Diesel Tank Cleaning and Additives

[groundtackle]

I have large (2x120g) tanks
I put diesel additive in every time I fill or top up but I just don't use much fuel so that's only about one maybe two times per year. Should I put more fuel additive in between fills? Or is that overkill? I'm in the pnw so not too worried about bugs but I have mild steel tanks so I do want the best corrosion protection I can get.


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[puffcard]

If steel or black iron tanks are full, the diesel provides the rust protection on the insides. If you have an old Leaky Teaky your problems will be the outside, so keep an eye on leaks above the tanks. If you can, ever year or so use a long piece of copper tubing and suck the crud out from the bottom of the tanks. Usually you can go through the where the tank level transmitters is mounted.

[Winf]

Anyone have any experience with these two products from Liqui Moly?

LIQUI-MOLY Australia - DIESEL ALGAE STOP | 2731
LIQUI-MOLY Australia - DIESEL CLEAN & BOOST | 2769

I have been using both for about 4 months. Going to check the tank for growth in about a month or so when it goes on the hard.

Regarding the clean and boost, seems to be less smoking at high revs but may be just wishful thinking.

I am very very sceptical about additives generally but was "sold" these with glowing reports. Just wondering about other experiences.

Winf

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Rare is the petcock on a marine fuel tank... Very...

If you've got the sludge blues, it won't come off the insides of the tank without "physical scrubbing" ... Be it rag, sponge, scraper, pressure washer...So a bottom drain doesn't do ya much good...

If you don't get the scum off... You're fighting a losing battle... Once you're operating room clean inside... You can filter, polish, treat, and recycle to keep clean fuel... That's the secret...

Bug killers do exactly that... but they leave behind bug carcasses... regular filtering/polishing is the key... There's a TON of info here on built in polishing systems...

My tank on the big boat before this chore... Part of the courting process if her previous partner was neglectful of her needs...

I'll post the pics and procedures performed on making (4) 10x10 inspection plates, cleaning, and polishing this 240g bad boy in place...

You are probably right about petcocks being rare but I beg to differ about their effectiveness.

FWIW, I installed sumps and drains (petcocks) of all three boats I have ever owned. While they don't help much after a bug infection, they are great at preventing one - if you use it…

I always drain off a small amount after every fill and occasionally (a couple times a year) if I haven't filled the tank. Tells you right away if water is getting into the tank and so forth. I do use a additive these days but only in the last couple of years. I still waiting for my first "bug infection"; being waiting now for 35+ years but I guess I am pretty pedantic about fuel issues and keeping the water at bay.

Never used any polishing system other than the inbuilt Yanmar one - the fuel pump delivers way more than the engine burns and the remainder is delivered back into the tank so in effect, this is a casual polishing system.

[groundtackle]

Originally Posted by puffcard

If steel or black iron tanks are full, the diesel provides the rust protection on the insides. If you have an old Leaky Teaky your problems will be the outside, so keep an eye on leaks above the tanks. If you can, ever year or so use a long piece of copper tubing and suck the crud out from the bottom of the tanks. Usually you can go through the where the tank level transmitters is mounted.

Outsides are good and dry so I'm only concerned about inside
In the past after about age 30yrs (po) the tanks rusted out from the inside out. Po removed them and had the rusty bottom 2" cut off and a new bottom put on each tank. I want to prevent that from happening again since I plan to keep this boat for my life time and plan to live forever.
I think it's condensation that's my enemy. Should I keep adding Additive(that just sounds odd&#128513 or only when I fill. Does the diesel additive " expire"?


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[thinwater]

Originally Posted by nshawdvm

I have large (2x120g) tanks
I put diesel additive in every time I fill or top up but I just don't use much fuel so that's only about one maybe two times per year. Should I put more fuel additive in between fills? Or is that overkill? I'm in the pnw so not too worried about bugs but I have mild steel tanks so I do want the best corrosion protection I can get.


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What additive? How do you actually know that it has any anti-corrosion properties (many do not)? Remember, there are no industry standards. There is also reason to believe that some are harmful when over dosed.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by puffcard

If steel or black iron tanks are full, the diesel provides the rust protection on the insides. If you have an old Leaky Teaky your problems will be the outside, so keep an eye on leaks above the tanks. If you can, ever year or so use a long piece of copper tubing and suck the crud out from the bottom of the tanks. Usually you can go through the where the tank level transmitters is mounted.

Not true on the bottom, where there is almost certainly some water or at least emulsified diesel.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by nshawdvm

Outsides are good and dry so I'm only concerned about inside
In the past after about age 30yrs (po) the tanks rusted out from the inside out. Po removed them and had the rusty bottom 2" cut off and a new bottom put on each tank. I want to prevent that from happening again since I plan to keep this boat for my life time and plan to live forever.
I think it's condensation that's my enemy. Should I keep adding Additive(that just sounds odd&#128513 or only when I fill. Does the diesel additive " expire"?


