Diesel Bug - Treatment

[GreyLady]

I've been researching diesel bug issues a little bit but can I ask which is the best trusted general go to brand of anti diesel bug treatment to use ?

 

This is what I've got up to now;

 

1. Keep the diesel tank topped up all year

2. Make sure the filler cap has a good seal

3. Replace fuel filters (how often I dont know?)

 

Any advice is much appreciated as am completely new to boating and living on the water full time.

Edited March 17, 2016 by GreyLady

[dogless]

Many years ago I did an RCR diesel engine course at Reading with the excellent Mr Tony Brookes of this forum.

At that time he suggested that Fuel Set as a routine additive to the diesel tank was his recommendation. He suggested this additive minimised water in the tank on a routine basis.

If problems were encountered with the dreaded bug, one could then apply an anti-bug agent (Marine 16 etc).

He likened it to routinely taking antibiotics. By the time you actually NEEDED antibiotics, you may have reached a form of immunity.

 

His reasoning made sense to me, and for 11years I have stuck with his advice.

Last year I splashed out £100 and had my tank cleaned (the boat is 23 years old and never been done) and the diesel 'polished' too. Belt and braces I suppose. I still use Fuel set everytime I fill up.

 

Rog

 

Should have said, you're absolutely correct with regular servicing etc.

Enjoy your boating

Edited March 17, 2016 by dogless

[Guest]

I've been researching diesel bug issues a little bit but can I ask which is the best trusted general go to brand of anti diesel bug treatment to use ?

 

This is what I've got up to now;

 

1. Keep the diesel tank topped up all year

2. Make sure the filler cap has a good seal

3. Replace fuel filters (how often I dont know?)

 

Any advice is much appreciated as am completely new to boating and living on the water full time.

1. Yes helps reduce condensation.

2. Yes, renew my filler seal frequently (50p a go). Had an incident a few years back when it was leaking and caused nasty engine problems. Could hav cost several grand for the sake of a 50p seal, I was very lucky.

3. Yes. I do mine twice a year, but do refer to engine manual etc. to be certain. should tell you in "hours."

 

I also use "Marine 16 complete" fuel treatment most of the time, which seems good stuff. We can never be sure if it has really worked though.

I also pump some crud from the bottom of the tank in spring, though it is usually quite clean.

It's all about good hygiene; not carrying diesel in grubby containers etc.

Try and buy "FAME free" diesel if you can get it.

[GreyLady]

Many years ago I did an RCR diesel engine course at Reading with the excellent Mr Tony Brookes of this forum.

At that time he suggested that Fuel Set as a routine additive to the diesel tank was his recommendation. He suggested this additive minimised water in the tank on a routine basis.

If problems were encountered with the dreaded bug, one could then apply an anti-bug agent (Marine 16 etc).

He likened it to routinely taking antibiotics. By the time you actually NEEDED antibiotics, you may have reached a form of immunity.

His reasoning made sense to me, and for 11years I have stuck with his advice.

Last year I splashed out £100 and had my tank cleaned (the boat is 23 years old and never been done) and the diesel 'polished' too. Belt and braces I suppose. I still use Fuel set everytime I fill up.

Rog

Should have said, you're absolutely correct with regular servicing etc.

Enjoy your boating

 

Cheers Rog I've never even heard of fuel set, but it sounds like it's done the job on your boat.

 

I see what you mean about the link with anti biotics (quite logical and we've seen it this year twice)

 

Have a good summer boating ya self.

Edited March 17, 2016 by GreyLady

[nicknorman]

I use Marine 16 which is a biocide. Tony's recent view is that this is a better concept than something like Fuelset which is an emulsifier, since diesel started to contain biofuel.

 

On your list of points, you should of course change the fuel filter in accordance with the engine manufacturer's recommendations but that in itself doesn't help to prevent the forming of "bug" in the tank.

 

One of the best remedies is to do lots of cruising, which gives a good throughput of diesel. It's fun too!

[GreyLady]

1. Yes helps reduce condensation.

2. Yes, renew my filler seal frequently (50p a go). Had an incident a few years back when it was leaking and caused nasty engine problems. Could hav cost several grand for the sake of a 50p seal, I was very lucky.

3. Yes. I do mine twice a year, but do refer to engine manual etc. to be certain. should tell you in "hours."

 

I also use "Marine 16 complete" fuel treatment most of the time, which seems good stuff. We can never be sure if it has really worked though.

I also pump some crud from the bottom of the tank in spring, though it is usually quite clean.

It's all about good hygiene; not carrying diesel in grubby containers etc.

Try and buy "FAME free" diesel if you can get it.

