One Year Old Fuel

[Aussie_Sequoia]

I have about 50 gallons of fuel that had been left in jury cans while on the hard. One mechanic mate said it's fine. Another mechanic mate reckons that it's no good.

Thoughts?

Also...

My 20 year old SS fuel tank has a blackish/greenish gunky film on the bottom and some on the sides. I used a custom rigid hose with a fuel pump with two inline filters to 'vacuum' it all up as best I could... but there's a baffle so I could only get half the tank.

I've seen worse on other people's tanks and they never vacuumed theirs out.

Previous owner said he never saw any of the stuff in the bowl of the Raco and that he really never thought of it as a problem... just normal boat tank situation.

[Pete7]

The diesel in the jerry cans could be either. You need a white 25L plastic drum, a funnel with a cloth in it as a filter. Run the fuel into the funnel and see what it looks like. If its clean then just use it. If you are worried ditch the last inch from the jerry cans.

As to the tank, well a good dose of fuel treatment stuff, what ever is available locally once you have filled it up and keep using it and watching the water separators.

Pete

[delmarrey]

Assuming it's diesel. As above, just filter it for any water or sediment, especially if it has any bio in it. The gunk is most likely sludge. It comes from contaminates/water.

If you can stick a 90º nozzle, on a pump up sprayer, in the tank to slosh it around, and then flush. Then add a diesel treatment. The filter should be able to handle the rest.

In a rough sea is when it'll show up in the bowl.

[knotnow]

To go along with the above.

Pump a little from the bottom thru a paint filter without agitating the storage containers. After about 4 liters let it sit and drain thru the filter till almost dry. Take a careful look at the filter and if perceivable particulate is noted I’d give to a local farmer and let him deal with it.

With the tank in that condition I think I’d want a 20 micron filter followed by a 10 before feeding the engine.

From experience, ya sure do not want to be 4 days off shore with 14 days of food in the refer crying for battery juice and a dead engine.

FWIW

[Aussie_Sequoia]

Originally Posted by knotnow

With the tank in that condition I think I’d want a 20 micron filter followed by a 10 before feeding the engine.

FWIW

There is a secondary filter (the PO says 5 micron) after the Racor.

I'll try the filter check thing for the jerrys.

Thanks all.

[Charlie]

I have cleaned out three 20 year old diesel tanks. They don't cause problems until the seas get rough and the diesel shakes around inside the tank. From there it can cause problems. I think a pre emptive strike is the only way to go. Install inspection ports for every baffled area and clean the tank out. Here is a link to some pictures of a tank I cleaned. The stuff on the side and bottom of the tank comes off when the diesel scours the inside of the tank. https://picasaweb.google.com/1100267...NDps4Gl1ZeflwE

Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems

[Tellie]

50 gallons of diesel is worth what at todays prices, $200?
Between fuel filters, injectors and a possible rough running engine, what are you trying to save? One bump in any of the above and $200 will seem cheap. Remember the three C's of diesels, Clean air, Clean oil, and CLEAN FUEL.