Gunge in Diesel Tank

[daddle]

Originally Posted by Ram

What is ATF?

Is it "Automatic Transmission Fluid"? Gee, does the engine manufactured say that's ok? Didn't think so. Google ATF and Diesel. See for yourself it's an old myth. ATF is a very special thing made for...wait for it....transmissions!

Ignore the engineers and scientists spending a lifetime designing diesel engines and simply replace your expensive marine diesel sooner.

[Boracay]

A quick search on the web suggests ATF is Automatic Transmission Fluid, the stuff some of us put in our transmissions.

It sounds like back in the days when engines got fixed all the time it was a mechanics standby, and might still have some uses today.

However I would strongly suggest consulting an experienced marine diesel mechanic who knows your installation before using it.

[eyschulman]

atomatic transmission fluid-I have no scientific evidence either way but if it works so well why are fuel companies and motor manufacturers not useing it? They have no reason to encourage biojunk in your fuel lines. Without controled scientific proofs any wild claims can be made.If a doctor says he has a magic bullet that can cure cancer he needs to prove it beyound hearsay and a few testamonials- its snake oil untill put to the test.

[Chief Engineer]

I have found that some sailors are notoriously gullible when it comes to fuel additives and gizmos.

They think dri-gas will solve anything. etc etc etc.

They will put acetone, alcohol, paint thinner, gumout gasoline you name it to try to clean a tank.

Clean or replace the tank.....it is cheaper than an engine....polishing fuel does not clean the tank........there is a way to do it with a fuel polisher but it also involves a high pressure wand on the return side......it is more suited to commercial vessels than a 20 gallon fuel tank.

[Astrid]

I know old-timers used to use AFT or Marvel Mystery Oil in their fuel as an additive, but in the case of MMO the sulphur content is fairly high and should not be used in post 2007 manufactured diesels. Way back when, there might have been a certain logic to the practice and it might have actually helped reduce wear at the fuel pump; today though, it is best to use a fuel additive specifically designed and engineered to do the job. If I understand it, MMO and ATF in a modern diesel may do more harm than good and will possibly void your engine's warranty.

[anglooff]

A bit of thread slip, but as always thanks for your imput.

If I may reitorate the basic question...

I have two fuel tanks. the first has now been completely cleaned and the second cannot be easily accessed until on the hard. I have approximately 20 gallons of diesel in the second tank...(half full) which is now completely isolated/disconnected from the system... I don't need it.

My original question was poorly put. I am not seeking an additive, which will allow me to reconnect to the fuel system and use the fuel therein. Instead I was wondering if I added something...even ATF... to the existing fuel in the tank and then left it there for a few months of sailing motion, whether this concoction (whatever it is) could perhaps help to breakdown/clean the gunge in the tank, for it to be pumped out and discarded. In short I know the diesel fuel is now trash( it was bought in Venezuela at $0.20USD per gallon) so no problem. NOTE: The cost of new diesel for front tank in Curacao was $80USD. This would fill both my tanks and my weekly petrol needs for my Impala for over a year in Venezuela.

I was about to have it all pumped out when I wondered whether it would not be better to leave the fuel there and keep whatever gunge/residue is there; moist. I decided to do this, so the next logical possibility is that it's there doing nothing much and I wondered whether adding... ATF, Kerosene, petrol, paraffin, cheap whisky etc or some brand fluid... to the fuel, would make a mix which when agitated underway for a few months will when eventually pumped out would take most of the crap with it.

Your suggestions as to possibly enhancing the cleaing process...before discarding...as always would be appreciated.

Regards

Alan

[DeepFrz]

Well, if you really don't want to remove and clean your tank, pump the diesel out through a filter into your front tank (if its usable) and put about 2 gals. of something like "simple green" or other detergent in with a couple of gals of water. It may do the job. Add something that will roll around on the bottom if you want to agitate it even more (dryer balls?).

Try it and let us know how it works.

[MitchM]

after 25 years my steel fuel tank was due for a cleaning. much to my surprise -a full3 inches of tarry black materaial was on the bottom of the tank, the top layer of this sludge was what ahd clogged 5 RACORS on one particularly nasty 14 hour beat through 6 ft waves. the guy i called to do the cleanout took a sample of the sludge and said -- it's not worth it to clean this tank --you need a new tank. this galvanized steel OEM 1980 tank was actually rusting from the inside. and mixed into the sludge were particles of red rust shed from the inside walls of the tank.. but the galvanized steel tank and its fitings looked just fine from the outside... so if your filters are collging in rough seas, suspect a tank sorely in need of a cleaning..

fair winds

[daddle]

Originally Posted by MitchM

...this galvanized steel OEM 1980 tank was actually rusting from the inside

I tried to say earlier, diesel does not go in plain steel or especially galvanized tanks. Those tanks are probably left over from a gasoline engine. Probably not stainless either. Plastic or aluminum. Steel might work if you coat the inside with some magic paint. But why bother? There's a reason almost every diesel tank is aluminum or plastic. Rust and acidic fuel is it.

[Chief Engineer]

Just because a corporation does it doesn't mean it works.......

I don't know what you mean about carbon molecules/cracking/spinning.

I have a feeling this thread is going to be locked down like Cruisersforumtanamo!!!!

[scallywag]

Chief Engineer,
Thank you for your input. I have not run my diesel for over three years due to the work schedule. I do not want to get out there and have the diesel stop. I do not want to guess on the additives and fuel cleansing. I will pull the tank and clean it. Thankyou for your professionel advice. I have been told by other mechanics just to put in additives. I have been told by another sailor to drain the tank and clean it. Thank you for your clean it advice.

[eyschulman]

I think this half information about the chemistry of fuel is going over my head even though I dealt with nuclear physics-chemistry-and biology for a living. I don't think we are going to solve the issues of atf and magnetic tratment of fuel on this site. For various reasons claims will be made. If you want to keep your motor running buy clean fuel-keep it dry-add bioside-use good filtration vac. gauge and multi stage with high capasity spin on mud filter included with a fast reprime bulb pump. If your tank gets crud in it it needs hands on cleaning along with your fuel lines-filter inards-either dump old fuel or have it washed and treated. Big inspection ports in tank a big plus. The odds are that if you put your money and trust in ATF and magnets and ignore the above Was that your motor I just heard lose RPM

[Chief Engineer]

Sometimes we just have to bite the bullet and pull the tank.

Putting in cleanout ports is not too difficult...it takes some detective work to find out where the baffles are......

But the piece of mind...knowing that you can really clean the tank....will allow you to sleep......off watch

[Astrid]

A little off topic, but since Chief Engineer asked, cracking is a term used in oil refining to describe the breaking down of long chains of hydrocarbon molecules into shorter ones--i.e., breaking down the long carbon chains in crude oil into shorter ones to produce LPG, petrol, kerosene, jet fuel and diesel oil. There are several types of cracking: hydrocracking for the production of diesel, kerosene and jet fuel; fluid catalytic cracking is used to produce petrol and LPG from distillates or petroleum residues, and refinery cracking is used to produce petrol and LPG from normal crude oil.

[Chief Engineer]

I would like to see an experiment of contaminated fuel going thru an Algae-X and "nuking" the critters.

It would have to be done without filtration and no mechanical pump that would be macering the algae

Just gravity feed it thru.

C'mon....make me a beLIEver