I have a 1985 O'Day28 and got caught in small craft warning/squal last weekend. My diesel died and wouldn't keep running because the fuel filter was cloged; guess that some particular matter on the inside of the fuel tank was sucked into the fuel line. Don't see any cleanout in the metal tank and new filters fixed the problem for now. How do I clean the tank so that this situation won't reaccure? Can the tank be removed thru the companionway or the access door in the aft berth? Any advice will be appreciated. Vern
fuel tank gunk
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Gunk in Fuel
I started to pick up gunk in my Racor filter. It took a toohpick to get it out of the drain. I talked to the marina service manager and he suggested using an Algae-X. I installed one and have not had a bit of problem since. I did not know how they worked and talked to a representative of a company called Diesel Tech, which makes the same type of unit, but a little different. He eplained that the diesel fuel when it sets tries to reform as crude oil, by forming ionic bonds and passing it through a magnetic field breaks these bond and allow it to be burned. I will not testified to the accuracy of the chemistry involved, but I do know that since I have installed it I have had no problems and add not additives and filters ae fairly clean when I take them off in fall to change.
I started to pick up gunk in my Racor filter. It took a toohpick to get it out of the drain. I talked to the marina service manager and he suggested using an Algae-X. I installed one and have not had a bit of problem since. I did not know how they worked and talked to a representative of a company called Diesel Tech, which makes the same type of unit, but a little different. He eplained that the diesel fuel when it sets tries to reform as crude oil, by forming ionic bonds and passing it through a magnetic field breaks these bond and allow it to be burned. I will not testified to the accuracy of the chemistry involved, but I do know that since I have installed it I have had no problems and add not additives and filters ae fairly clean when I take them off in fall to change.
Re: Gunk in Fuel
I cleaned the tank on my 34 by removing the fuel gauge float and putting a hose to the bottom of the tank with a pump attached and picked up some of the water and gunk from the bottom. Tanks that are not full tend to allow condinsation then algae gets a start. The problem never shows up untill you have to motorsail in rough water.
I cleaned the tank on my 34 by removing the fuel gauge float and putting a hose to the bottom of the tank with a pump attached and picked up some of the water and gunk from the bottom. Tanks that are not full tend to allow condinsation then algae gets a start. The problem never shows up untill you have to motorsail in rough water.
I managed to remove the tank in my new to me 27. It was so gunked up that the seller had abandoned the tank in lieu of a 5 gallon out board motor tank to which he added a return (a garden hose!). It was a serious job, had I to do it again, I would have again pumped it out using the inline electric fuel pump but then flushed it several times with water, adapted a wet/dry vac to a portion of garden hose or similar and then reverse and thoroughly dry the tank with air. (my tank is blow molded plastic like a milk jug). I was able to inspect my work with a see snake and have had no problems since.
I am considering draining the tank at the end of the season as I do not wish to go through this again.
I am considering draining the tank at the end of the season as I do not wish to go through this again.
Don't let your tank stand empty over the winter. Condensation will occour on the bare sections of the tank, moisture will get into our fuel and algae will start to form. Fill a clean tank, add stabilizer and a small amount of algae-x if you so desire. Keep your filters clean and your fuel dry.
I replaced the 24 gal tank on my 302 with a 5 gal aluminum tank designed for diesel. Old tank had a quarter inch of gunk from about midway on down and fuel had dark stains from the algee. We use just over five gallons each year so the fuel now stays fresh and I top it off monthly. Solved the gunk issue, also the Yanmar starts easy and runs smoother. Kept the 24 gal tank in case boat gets moved from Kansas City.
No personal experience with diesel fuel but a friend of mine cut acccess panels in the top of his tank and physically cleaned the tank with rags and cleaning solutions. He then placed sheet metal covers with many screws and chemical resistant caulk to reseal the tank. He has a couple of in-line racor filters with a pair of off-line filters which he can switch to with a selector valve. Also there is a process called fuel polishing where the fuel is pumped from the tankage, filtered in the extreme and returned to the tank. It is usually done by a pro and is expensive but it cleans the tank and fuel without opening the tank.
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