Fuel Polishing good or bad??

[dick auge]

I was interested in getting my fuel polished but someone told me that it would remove certain elements in the fuel and it would not be a good idea. Seems to me that it is nothing more than an ultra duty filtering process and that it would be a good thing to do? Appreciate any comments

[KDH]

Had our fuel "polished" back in Deale. No ill effects except the hole in the wallet.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by dick auge

I was interested in getting my fuel polished but someone told me that it would remove certain elements in the fuel and it would not be a good idea. Seems to me that it is nothing more than an ultra duty filtering process and that it would be a good thing to do? Appreciate any comments

Mate, you are right, the other guy is wrong. If your fuel is suspect, polishing can do nothing but improve things.

Cheers,

Jim

[SimonV]

I feel the word Polishing is misleading it should be fuel cleaning, as that is the true element of the act of putting it through filters to remove any foreign mater. I think saying Fuel polishing sounds more elegant or refined but just ads dollars to the quote.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by SimonV

I feel the word Polishing is misleading it should be fuel cleaning, as that is the true element of the act of putting it through filters to remove any foreign mater. I think saying Fuel polishing sounds more elegant or refined but just ads dollars to the quote.

Proper fuel polishing is a complex task involving a specialised centrifuge ( Alfa laval are big in this market) and various filters. As you correctly say running it through a few filters is something different.

Dave

[WorldWind]

We are getting our fuel tank cleaned this week.
They pump the fuel out and into a filter setup then into a centrifuge.Looks like a great setup.
All dockside.
I'll let you know how it goes.

[KDH]

If you have an access port in the fuel tank make sure they open the tank after they have removed the fuel and clean the sludge off the bottom of the tank as well. When we had our fuel "polished" in Deale, MD 18 months ago there was no easy access so the tank did not get cleaned. Just had the access port put in by Fred Marine in Pointe a Pietre Guadeloupe and the sludge on the bottom of the tank was quite deep.

[WorldWind]

Luckily we already have an access port on top.
My main concern is switching from an aluminum tank to plastic at this point.
Any thoughts on which is better anyone?
It's only 17 gallons,I believe I'd have room for 25-30 for extended cruising,rather than Jerry jugs on the deck.

[WorldWind]

Here's a link to their home page.
Disclaimer; Just a consumer,I have no familararity or monetary value in this business..

http://www.fueltankscleaned.com/Home_Page.html

[Cheechako]

I think plastic is superior to aluminum if it's anywhere near where it can get wet.

Polishing is worth it for sure. I'm not sure most "polishers" will drain and scrape a tank though. They usually open the port and use the pressure to loosen up the goo. Manually scraping a tank is whole nuther beast...not to mention problems with getting behind the baffle.... better ask if that's what you want.

[zeehag]

fuel polishing does work. but one must also polish the tank so the sludge doesnt re appear in your system.... you CAN do this in your own boat by installing a system of filters and pumps--can be worth while in locales in which fuel is notoriously dirty

[KDH]

To answer your question about the fuel tank our tank is 60 gallons and for long passages we still carry an additional 5 jerry cans on deck. I assume though that you meant coastal cruising so getting a larger tank would be nice but as the tank goes up in size, so does the weight so if off center you may need to compensate. Also, baffles are nice in a fuel tank to keep weight from sloshing around but our 60 gallon tank does not have baffles and I've not noticed any appreciable sloshing even in rough weather. As long as the plastic tank is a true fuel tank, not a converted water or waste tank you should be fine.

[Jbaffoh]

Save your money. A few months ago, my filters clogged with sludge. I contacted a fuel polisher who wanted $500, plus $200 to cut one access port into the tank so he could pressure wash it. No thanks!

Instead, I had three 6" diameter plates fabricated, with semi-circular backing plates. I bought buna-N gasket material from Amazon, and 24 stainless nuts and bolts. The total cost was less then $60.

After drilling the bolt holes and cutting the gaskets, I went down to the boat. I cut three 5" access holes with a hole saw--one in each of the three chambers (I have 2 baffles). I wiped the entire tank clean, drilled bolt holes, installed the gaskets, backing plates, and port covers. The entire project (once everything was fabricated) took two hours on the boat. And, since this was my first time, I spent most of that time scratching my head and staring at it.

Don't be afraid--do it yourself! I can email drawings of my covers and backing plates, as well as photos, if you're interested.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by WorldWind

We are getting our fuel tank cleaned this week.
They pump the fuel out and into a filter setup then into a centrifuge.Looks like a great setup.
All dockside.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Agree with KHD that once fuel is removed, any sludge needs removing from tanks by access through inspection ports. Does Lagoon have inspection/access ports in fuel tanks??

Cheers

[David M]

It's probably better to get a dual filter system, change your filters often enough, use a biocide, run your engine frequently and don't leave the same fuel sitting in your tanks for 6 months. You won't need polishing then.