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If you are concerned about condensation, why not install a silica gel vent filter? Very effective, proven against corrosion.

No, I have done some very long interval testing of additive, and those that work do not seem to expire in a 1-3 years interval. Normal dosage.

[sv_steadfast]

Just my opinion on a few things here:
1. Needing to pull the tank out and clean with all sorts of nasty chemicals, don't bother. Just give a shock dose with an additive that will break up the sludge and then polish the tank. very easy to do.

2. Diesel is not a rust protection, and there are many types of "rust" or corrosion reactions that occur within the tank environment. The most common mis-conception is it is the same rust we see on the outside of the boat etc, but the "rust" or "coffee grinds" as they appear to be are more often than not a by-product of Microbial Influenced Corrosion. The best protection against any corrosion is the use of an effective additive at treating microbial growth and maintaining good tank hygiene.

3. Polishing systems are very convenient to have onboard. They will reduce the amount of costly engine filters that you need to use to accomplish the same goal. Good clean fuel is your engines best friend, and although it won't solve all your problems, it will take away a lot of the anxiety you have after a few plugged filters. I remember being in the shipping lanes near Singapore and the engine dying, thankfully it was just a very quick change of the racor and we were underway again. it was then that I took a very keen interest in tank hygiene and Fuel Additives.

Everyone has a favourite or a solution... find what works for you and then tweak it to suit your needs...

[groundtackle]

Originally Posted by thinwater

What additive? How do you actually know that it has any anti-corrosion properties (many do not)? Remember, there are no industry standards. There is also reason to believe that some are harmful when over dosed.

Can't remember what it's called. I researched a bit before ordering it. I'll look when I'm on the boat tomorrow or Monday. What is the most recommended product?



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[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Wotname

You are probably right about petcocks being rare but I beg to differ about their effectiveness.

FWIW, I installed sumps and drains (petcocks) of all three boats I have ever owned. While they don't help much after a bug infection, they are great at preventing one - if you use it…

I always drain off a small amount after every fill and occasionally (a couple times a year) if I haven't filled the tank. Tells you right away if water is getting into the tank and so forth. I do use a additive these days but only in the last couple of years. I still waiting for my first "bug infection"; being waiting now for 35+ years but I guess I am pretty pedantic about fuel issues and keeping the water at bay.

Never used any polishing system other than the inbuilt Yanmar one - the fuel pump delivers way more than the engine burns and the remainder is delivered back into the tank so in effect, this is a casual polishing system.

Why you always dissin' me man???


In retrospect... I think you are ABSOLUTELY right about petcocks completely easing the procedures of "prevention and inspection" I sure wish I had 'em on everything I owned... Plus... the emergency gravity feed to a container seems a treat too....

Once you got the sludge, useless as we both seem to agree...

I'm in the camp of verifying sparkly tank sides... and then prevention.... Nothing is going to get sludge off a wall/bottom without physically removing it...

[sv_steadfast]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Why you always dissin' me man???


I'm in the camp of verifying sparkly tank sides... and then prevention.... Nothing is going to get sludge off a wall/bottom without physically removing it...

Mate, you obviously haven't tried Fuel Right. It will take everything off those walls/bottoms that is "sludge" related.

[Rustic Charm]

I'm a little surprised at the casual dismissing of the photos I posted earlier in this thread. I would have thought the photos, over the time taken would be viewed fairly favorably that the product I was using DOES remove sludge from the walls of the tank. I was using a double dose of Fuel Right.

I'm not associated in any way with this product. But seems good to me.

Look at the photos.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by sv_steadfast

Mate, you obviously haven't tried Fuel Right. It will take everything off those walls/bottoms that is "sludge" related.

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I'm a little surprised at the casual dismissing of the photos I posted earlier in this thread. I would have thought the photos, over the time taken would be viewed fairly favorably that the product I was using DOES remove sludge from the walls of the tank. I was using a double dose of Fuel Right.

I'm not associated in any way with this product. But seems good to me.

Look at the photos.

I haven't used it, but am HIGHLY OPTIMISTIC by both of your guys results!

RC, I didn't really dismiss the pics, rather than not really pay attention to the spirit of the thread... i.e. HEY! There's something that actually works...But kinda steered the thread accidentally when brewman showed up mid thread...

MY BAD!

Anyway... If given an opportunity to try in the future, I'll give Fuel Right a go with filtering ...

Merry Christmas guys!

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

I haven't used it, but am HIGHLY OPTIMISTIC by both of your guys results!

RC, I didn't really dismiss the pics, rather than not really pay attention to the spirit of the thread... i.e. HEY! There's something that actually works...But kinda steered the thread accidentally when brewman showed up mid thread...

MY BAD!

Anyway... If given an opportunity to try in the future, I'll give Fuel Right a go with filtering ...

Merry Christmas guys!

Yeah, give it a go. From what I experienced I don't think you have much to loose and you may very well be pleasantly surprised. I was. And it's also not not expensive. Very little goes into the diesel.

Merry Christmas and happy new year