Thanks for your previous reply to my question about old fuel. If the dark, coffee-color of the fuel is due to algae, wouldn't one expect the constant recirculation of unburned fuel through the primary and secondary filters to filter out the algae ( and also clogging the filters in the process)? Wonder why this is not hapening. Is the discoloration in this case due to chemical change in the fuel rather than suspended filterable mater (algae)? (I doubt that algae could slip through the 2 micron secondary if it got by the 20 nmicron primary, but maybe these beasties are smaller than that.)
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Bob Clark
cleaning tanks
The color of fresh diesel fuel is dark red, to indicate it is not taxed and is off-the-road diesel. A dark red color in your Racor filter may simply be due to the type of fuel in the tank. I suggest... 1. shut off the fuel line at the fuel shut-off valve, 2. take the Racor apart (have a bucket under it to catch all the pieces) 3. Clean it carefully using lots of paper towels (disposed of properly), 4. Dry it completely, 5. reassemble it, fill it, and purge it of air. You may not need to purge the engine fuel system of air if you are lucky. The bottom bowl of your Racor should show a uniform color of clear, dark red. If a modest amount of water is drawn form the tank. it will accumulate in the bottom of the bowl. If you have more than a modest amount of water, bite the bullet. Get some buckets or fuel jugs and drain your fuel tank. I drained mine by simply buying a Rule 360 bilge pump. I soldered wires to the pump and lowered it to the bottom of my fuel tank through the inspection port. Then I pumped the diesel fuel into jugs. It is easy to do since you can shut off the pump by shutting off the electricity. (Don't worry, it won't explode. It's diesel, not gasoline!) Once you have pumped the fuel out, clean the tank. Use clean rags or paper towels tied to a stick and vigorously rub the surfaces, being careful not to damage the dip tube. Dispose of things properly (into a plastic bag, etc). Then refill with clean fuel. Once you have done this you will always know how to empty your tank and clean it. Bob Clark Southern Cross 31 "Sea Bear"
The color of fresh diesel fuel is dark red, to indicate it is not taxed and is off-the-road diesel. A dark red color in your Racor filter may simply be due to the type of fuel in the tank. I suggest... 1. shut off the fuel line at the fuel shut-off valve, 2. take the Racor apart (have a bucket under it to catch all the pieces) 3. Clean it carefully using lots of paper towels (disposed of properly), 4. Dry it completely, 5. reassemble it, fill it, and purge it of air. You may not need to purge the engine fuel system of air if you are lucky. The bottom bowl of your Racor should show a uniform color of clear, dark red. If a modest amount of water is drawn form the tank. it will accumulate in the bottom of the bowl. If you have more than a modest amount of water, bite the bullet. Get some buckets or fuel jugs and drain your fuel tank. I drained mine by simply buying a Rule 360 bilge pump. I soldered wires to the pump and lowered it to the bottom of my fuel tank through the inspection port. Then I pumped the diesel fuel into jugs. It is easy to do since you can shut off the pump by shutting off the electricity. (Don't worry, it won't explode. It's diesel, not gasoline!) Once you have pumped the fuel out, clean the tank. Use clean rags or paper towels tied to a stick and vigorously rub the surfaces, being careful not to damage the dip tube. Dispose of things properly (into a plastic bag, etc). Then refill with clean fuel. Once you have done this you will always know how to empty your tank and clean it. Bob Clark Southern Cross 31 "Sea Bear"
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George Kornreich
Thanks, Bob,
I'll follow your procedure when I clean the tank. About this fuel, though, it's not just the red dye, but the color is like coffee, and the fuel has a destinctly un-diesel-like smell... sort of like old paint. Also the engine smokes and does not reach full RPM, so I'm convinced the fuel has gone bad. Just don't know in what manner. Filtering ("Polishing") the fuel has been suggested, but as I said, it seems that the discoloration may not be filterable. I'm inclined to dump the whole batch and start with a fresh tankful. George
I'll follow your procedure when I clean the tank. About this fuel, though, it's not just the red dye, but the color is like coffee, and the fuel has a destinctly un-diesel-like smell... sort of like old paint. Also the engine smokes and does not reach full RPM, so I'm convinced the fuel has gone bad. Just don't know in what manner. Filtering ("Polishing") the fuel has been suggested, but as I said, it seems that the discoloration may not be filterable. I'm inclined to dump the whole batch and start with a fresh tankful. George
Why polish?
George: Why would you spend the money for fuel polishing? This is probably fine if you had 100 gals of fuel to worry about. But for most of these boats we are usually only talking about disposing of 5-15 gals of fuel. You can probably find a trucker that would be glad to have it with the price of fuel today. I would recommend that you drain the tank and try to clean it the best you can. You may also look at changing the fuel lines too. Someone had a build up in their fuel line and the return line too. Sounds like you have a racor for your primary so you will want to change it as well as the secondary filter on the engine too. Do you have a metal or a plastic type tank. Maybe some of this color is comming from the tank if it is metal?
George: Why would you spend the money for fuel polishing? This is probably fine if you had 100 gals of fuel to worry about. But for most of these boats we are usually only talking about disposing of 5-15 gals of fuel. You can probably find a trucker that would be glad to have it with the price of fuel today. I would recommend that you drain the tank and try to clean it the best you can. You may also look at changing the fuel lines too. Someone had a build up in their fuel line and the return line too. Sounds like you have a racor for your primary so you will want to change it as well as the secondary filter on the engine too. Do you have a metal or a plastic type tank. Maybe some of this color is comming from the tank if it is metal?
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George Kornreich
It's metal.
I certainly agree that polishing isn't economical or sensible by itself. However, I'm thinking about having the tank professionally cleaned, and the folks I've spoken to that do this seem to consider fuel cleaning part of the job. Actually, rather than run it through filters as I've heard of most ofter, they apparantly centrifuge it. (This whole thing reeks a bit of hocus-pocus). They do give a followup report of fuel analysis, and maybe, if I have that done, we can find out what the discoloration is due to, but I won't put too much faith in that idea till I actually see it. Meanwhile, I think I'll contact Texaco... I think their petroleum chemists may be able to shed some light (They are here in Houston). I'll post any useful info I might get.
I certainly agree that polishing isn't economical or sensible by itself. However, I'm thinking about having the tank professionally cleaned, and the folks I've spoken to that do this seem to consider fuel cleaning part of the job. Actually, rather than run it through filters as I've heard of most ofter, they apparantly centrifuge it. (This whole thing reeks a bit of hocus-pocus). They do give a followup report of fuel analysis, and maybe, if I have that done, we can find out what the discoloration is due to, but I won't put too much faith in that idea till I actually see it. Meanwhile, I think I'll contact Texaco... I think their petroleum chemists may be able to shed some light (They are here in Houston). I'll post any useful info I might get.
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