Fuel Polishing/Cleaning Cost Puget Sound

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Xthewater

I built one using a high volume 12vdc pump and large truck filter/separator mounted on a stand for about $100. Works great did both out boats and a neighbors. Said neighbor then tried to keep it and didn't replace filter canister either, so much for lending it out after that. New filter canister is about $18.
I would suggest go for an install if there's room. For the money paid to have it done you can have a very nice one the way you want it.

+1 This was my solution also.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Once clean, I don't understand the necessity to polish. Keep a good bio additive in the fuel and burn the fuel, try to not let fuel get over a year old and I've never had an issue.
My boat came with a problem, stuff looked like tofu in the tank, clogged up the pickup tube.
Once I got rid of that, I've had no issue since. I know PO just let the boat sit for a long time, without additive in the fuel.

+1. Has worked for me also, once the crud is gone all is good.

[HBWT]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Why do you need the tanks cleaned and the fuel polished?

The fuel needs to be polished because after about 20 hours of use the filter was clogged. Plus the Racor 500 has a high amount of crud on the bottom bowl visible. This would lead me to believe that when I last filled up and treated the fuel, it killed plenty of bio in the tank and they need water to live so... tank needs to be cleaned and the fuel polished.

[HBWT]

Originally Posted by Xthewater

I built one using a high volume 12vdc pump and large truck filter/separator mounted on a stand for about $100. Works great did both out boats and a neighbors. Said neighbor then tried to keep it and didn't replace filter canister either, so much for lending it out after that. New filter canister is about $18.
I would suggest go for an install if there's room. For the money paid to have it done you can have a very nice one the way you want it.

There is room to install. I know Racor makes a dedicated system for $500 but I would certainly be interested to know what fuel pump you used. I have a old Racor 1000 sitting in storage that could be put to good use. With the two tanks I need to pull from both individually and return to both tanks the same way. Time to hit the drawing board.

[Lepke]

I'm 67 and have been using diesel engines since a preteen. Fuel polishing is just the popular new million dollar fix to a hundred dollar problem. Rarely is it necessary to open a fuel tank and manually clean it. I've never seen it or even heard of it being absolutely necessary. Additionally the fuel is still safely burnable in your engine.
Adding a good biocide will kill the growth and cause the water to be absorbed by the fuel and the water will either show up in the Racor bowl or be consumed in the engine without notice or harm.
The Racor filters should be available in 30, 10 and 2 microns. You can use your Racor and a small fuel pump utilizing the supply and return lines going to your engine. If you don't have a vacuum gauge after the filters, add one in front of the pump. Run the pump with a 30 micron filter until you see a major rise in vacuum. If so change to another 30. If no rise go to a 10, etc. Then you have clean tanks.
My tanks are mild steel, built in 1942 and hold 2000 gallons. The boat I have now sat for 6 years w/o care and little care before that. I added a double dose of algae-x in every tank with enough new fuel to stir things. I had to add a vacuum gauge and idled the mains and only got a small rise in vacuum with a new 30 filter.
I changed everything and did a sea trial, no issues. Now my tanks are so clean I run a 2 micron in my Racors. When I finally cut access holes, 2-3 years later, the tanks were clean. (I run 2 micron filters because of boiler/heating nozzles)
When I was a kid, my extended family had a business breaking out mothballed ships and getting the steam machinery working. Sometimes delivering the ship to a yard or the new owners. When I knew enough, the emergency diesel generators became my job. Some of the diesel was 20 years old. Other than filtering the fuel, we had no problems. But the fuel was better then.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by HBWT

...but I would certainly be interested to know what fuel pump you used....

I would use Walbro FRB-22 Industrial & Marine Fuel Pump from Fuel-Pumps.net. Came with the boat is FACET solid state pump something like this

FACET Solid State Fuel Pump 40106 4.0-7.0psi

Originally Posted by HBWT

... With the two tanks I need to pull from both individually and return to both tanks the same way.

One 3 way valve - to select fuel polishing when engine not in use only
one aluminium manifold with ball valves for supply
one aluminium manifold with ball valve for return

Boat came with a centrifugal fuel filter puratec which is similar to IPU Purifiner 100

Supporting Fuel Conditioning Products - IPU Group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=SG&...&v=qhkEFNLQPxo

No replaceable cartridge able to filter up to 5 micron.

Let me know your outcome.

Eric

[Smokeys Kitchen]

I have not had my fuel polished nor tanks cleaned; but this vendor was the one that worked in conjunction with the folks that run the Coho-Ho-Ho every year and they seemed to like him. A few people had it done and were happy with the results. (FAIK its the same one that gave you the quote ...)

