After treating the diesel fuel with an additive I forget to screw in the filler cap. It rained for 6 hours and now I’m wondering what I should do about the water in the tank. I would appreciate all ideas on what to do here! Thank you CR
Water in diesel tank Hunter 34
- Thread starter hunter healer
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,179
@hunter healer do you have a water separated filter, like the Racor 500? It will separate the water befor to gets to your engine. You may be able to reduce the water in the tank by sucking the water up from the bottom of the tank.
Been there and done that. My solution was to add a primer bulb in-line to the fuel hose before my Racor filter. Open the drain on the Racor and squeeze the bulb until the bottom phase (water) stops increasing and the top phase starts getting bigger. When you start pumping it will only be the water phase. Test by adding some water and you'll see it mix completely. If it was fuel the water you add would sink to the bottom. Eventually the fuel layer will begin to form. Our fuel tanks have a low spot so the pickup tube will pretty much allow all water to be sucked out. Close the drain and start the engine. Periodically check the bowl. There might be a few drops that still separate out.
You will note I moved my Racor for ease of access and that clear tube is so I can put a bottle under it and work with both hands. The bulb is also a great addition to bleeding the engine when necessary instead of using that little lever on the mechanical fuel pump. If you have an electric fuel pump you can evacuate the water with that.
You will note I moved my Racor for ease of access and that clear tube is so I can put a bottle under it and work with both hands. The bulb is also a great addition to bleeding the engine when necessary instead of using that little lever on the mechanical fuel pump. If you have an electric fuel pump you can evacuate the water with that.
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Thank you for the photos. Based on where you mounted the racor it would be easy to reach I’ll pick one up. Where did you get the fuel shut off lever between the bulb and the racor? Also I see the guagebyou mounted is that a temp gauge? What did you use for the sending unit ? The one for the temp buzzer? Thank you CR
Hi CR, I got that shut off valve at the local hardware store. I also had to buy a hose barb fitting for the fuel line. The original hose was 1/4" but later I upsized to 5/16". I had to change the fitting at the tank shutoff too. The gauge is an automotive vacuum gauge. The Racor has two inputs and two outputs. So I used one input for the fuel line (with the shutoff valve) and the other for the gauge. Since the mechanical pump draws fuel through the filter the gauge shows vacuum when the filter starts to plug up.
@Allan12210 is a sunpro auto manafold vacuum gauge that is designed to work on air pressure suited for diesel? I got my gauge from a hydrolic shop and it is rated for liquid petroleum contact for about $20. And it has a resetable high vacuum needle.
Mahalo
Mahalo
Using a squeeze bulb is a proven idea, but there is one little wrinkle to remember. In the last decade (?) the ABYC has recommended against having one in the same area as the engine. So just locate it outside that compartment. Also, you nowadays need a "flame guard" under the clear plastic Racor bowel. All of this is to add XX number of extra minutes to the point at which an engine compartment fire will involve the fuel system and feed the flames. Our little diesels are not much of a fire hazard, IMHO, but if you are doing upgrades it's wise to follow industry guidelines.
I think using the pick-up tube with some device is a good FIRST STEP.
However, the tube is always some distance above the bottom of the tank. The water in the tank will (aside for hurting or stopping the diesel engine) facilitate the growth of "gunky stuff" in the diesel tank.
I know this isn't the best thing to say, but you need to open up the tank, look in it and properly get the water out.
A clean-out is one way, using the pick-up and return tubes and playing around can also work. Unfortunately, some tanks i) have baffles, and ii) aren't "level" when the boat is at rest. You can suck-out out the tank and "dry" it up. I'd use the opportunity to make sure it's clean.
Having had a couple of tanks gunk-up from i) lack of adequate cycling of the fuel, and ii) possibly a loose gasket or failure to tighten down the fills, I can tell you it's best to nip the problem in the bud.
However, the tube is always some distance above the bottom of the tank. The water in the tank will (aside for hurting or stopping the diesel engine) facilitate the growth of "gunky stuff" in the diesel tank.
I know this isn't the best thing to say, but you need to open up the tank, look in it and properly get the water out.
A clean-out is one way, using the pick-up and return tubes and playing around can also work. Unfortunately, some tanks i) have baffles, and ii) aren't "level" when the boat is at rest. You can suck-out out the tank and "dry" it up. I'd use the opportunity to make sure it's clean.
Having had a couple of tanks gunk-up from i) lack of adequate cycling of the fuel, and ii) possibly a loose gasket or failure to tighten down the fills, I can tell you it's best to nip the problem in the bud.
Nice engine bay on that picture.
I think you have to connect the vacuum gauge on the output side of the Racor. You will never measure any difference in pressure on the input side if the filter gets clogged. For this reasoning I assume that the pump is on the engine side of the Racor and pulls the fuel through the Racor. If the filter gets clogged the pump has to work harder to get the fuel through the Racor and this shows as an increased vacuum on the gauge.
Pull the tank fuel sender, use a clear plastic dip tube (open on both ends, drop to tank bottom, place thumb on the tube top and extract). Do you see water in the bottom of the tube? If so, pump off tank bottoms until you can no longer find water. Inspect your filter bowl for water. Replace filter. Do this again in a year.
Diesel fuel recycles with waste oil
Diesel fuel recycles with waste oil
Well I used a low pressure electric pump and put it before the racor water separator and a plastic water bottle. I pumped about a gallon out. I don’t see any water but it looks very dark! While it was dripping into the plastic jug it had a pink color! Should I get some putty ( water identifier ) and put on a stick?
I keep the tank on the full side during the summer and use the engine weekly. The fluid in the bowl looks dark also? I didn’t see the first 1/2 gallon while it pumped into the plastic bottle. The plastic bottle has a faint lite blue hue to it So it’s hard to see the first couple of inches in the bottle to look for water ( two substances )
So you are looking at a coming season of clogged filters and multiple filter changes. You need to get a cross-section of what is in your tank. See my previous suggestion for using a tube as a device to do this. Water paste is only partly useful. How thick is that dark bug layer? Your fuel pickup does not draw from the tank bottom. You could start a remedy by removing the fuel sender and put a dip tube (with a slight angle cut) connected to your little pump and suck 5 gallons off the very bottom. That mix is considered a recyclable fuel and typically accepted at waste oil recycling tanks.
Ok I’ll try that but no fuel sender in this tank I’ll use the filler neck. What makes the fuel cloudy?