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Rustic Charm · 20-11-2015, 01:39

Hi All,

Back in September there was a post about cleaning diesel. Rather than just add to that I thought I'd start a fresh post specifically about additives as well. This might be particularly useful because I have before and after pictures, which are always helpful. So, to begin with. Here is my tank in December 2012. It had not been used in 6 years. Been shut down and diesel and sludge and water just left in it. But it's an almost impossible tank to clean as it's a keel tank, 170 litres, but with an opening that is only 200mm wide in one place and 70mm in the stern. So, all I could do was suck out what was there and use degreaser and water to clean and then suck it out with a wet vac.

Rustic Charm · 20-11-2015, 01:46

In April last year I installed a fuel cleaning system with two Racor 500's. The system can scrub the fuel when the engine is not being used as well. I also started using a product called Fuel Right, which seems to get a bit of a kicking at times when it comes to fuel additives.

But, from what I can see, the fuel right seems to be quite well cleaning the sides of the tank. It's now been more than 18 months and I think the pictures speak for themselves. Fuel Right seems to be working.

I've also realized that my tank is stepped and the fuel outlet to the engine is sitting on the top step. Which means the lowest step is more than 350mm below where the fuel pick up is. That's why it's not grabbing all that sludge when it separates from the diesel. In addition, if I move the fuel intake about 600mm towards the stern I'll actually add, at a guess about 40 litres of useable diesel to my tank.

model 10 · 24-11-2015, 09:37

That is impressive. What do you suppose "Fuel Right" is? Is it a biological warfare or enzymatic cleaner? I have never seen it for sale anywhere I've been but maybe there is something else like. Always looking for something, using StarBrite now and can't say one way or another.

Rustic Charm · 24-11-2015, 12:43

Fuel Right Australasia - Diesel Fuel Sludge Specialists

The Australian agent has a sailboat and I know he's a member of CF because that's how I was orgionally informed of it. But I don't remember his handle.

Fuel Right Canada Diesel Fuel Sludge

I think it's a Canadian product. And it's a concentrate so you only put very small amounts in.

I can't find it now but there is a CF thread somewhere that someone suggested it causes 'pitting'. I'm not sure if it causes pitting or exposes pitting. There are video's on it as well.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay...bynJc3rF5l8BIg

Celestialsailor · 24-11-2015, 13:07

That's amazing. I would imagine your Racor 500's clog quickly re-polishing that amount of crud.

Rustic Charm · 24-11-2015, 13:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

That's amazing. I would imagine your Racor 500's clog quickly re-polishing that amount of crud.

Well, should have done, but I've not changed them in the last year

I'm going to alter the system though as my ' pick up' is not picking up deep enough. All that crud that settled to the bottom should have been picked up and I should have been changing filters more often. I think it's evidence that in the past year I havn't been out in bad weather, which is pretty much true. So, I'll alter the system this time and I'll change my fuel polishing pick up to as at the moment I can't polish fuel whilst I'm running the engine. Because I can't polish fuel when running the engine I have a habit of not doing it.

I'll look at it again in 12 months time after I've made the changes. But I'm certainly happy at what I can see so far.

Neilhoh · 24-11-2015, 21:47

Good stuff Rustic. You are not alone. But wish I had a 200 mm opening to get to the inside of the tank. Instead I have only about 30mm, where the fuel guage sender can be taken out in the top.

During delivery, day after purchase, struck some rough weather and engine started losing revs. Immediately shut it down. Couldnt remover filter it had been on that long and limped into Southport.

Drained tank, changed filter, put in a Delphi CAV filter and fresh fuel and got to Brisbane.

We drained fuel again and sprayed the inside of the tank with a very high concentrate of a similar product and diesel using a hand pump agricultural sprayer. Dosed up about 60 litres using same product, about 3 x recommended dosage.

6 months later, I notice that the walls and bottom of the tank have white patches of ... stuff, but there is no sludge or sign of the "BUG". Fuel in the bowl of the CAV filter is clear.

