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Difficult escape from the Thames

Dr Bradley

By Dr Bradley
in General Boating

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Dr Bradley Rising Star

Dr Bradley

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Thursday, near dusk the engine stopped. I drifted into the side and decided to look in the morning. Checked the lift pump - not working. Fitted spare pump. It's running but not pumping anything. After a bit of investigating, the pump is working but can't get anything from the fuel tank. After looking at the non working pump it's full of black gunge, same as on the Severn. I've got diesel bug. I pumped the fuel out, which is black, and rigged up fuel supply from the jerry can. Whilst it gets the engine started it doesn't keep it running well. In the meantime my boat is now heavily aground and the engine nor poles will get it off. A passing cruiser tried to pull me off but could make little impression then a narrowboat. After several attempts they succeed and tow me upstream to and through the lock. Thanks to both boats for your efforts, especially the narrowboat as they spent a fair bit of time and effort helping me. (I needed though to go downstream)

 

After a bit more fiddling I got it going again but not for long. Final plan had to be enacted. I walked to the nearest boatyard and got fuel in a fresh container, then change both filters and arrange a feed from the container. I've now used my spare pump, last filters and last fuel container, but it works. I manage to get onto the Oxford canal with a few hours to spare before my license expires.

Now the questions. How do I cure diesel bug. Will this set up get through the boat safety scheme next week.

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Thursday, near dusk the engine stopped. I drifted into the side and decided to look in the morning. Checked the lift pump - not working. Fitted spare pump. It's running but not pumping anything. After a bit of investigating, the pump is working but can't get anything from the fuel tank. After looking at the non working pump it's full of black gunge, same as on the Severn. I've got diesel bug. I pumped the fuel out, which is black, and rigged up fuel supply from the jerry can. Whilst it gets the engine started it doesn't keep it running well. In the meantime my boat is now heavily aground and the engine nor poles will get it off. A passing cruiser tried to pull me off but could make little impression then a narrowboat. After several attempts they succeed and tow me upstream to and through the lock. Thanks to both boats for your efforts, especially the narrowboat as they spent a fair bit of time and effort helping me. (I needed though to go downstream)

 

After a bit more fiddling I got it going again but not for long. Final plan had to be enacted. I walked to the nearest boatyard and got fuel in a fresh container, then change both filters and arrange a feed from the container. I've now used my spare pump, last filters and last fuel container, but it works. I manage to get onto the Oxford canal with a few hours to spare before my license expires.

Now the questions. How do I cure diesel bug. Will this set up get through the boat safety scheme next week.

 

Dr B you seem to have the most awful luck with breakdowns.

 

Anyway, some answers:

 

1) Put Marine 16 in the diesel tank. But let's go back a step. How do you know it is diesel bug and not just a load of sh!te in the tank? Assumption is the mother, and all that...

 

2) Technically your jury-rigged fuel supply won't pass a BSS, but if the examiner has his sensible head on, he'll accept it is a temporary arrangement and inspect the original installation to which you will revert.

 

MtB

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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

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Posted (edited)

I cannot answer the boat safety question.

 

For the 'bug' though...are you sure its bug and not just heavily polluted fuel ?

I thought I had bug..but it wasn't..it was a huge load of sooty black pollution from a place I filled up at Banbury.

 

I did have bug once.....and it looked different.

 

You can either employ somebody to polish..or deal yourself as I did.

 

I bought a couple of large plastic dustbins from Wickes...and pumped it through varying degrees of 'sock' type filters I got from Ebay. You then treat it with biocide (I used Marine 16) and stir-it-abat in the bins..and then pump it back into the tank.

I used a 'drill pump' I got cheap...and you need somebody else to hold hoses etc...

Remove your fuel filters when the tank is empty...open fuel tap..and drain any missed bug down into a bucket.

 

Worked permanantly for me.

 

Filters:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3X28-10-5-1MICRON-FILTER-BAGS-SOCKS-VEGETABLE-OIL-VEG-OIL-BIODIESEL-/171116013078?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27d74f2616

 

Next...I will tell you how to make a handy new bottom plate..out of a washing up liquid bottle...biggrin.png

Edited by Bobbybass
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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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Oxford Aldi down the Botley Road about 3/4 of the way to the bypass. I used my bus pass.

 

I would advise that you use the Marine 16 concentrated biocide as a first treatment and then half a pot of their diesel maintenance product, with half a pot spring and autumn.

 

I would also advise, seeing that this is ongoing, that you get the fuel polished. I think Tooleys at Banbury have a rig. Feel the black stuff because you can get lots of little black specks from flexible hoses that are failing. If it is this then you should be bale to feel the individual grains but a little softer than fine stone dust or rust.

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Dr Bradley Rising Star

Dr Bradley

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I had the fuel polished 7 weeks ago. Feel it cannot be normal crud accumulation in that time. The black stuff is very slimy and not gritty. I'll look up the Marne 16 stuff, that may be the answer. As far as saving the fuel, I was running low as I was waiting to get off the Thames before filling up so would probably cost more than the fuel saved.

 

The bloke I bought the fresh fuel from said the only way to deal with it is cut a hole in the tank to clean it thoroughly - seems a bit extreme.

 

My lash up has worked perfectly today so I can keep moving till it's sorted.

 

Matt. I have left the Thames and on my way north on the Oxford. (Slowly).

