate. Works great!
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21-12-2011, 18:33
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#37
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,409
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Me-and-Boo
You are very lucky to know what happened. You have lots of good advice for getting the water out. A real good technique involves pressurizing the fuel tank. Don't bother, you and your tank are not set up for it (check with builder though).
The reason behind letting no water or moisture get into your diesel. Water does not compress compared to diesel or oil or kerosene or even gasoline (which is why gasoline will not work in a diesel, gas can't compress enough to go boom). Your diesel compresses the sprayed fuel droplets in somewhere around a 20:1 compression. Your gasoline engine has a compression less than half that, about 9:1. Water in the diesel will blow the heads apart. Some water in the gasoline will "boost" the power of the gasoline engine. That is an old technique of a power booster, JC Whitney made a fortune off those.
All of this means to watch your water separator carefully - after you have your tank drained and cleaned of water. Water vapor will condense, the reason to keep tanks full.
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Huh??
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21-12-2011, 18:34
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#38
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Philippines in the winters
Boat: It’s in French Polynesia now
Posts: 11,368
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
You need my scrubber now. Just bypass the filter until the water quits flowing, then back to the filter.
.
__________________
Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend, but the Kisses of the Enemy are Deceitful! ........
The measure of a man is how he navigates to a proper shore in the midst of a storm!
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21-12-2011, 18:53
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#39
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,135
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeepFrz
A good read.
Source Of Diesel Fuel Problems
Edit: those who think that the recirculated fuel from the engine return line is fuel polishing should read this.
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It is quite clear from reading this scientific (sounding) treatise that absolutely NONE of our engines will start the next time we need them. If by some chance they do start, they will produce clouds of dense black smoke and develop little power, followed by total failure.
While some of the claims might be factual, the overall impression is a blatant commercial scare-you story designed to sell you their gizmos.
I'm not impressed...
Cheers,
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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21-12-2011, 19:03
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#40
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Resin Head
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle WA
Boat: Nauticat
Posts: 7,205
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by delmarrey
You need my scrubber now. Just bypass the filter until the water quits flowing, then back to the filter.
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DF is right, you should move the filter to the intake side of the pump. And add a water separator so you're not just pumping filtered water back into the tank.
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21-12-2011, 19:05
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#41
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Cormorant Island, BC, Canada
Boat: Lancer 44 Motorsailer
Posts: 1,877
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Jim you hit the nail right on the head. The company providing those scare tactics sell some of the best snake oil money can buy.
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21-12-2011, 19:08
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#42
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Resin Head
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle WA
Boat: Nauticat
Posts: 7,205
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
On some rigs, like mine, you can shut off the fuel supply on the manifold to the engine and turn on a fuel pump, which will cause fuel to be run through the regular intake and separators and then back through the return line. No extra gear required, no messy hoses, etc. It takes forever to do a whole tank like this, it's a maintenance thing. Easy to set up though, and you just let the pump run for a few days here and there and your tanks stay clean. I have 30 yr. old SS tanks and they look bright and new inside, never see a drop of water in my separators. Obviously regular use helps too, as do good fuel additives. I know theres a ton of threads on this here, and people have come up with all kinds of innovative solutions.
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21-12-2011, 19:10
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#43
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Philippines in the winters
Boat: It’s in French Polynesia now
Posts: 11,368
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by minaret
DF is right, you should move the filter to the intake side of the pump. And add a water separator so you're not just pumping filtered water back into the tank.
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The filters do have a petcock at the bottom for water extraction. And I would have to install it backwards so as not to collapse the paper element. Filtering material enters thru the center, pass thru the filter, then exit the canister/mount.
__________________
Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend, but the Kisses of the Enemy are Deceitful! ........
The measure of a man is how he navigates to a proper shore in the midst of a storm!
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21-12-2011, 19:18
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#44
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,134
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slowpoke
... and would appreciate advice on what to do next. A full tank of 45 gal capacity now contains about 1/3 fresh water and the rest diesel. Obviously not a bright thing to do but would like to try to be smarter about fixing the problem. The engine has not been started. Can the water be pumped out through the deck fill? Do I need to drain the tank dry (remove all contents), or is it safe just to pump out the water portion and let the Racor water separator take care of any remaining residue?
Thanks!
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My suggestion would be to get a bunch of five gallon jugs and a Topsider oil change container like I did:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: REMOVING DIESEL FROM THE FUEL TANK
It has a clear hose so you can see when the water stops and the diesel starts. Think it might be best to empty the fuel tank completely and donate it to somebodys home heating system. That's what the person who took my old diesel fuel when I converted to electric propusion did with the fuel. Less damage than trying taking a chance running it through your engine IMO.
__________________
Mike
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21-12-2011, 19:35
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#45
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Boat: Tartan 37 #6
Posts: 514
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Re: Accidentally put water in diesel tank ...
I am staggered,reading this thread, how quickly the 'misinformation' shows up!!
Its almost amusing,but,in reality, a little scary !!!
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