I would like your thoughts on diesel fuel and fungus problems. I have a Cat. 30, 1991 with a Universal motor, and @l8 gal. metal tank. About 3 years I had a serious fuel fungus problem where the marina said they washed the tank out and changed the primary and 2ndary fuel filters. Mind you prior I have used fuel additives, water absorbers and biocide spring and fall. Prior to the fungal problem I just topped off the tank each fall. I use about 8 gals. fuel a year. Since the problem I pump out the fuel and replace each fall. Well, to make a long story short, the problems have come back 3 years latter with the motor cutting out and fungus in the cup of the primary fuel filter. I would like suggestions so I can correct this problem myself on a more permanent basis. Has anyone used a hand sprayer, like a garden sprayer with diesel fuel to try to clean the inside of the tank? The tank is bigger than the hole so removing it would pose a problem.
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Don
Check out the archives...
under "ADDING A RACOR TYPE FILTER" and look for my response. You probably have water and fungus in the bottom of the tank below the pick-up tube. Just changing filters will not get the water out of the bottom of the tank. My system has worked for 3 years now and I don't even have a Racor, just one spin on filter. Let me know if you have any questions.
under "ADDING A RACOR TYPE FILTER" and look for my response. You probably have water and fungus in the bottom of the tank below the pick-up tube. Just changing filters will not get the water out of the bottom of the tank. My system has worked for 3 years now and I don't even have a Racor, just one spin on filter. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Atina
"Don": cintinuing conversation @ fungal problem
Don, Do you mean you do not use the Rancor, 2 micro filter, as your primary filter and you only use the 2ndary filter. What do you put in place of the Rancor filter and cup to drian off water, which I have never had to use in my 8 years with the boat. Do you add any additive, and have you every had a fungal problem, and how much of the fuel tank capacity do you use in a year?
Don, Do you mean you do not use the Rancor, 2 micro filter, as your primary filter and you only use the 2ndary filter. What do you put in place of the Rancor filter and cup to drian off water, which I have never had to use in my 8 years with the boat. Do you add any additive, and have you every had a fungal problem, and how much of the fuel tank capacity do you use in a year?
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Michael McCann
Fungus in Fuel
Atina; Here is what I do maybe every 3 years (actually I have only done this once in the 8 years I have owned this boat). The feul level sending unit on the tank is through a hole large enough to put one of those small plastic bilge pumps. It is located near one end of the tank, and happens to be where the water would collect (the boat lists to port maybe 2-3 degrees). With the boat at rest for a couple of days I pump about 2 gallons of fuel out into plastic milk jugs with the pump on the bottom of the tank. I take enough time to let the stuff settle between pumps. I did this after 6 years (last fall), and the first gallon had about two inches of a darker color stuff (fungus, and water) settle out. The water will go to the bottom of the tank at the lowest spot. I was not having a problem, I just wanted to see if there was anything there. Water gets in the tank due to condensation mostly, so it helps if you keep a full tank, and the fungus lives in the water. Mike
Atina; Here is what I do maybe every 3 years (actually I have only done this once in the 8 years I have owned this boat). The feul level sending unit on the tank is through a hole large enough to put one of those small plastic bilge pumps. It is located near one end of the tank, and happens to be where the water would collect (the boat lists to port maybe 2-3 degrees). With the boat at rest for a couple of days I pump about 2 gallons of fuel out into plastic milk jugs with the pump on the bottom of the tank. I take enough time to let the stuff settle between pumps. I did this after 6 years (last fall), and the first gallon had about two inches of a darker color stuff (fungus, and water) settle out. The water will go to the bottom of the tank at the lowest spot. I was not having a problem, I just wanted to see if there was anything there. Water gets in the tank due to condensation mostly, so it helps if you keep a full tank, and the fungus lives in the water. Mike
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Don
Answer
Michael has the right idea, except on my boat (c27) the sending unit is a bear to get out. That is why I take the pick-up tube out and use a piece of brake line to get to the bottom of the tank. The main reason I don't use a Racor is I can't find a place to mount one. C27 engine compartment is small and I have lots of extra in there, i.e. electrical management system, hot water heater, lines to the refrigeration, etc. I don't need to drain the water out of a Racor because there is no water. It comes out when I cleaned the tank. I always empty the spin on filter in a glass jar when I change it. Absolutely no water. I do use a little bioside and stabilizer in my fuel and use on an average 25 gal per year.
Michael has the right idea, except on my boat (c27) the sending unit is a bear to get out. That is why I take the pick-up tube out and use a piece of brake line to get to the bottom of the tank. The main reason I don't use a Racor is I can't find a place to mount one. C27 engine compartment is small and I have lots of extra in there, i.e. electrical management system, hot water heater, lines to the refrigeration, etc. I don't need to drain the water out of a Racor because there is no water. It comes out when I cleaned the tank. I always empty the spin on filter in a glass jar when I change it. Absolutely no water. I do use a little bioside and stabilizer in my fuel and use on an average 25 gal per year.
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Bob F.
Fuel Fungus
The problem is water in the fuel period! The fungus, called surfactants when it happens at the airport in jet fuel grows at the junction of the water and the fuel. The water goes to the lowest spot in the tank and right on top of the water is the layer of fungus. Filtering the fuel coming out of the tank is absolutely necessary, however the fungus is still active as long as there is any moisture in the fuel tank at all. You have to fight it every step of the way. The moisture comes from condensation, some in the fuel from the fuel supplier and possibly rain leakage around the filler. You can use a water-stop filter to keep down the possibility of getting it from the supplier. You can make sure you have a good seal on the filler cap. and finally, you can sump the tanks REGULARLY to get rid of any water. The surfactants will go through some filters and screw up guages, fuel injection systems and just about everything along the way. Get really serious with a water prevention program and your problems with fungus will go away.
The problem is water in the fuel period! The fungus, called surfactants when it happens at the airport in jet fuel grows at the junction of the water and the fuel. The water goes to the lowest spot in the tank and right on top of the water is the layer of fungus. Filtering the fuel coming out of the tank is absolutely necessary, however the fungus is still active as long as there is any moisture in the fuel tank at all. You have to fight it every step of the way. The moisture comes from condensation, some in the fuel from the fuel supplier and possibly rain leakage around the filler. You can use a water-stop filter to keep down the possibility of getting it from the supplier. You can make sure you have a good seal on the filler cap. and finally, you can sump the tanks REGULARLY to get rid of any water. The surfactants will go through some filters and screw up guages, fuel injection systems and just about everything along the way. Get really serious with a water prevention program and your problems with fungus will go away.
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Harvey
Diesel fuel fungus-emptying tank
Don Could you explain how you take the pickup tube out of your c27 tank. I looked out mine on my c27. It has a cut off valve screwed into a brass right angle screw fitting. I am not sure what is under the brass right angle fittng.
Don Could you explain how you take the pickup tube out of your c27 tank. I looked out mine on my c27. It has a cut off valve screwed into a brass right angle screw fitting. I am not sure what is under the brass right angle fittng.
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