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newcruiser Explorer

newcruiser

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Tooleys do offer this service, in fact Matt did one just this afternoon! Closed Sunday, docking day monday but they are about

01295 272917, leave your number and message and he;ll call you back

I'm moored at tooley's due to an accident earlier this year have been unable to cruise, they have been champions

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churchward Veteran II

churchward

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I had the fuel polished 7 weeks ago. Feel it cannot be normal crud accumulation in that time. The black stuff is very slimy and not gritty. I'll look up the Marne 16 stuff, that may be the answer. As far as saving the fuel, I was running low as I was waiting to get off the Thames before filling up so would probably cost more than the fuel saved.

 

The bloke I bought the fresh fuel from said the only way to deal with it is cut a hole in the tank to clean it thoroughly - seems a bit extreme.

 

My lash up has worked perfectly today so I can keep moving till it's sorted.

 

Matt. I have left the Thames and on my way north on the Oxford. (Slowly).

I certainly would not hav the fuel "polished" another time it will probably be good money down the drain. Better to buy a biocide like Marine 16 or a similar product. Be prepared for a filter change as it is likely that as the chemicals do their work it the dead bug material will likely clog the filters.

 

In fact I would purposely run the engine if you can on the old filters for a while and then fit new ones later. Otherwise the new ones will just clog up and you will have to put a new set on. you may have to change a couple of times anyway but it should save you have to do it too many times. Otherwise if you feel the need then have the fuel polish done after the mariine 16 treatment has done its job.

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Paul's Nulife4-2 Influencer

Paul's Nulife4-2

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Hi ya,

Having your 'Fuel Polished' in my basic description means. You have all your on board fuel,sucked out your tank's,by a small portable machine,that forces it through a number of various filters,water traps & magnates,then depositing it in a temp holding tank.

This then gives you the opportunity to clean & inspect your boat tank,delivery lines& pipes & replace any filters.

The Fuel is then ran back into your main tank water,contaminate,particle & bug free 'polished'...one hopes..

I think that 'Marine 16' is more of an additive or treatment.A really good one at that.

Edited by Paul's Nulife4-2
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Is this bug contaminate a regular occurrence for all boats or just in certain situations? Sounds icky.

 

It's an aerobic bacteria that lives on the interface of diesel (hydrocarbon energy source) and any water (oxygen source) that's accumulated in the fuel tank geneally as a result of condensation (remember diesel floats on water). I might be wrong but don't think that it can just develop in the tank so there has to be a source of infection and that's just a bad batch of fuel. If you use the fuel regularly then in all probability a small amount of fresh bacteria that's just got in and hasn't yet formed a mass will go through the filters and get used by the engine, but if you leave fuel in the tank for years then it can grow inside the tank and form a slimy black mass.

Edited by blackrose
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Gingerbeer Collaborator

Gingerbeer

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It's an aerobic bacteria that lives on the interface of diesel (hydrocarbon energy source) and any water (oxygen source) that's accumulated under the fuel, geneally as a result of condensation (remember diesel floats on water). I might be wrong but don't think that it can just develop in the tank so there has to be a source of infection and that's just a bad batch of fuel. If you use the fuel regularly then in all probability a small amount of fresh bacteria that's just got in and hasn't yet formed a mass will go through the filters and get used by the engine, but if you leave fuel in the tank for years then it can grow inside the tank and form a slimy black mass.

 

Good to know. The trick is to keep moving and not sit in one place for 5 years growing fungus. Thanks for the explanation.

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Dr Bradley Rising Star

Dr Bradley

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It's an aerobic bacteria that lives on the interface of diesel (hydrocarbon energy source) and any water (oxygen source) that's accumulated in the fuel, tank geneally as a result of condensation (remember diesel floats on water). I might be wrong but don't think that it can just develop in the tank so there has to be a source of infection and that's just a bad batch of fuel. If you use the fuel regularly then in all probability a small amount of fresh bacteria that's just got in and hasn't yet formed a mass will go through the filters and get used by the engine, but if you leave fuel in the tank for years then it can grow inside the tank and form a slimy black mass.

As use about 200 litres of fuel a month and had the fuel polished just 7 weeks ago I don't think it can be dismissed as something that only happens to fuel left in the tank a long time.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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As use about 200 litres of fuel a month and had the fuel polished just 7 weeks ago I don't think it can be dismissed as something that only happens to fuel left in the tank a long time.

 

I wasn't dismissing it at all. Either your system wasn't cleaned properly and some slime residue remained, or (less likely) you got reinfected after it was cleaned - and not just reinfected with a few bacteria as I don't think it can grow that quickly.

 

That's the problem, if the tanks of your fuel supplier are infected then yours will be too. So the fuel may not have been left in your tank for a long time, but it was probably left in somebody's tank for a long time.

Edited by blackrose
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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

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It's an aerobic bacteria that lives on the interface of diesel (hydrocarbon energy source) and any water (oxygen source) that's accumulated in the fuel tank geneally as a result of condensation (remember diesel floats on water). I might be wrong but don't think that it can just develop in the tank so there has to be a source of infection and that's just a bad batch of fuel. If you use the fuel regularly then in all probability a small amount of fresh bacteria that's just got in and hasn't yet formed a mass will go through the filters and get used by the engine, but if you leave fuel in the tank for years then it can grow inside the tank and form a slimy black mass.

 

 

I think you probably meant that it's an anaerobic bacteria (bacterium I suppose if being really pedantic). Opposite meaning.

 

Tim

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