Seventh Wave Marine | Mobile Fuel Polishing | |

[kish]

Originally Posted by Harry Brown

Would anyone be kind enough to share the details of their DIY polishing system that I could build? If it's not to big I might make it a permanent install, if not I'll just make some sort of stand. Thx

Search eBay for a "12 volt Gear pump" costing $130 for a SeaFlo unit, 12 Litres per minute capacity.

Marine & RV Equipment_FUAN AIDI ELECTRIC CO.,LTD

Purchase a fuel filter of similar or slightly larger through-put as that of your primary fuel filter.

The hard part is drilling the tank for input/output connections, but it is worth the effort.

[a64pilot]

I believe for polishing fuel you want to have a dip tube for the return fuel as opposed to allowing it to fall through the air, not sure why, maybe it's just for foam, but I don't think so.
Often tanks will have additional bungs meant for generator installs, if so then nothing to drill, uncap the bungs, screw in two dip tubes and away you go.
A Racor 500 is rated at a max of 1 gl per min flow, why would you not want to use the same filter as your primary filter for polishing so spares are the same?

[HBWT]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I believe for polishing fuel you want to have a dip tube for the return fuel as opposed to allowing it to fall through the air, not sure why, maybe it's just for foam, but I don't think so.
Often tanks will have additional bungs meant for generator installs, if so then nothing to drill, uncap the bungs, screw in two dip tubes and away you go.
A Racor 500 is rated at a max of 1 gl per min flow, why would you not want to use the same filter as your primary filter for polishing so spares are the same?

On our Hans Christian 43, the two tanks have the incoming fuel lines that lead to a selector manifold about 6" starboard of the racor 500 for the main aux and return to a smilar manufold about 3" from the racor. I cant see a setup that would fit in that tight area to allow me to use the same filter with a pump. There is almost no clearance /less than 4" from the cabin sole to the manifold selector. Any ideas would be welcome. The only thing I can come up with is to redisgn the entire thing with the racor being several feet back in the aft cockpit locker. If im going to redesign the entire thing I might as well put in a dedicated polishing system with a racor 1000/ 72 gallons per hour, that leaves the racor 500 in place as the dedicated main yanmar filter.

[Cheechako]

You have to decide if you want an often used, permanent mount in the boat small system, or a fast powerful system like the pros use.
These higher capacity units are 120 volt and have at least two big filters on them. The filters are about a foot long. They remove so much crud that you have to change them during the service. A little Racor 500 is not the thing to use. Besides these big truck filters are cheap comparatively for the initial investment. Less $ than the little racor 500 rip off...but readily available and how often will you do it?
The Pro system is often mounted on a hand truck; motor, pump and two filters. it provides a stream like a garden hose which helps you to "pressure wash" your tank internally using the return hose.
Google "120 v diesel fuel pumps" etc.
Here's one that does up to 15 gal a minute for $154, scroll down, the spin on filters (<$6) and filter head is at the bottom of the page. Personally I'd want at least .5 HP though.
http://henrichinc.com/shop/evrflo-ev...5jpRoCkmLw_wcB

[Cooltechmd]

Originally Posted by Xthewater

I built one using a high volume 12vdc pump and large truck filter/separator mounted on a stand for about $100. Works great did both out boats and a neighbors. Said neighbor then tried to keep it and didn't replace filter canister either, so much for lending it out after that. New filter canister is about $18.
I would suggest go for an install if there's room. For the money paid to have it done you can have a very nice one the way you want it.

Several problems in building your own fuel polishing system, 1). Not Coast Guard Approved. 2). Many marinas forbid this work to be done unless insured to do so. 3). If something happens your marine insurance company will not cover your losses to your boat, or any other boats damaged by your actions. 4). Any fuel that gets in the waterway you will be responsible for cleanup, and all fines associated. 5). Many things can go wrong not mentioned and it is not worth it, Including catching yourself on fire.

I know this is an old thread, however still read, just giving my view since I seen 9 boats burn from a guy building his own fuel polisher. Be safe, some things is just better to have a pro do. Live long, cruise far, enjoy life.

[daletournier]

Nine boats burnt down due to home made diesel fuel polishing systems? How exactly?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Cooltechmd

Several problems in building your own fuel polishing system, 1). Not Coast Guard Approved.

Many of us don't actually need changes to be approved by the US Coast Guard. There is no chance they will stop me.

for reference, I did build and install my own fuel polishing system.

Pete

[Cooltechmd]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Nine boats burnt down due to home made diesel fuel polishing systems? How exactly?

Pump he was using to transfer gas ignited the gas, his boat an eight others burned.

Note: this was gasoline not diesel, and this was a rig he built, not additional filters added to his boat.

[Cheechako]

Well, you don't need to "polish" gas in the first place. We're talking diesel here. Diesel is actually hard to light with a match.