I just bought a used sailboat that has been in storage for more than 1 year now and I won't launch for another 5+ months. Would you recommend removing the old diesel fuel from the tank? If yes, what is the best way to remove the old fuel?
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Did that once.
You can buy a 55-gallon drum very cheaply. I gave it to the marina to use in the yard tractor. The cheapest way is DIY obviously. It can be done with your oil extractor. Slow and tedious though if more than five gallons or so. I used one of those cheap pumps that goes in the chuck of your electric drill. My tank is deep so I had to prime by filling the tube that goes in the tank. The other side of the pump is a hose which I led into a plastic six gallon yellow diesel can. I gave away thirty gallons. Try to get the extraction hose close to the fuel line pickup tube. By doing so you will also get any gunk that might be lying down there.
You can buy a 55-gallon drum very cheaply. I gave it to the marina to use in the yard tractor. The cheapest way is DIY obviously. It can be done with your oil extractor. Slow and tedious though if more than five gallons or so. I used one of those cheap pumps that goes in the chuck of your electric drill. My tank is deep so I had to prime by filling the tube that goes in the tank. The other side of the pump is a hose which I led into a plastic six gallon yellow diesel can. I gave away thirty gallons. Try to get the extraction hose close to the fuel line pickup tube. By doing so you will also get any gunk that might be lying down there.
Old Fuel
A lot depends on how old the fuel is and if it was conditioned. You may want to start by draining a few ounces of fuel into a glass jar from the primary filter. If the fuel has water in it, algae, or just plain crap, it will be evident. That said, if you can gain access to the tank by removing an inspection plate, sender guage, or similar opening, you would be best advised to drain the fuel out (and clean the tank, too, if you can) and dispose of it at a toxic waste site. The cheapest device to drain the tank might be a brass Par hand pump. Whateve pump you use, make sure it's rated for use with fuel. FWIW, I've found that "old" fuel that was properly conditioned at the outset can last a "long" time. Still, draining the tank is clearly the best option, if possible.
A lot depends on how old the fuel is and if it was conditioned. You may want to start by draining a few ounces of fuel into a glass jar from the primary filter. If the fuel has water in it, algae, or just plain crap, it will be evident. That said, if you can gain access to the tank by removing an inspection plate, sender guage, or similar opening, you would be best advised to drain the fuel out (and clean the tank, too, if you can) and dispose of it at a toxic waste site. The cheapest device to drain the tank might be a brass Par hand pump. Whateve pump you use, make sure it's rated for use with fuel. FWIW, I've found that "old" fuel that was properly conditioned at the outset can last a "long" time. Still, draining the tank is clearly the best option, if possible.
Cheapest way to remove .....
once the boat is on the hard - get a long hose/tube (1/4" - 3/8" dia.) made from polypropylene, stick one end in the tank bottom and the other end into a drum or container down on the ground. Apply suction to the 'drum' end until the oil begins to run 'down' into the drum - called a 'siphon'. Take the old oil home with you and put it in your home heating oil tank - burn it. No sense topping off degraded old fuel with new. Tape or plug the (empty) tank vent CLOSED for the winter - not a 'tight' plug but just enough to stop the thermal cycle 'breathing'. If the tank has a 'dipstick', leave it loose. Otherwise if the tank is cheaply made of very light materials, the vacuum formed during the 'thermal cycles' may collapse the tank - rare but a 'disclaimer' none the less. In the spring, clean out (scrub) the tank (and scrub about every 5 years thereafter), sop up the loosened gooey debris with paper towels, etc. - then burn. Start with NEW fuel and a CLEAN tank ---- that will prevent 99.99999% of all fuel problems. Diesel has a 'shelf life' of about 6 months during the summer and up to 12 months in winter. After that time most of the lighter 'fractions' of the oil have volitized out the vent and other 'heavy' components will begin to polymerize and make a 'goo' and/or agglomerate into growing particles. Many of these polymerizing and soft particles/gels that form in the tank when the fuel is "too old" are not easily combustible but will tend to re-form as heavy soot deposits in the exhaust system. With a boat with unknown fuel tank maintenance its usually best to start with a clean tank .... then you KNOW what you have. Here's a link for diesel oil storage recommendations from a REFINER of diesel oil .... who has the same 'shelf life' and tank problems as 'users' do: http://www.bp.com.au/fuelnews/ADF1402.pdf Hope this helps
once the boat is on the hard - get a long hose/tube (1/4" - 3/8" dia.) made from polypropylene, stick one end in the tank bottom and the other end into a drum or container down on the ground. Apply suction to the 'drum' end until the oil begins to run 'down' into the drum - called a 'siphon'. Take the old oil home with you and put it in your home heating oil tank - burn it. No sense topping off degraded old fuel with new. Tape or plug the (empty) tank vent CLOSED for the winter - not a 'tight' plug but just enough to stop the thermal cycle 'breathing'. If the tank has a 'dipstick', leave it loose. Otherwise if the tank is cheaply made of very light materials, the vacuum formed during the 'thermal cycles' may collapse the tank - rare but a 'disclaimer' none the less. In the spring, clean out (scrub) the tank (and scrub about every 5 years thereafter), sop up the loosened gooey debris with paper towels, etc. - then burn. Start with NEW fuel and a CLEAN tank ---- that will prevent 99.99999% of all fuel problems. Diesel has a 'shelf life' of about 6 months during the summer and up to 12 months in winter. After that time most of the lighter 'fractions' of the oil have volitized out the vent and other 'heavy' components will begin to polymerize and make a 'goo' and/or agglomerate into growing particles. Many of these polymerizing and soft particles/gels that form in the tank when the fuel is "too old" are not easily combustible but will tend to re-form as heavy soot deposits in the exhaust system. With a boat with unknown fuel tank maintenance its usually best to start with a clean tank .... then you KNOW what you have. Here's a link for diesel oil storage recommendations from a REFINER of diesel oil .... who has the same 'shelf life' and tank problems as 'users' do: http://www.bp.com.au/fuelnews/ADF1402.pdf Hope this helps
Many Filters
In the past I pumped a diesel tank empty on one of my boats. When I purchased my present boat it had been on the hard for over a year. I looked at the fuel in the tanks and it didn't look too bad so I opted to leave it in and have many extra filters aboard and to change them frequently as needed early on. There was over 200 gallons aboard so that was a fair bit of money to discard...
In the past I pumped a diesel tank empty on one of my boats. When I purchased my present boat it had been on the hard for over a year. I looked at the fuel in the tanks and it didn't look too bad so I opted to leave it in and have many extra filters aboard and to change them frequently as needed early on. There was over 200 gallons aboard so that was a fair bit of money to discard...
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