Am just about in need of a top up of fuel and might give Fuel Right a go.

I wish I could figure a way of scouring out the entire inside of the tank. Any ideas anyone?

A built in fuel polishing system woud be certainly worth the piece of mind.

Rustic Charm · 24-11-2015, 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neilhoh

Good stuff Rustic. You are not alone. But wish I had a 200 mm opening to get to the inside of the tank. Instead I have only about 30mm, where the fuel guage sender can be taken out in the top.

During delivery, day after purchase, struck some rough weather and engine started losing revs. Immediately shut it down. Couldnt remover filter it had been on that long and limped into Southport.

Drained tank, changed filter, put in a Delphi CAV filter and fresh fuel and got to Brisbane.

We drained fuel again and sprayed the inside of the tank with a very high concentrate of a similar product and diesel using a hand pump agricultural sprayer. Dosed up about 60 litres using same product, about 3 x recommended dosage.

6 months later, I notice that the walls and bottom of the tank have white patches of ... stuff, but there is no sludge or sign of the "BUG". Fuel in the bowl of the CAV filter is clear.

Am just about in need of a top up of fuel and might give Fuel Right a go.

I wish I could figure a way of scouring out the entire inside of the tank. Any ideas anyone?

A built in fuel polishing system woud be certainly worth the piece of mind.

And I thought mine was tight

A fuel polishing system is easy to make. But do yourself a favour and get do away with the CAV filters and use something like a Delphi 500. So much easier to change filters.

I looked at what I could use to spray the inside and if you can access all areas in yours you might be able to get a spray nozel that sprays 360 degrees. It was recommended to me from Rare Spares. BUT, no good to me because I simply can't get it into all the areas of the tank.

Neilhoh · 24-11-2015, 22:02

Thanks for the tip, and yes the CAV I have is a bit of a pain to change the filter but was best option at the chandlery. I think I need either high pressure sprayer or something I can physically scrub with. I might even cut a bigger hole in the top for access if I get desperate. Generally, access to the tank is great.

**Wotname** · 25-11-2015, 00:28

RC, FWIW, Doctor Fuel has a very good following also. It was good enough for Castrol to buy them out recently.

Fuel Doctors Australia

And Aussie made!!!

Aloha_float · 25-11-2015, 02:48

Glad to see some independent evaluations of Fuel Right. Pitting in fuel tanks is the result of microbially influenced corrosion - the bacteria (bio-films) set up nice electrolytic sites that influence the establishment of anodic corrosion sites. Eliminating bio-films eliminates the corrosion problem related to the presence of bio-films.

If you need questions answered directly - I can be reached through the forum or my email info@ fuel right . ca - I don't want to break any forum rules here, I just want to help answer any questions you may have.

Tim

sv_steadfast · 25-11-2015, 03:04

Thanks Rustic,
I am the Aussie dealer for the product. It will be very interesting to see the next round of pics.
Great result and just another one of the many many people enjoying such a great product.

sv_steadfast · 25-11-2015, 03:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

RC, FWIW, Doctor Fuel has a very good following also. It was good enough for Castrol to buy them out recently.

Fuel Doctors Australia

And Aussie made!!!

I think you will find that Castrol did not buy the product out, but that there is a mutual marketing agreement there.
It is a good product, just does not tick all the boxes we happen to.

Cheers

**Wotname** · 27-11-2015, 02:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by sv_steadfast

I think you will find that Castrol did not buy the product out, but that there is a mutual marketing agreement there.
It is a good product, just does not tick all the boxes we happen to.

Cheers

Interesting!

The thing is that most of the time all we consumers can only go by what the marketing and sales people tell us (plus a huge grain of salt).

This is one reason why RC's endorsement and experience is so worthwhile.

Would you care to PM me with some more details of how this product differs from Fuel Doctor and say Biobor JF.

I ask simply to know what is best practice and why.