Cheers for the advice Catweasel, how do I know if it's fame if am getting diesel from a marina ?

 

I was going to mention marine 16 but I was afraid I might be seen as an advertiser lol.

 

Bloody paranoia

[Guest]

We never did anything with our diesel other than top it up and use it. However ours often was white and came from roadside outlets where the turnover is much greater too.

 

Expensive way to run a boat though and a prat on too.

[GreyLady]

I use Marine 16 which is a biocide. Tony's recent view is that this is a better concept than something like Fuelset which is an emulsifier, since diesel started to contain biofuel.

On your list of points, you should of course change the fuel filter in accordance with the engine manufacturer's recommendations but that in itself doesn't help to prevent the forming of "bug" in the tank.

One of the best remedies is to do lots of cruising, which gives a good throughput of diesel. It's fun too!

Hia Nick, having a good fuel turn over sounds a good idea.

We never did anything with our diesel other than top it up and use it. However ours often was white and came from roadside outlets where the turnover is much greater too.

Expensive way to run a boat though and a prat on too.

I wonder if the canal police are on to boaters using white ?

 

Ello Ello what's this then.

 

It does make me wonder though how old marina tanks are and what's in them ???????

Edited March 17, 2016 by GreyLady

[bizzard]

And whilst cruising along you are also very gently polishing your own fuel via the spill back which has passed through the filters and dribbles back into the tank.

And whilst cruising along you are also very gently polishing your own fuel via the spill back which has passed through the filters and dribbles back into the tank.

Chase a bug around a tree, say it fast.

[Guest]

I wonder if the canal police are on to boaters using white ?

Ello Ello what's this then.

It does make me wonder though how old marina tanks are and what's in them ???????

Not sure why you think there might be a problem using white in a boat, other than its more expensive than red because of fuel duty. It's perfectly legal to do so, just a bit of a prat on.

[GreyLady]

Not sure why you think there might be a problem using white in a boat, other than its more expensive than red because of fuel duty. It's perfectly legal to do so, just a bit of a prat on.

Apologies MJG, I was probably being a bit sarcastic towards the fuel duty people, I realise it's a lot more expensive as apposed to red diesel.

 

Again apologies.

[Guest]

Apologies MJG, I was probably being a bit sarcastic towards the fuel duty people, I realise it's a lot more expensive as apposed to red diesel.

Again apologies.

Not a problem.

[bizzard]

I use white diesel from a busy garage during the winter because I'm generally not going very far at that time of year, up to town shopping and sanny once or twice a week and perhaps the odd call out to a broken down boat or a trip to the pub if the weathers nice. My nearest boat yard for red diesel is a couple of hours away but I would only buy there's during the summer when their turn over increases and hopefully its a bit fresher.

[GreyLady]

I use white diesel from a busy garage during the winter because I'm generally not going very far at that time of year, up to town shopping and sanny once or twice a week and perhaps the odd call out to a broken down boat or a trip to the pub if the weathers nice. My nearest boat yard for red diesel is a couple of hours away but I would only buy there's during the summer when their turn over increases and hopefully its a bit fresher.

I hope the price of white diesel stays down for you bizzard we can't have you breaking down on the way to the pub. :-)

 

Nan Night all

Edited March 17, 2016 by GreyLady

[jenevers]

2. Yes, renew my filler seal frequently (50p a go). Had an incident a few years back when it was leaking and caused nasty engine problems. Could hav cost several grand for the sake of a 50p seal, I was very lucky.

it.

Where do you get theses seals from, please?

[Guest]

Cheers for the advice Catweasel, how do I know if it's fame if am getting diesel from a marina ?

 

I was going to mention marine 16 but I was afraid I might be seen as an advertiser lol.

 

Bloody paranoia

some will advertise it as such, whilst you will have to ask at others. i suspect that most marinas are not selling FAME free, but have never counted them. I always fill up with FAME free if I see it when out and about, but it doesn't keep me awake at night if I can't get any.

What others have said about usage is probably the most important. Keep the diesel moving if you can. Ours sits in the tank over winter so I dose it up with M16.

Where do you get theses seals from, please?

Most decent chandlers/marinas seem to keep them. I usually keep a couple on the boat. same ones fit the water filler on our boat.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Guest

[GreyLady]

Thanks Catweasel.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I've been using Marine 16 for the last few year, and it seems to be working well. There was almost no crud in the filters after my tanks got a VERY good stir last summer. Two other thoughts:

 

• if you have to fill up the tank in the rain, then dry the surrounding deck etc, and the filler nozzle, and use an umbrella (to keep water out of the tank, not to keep you dry)
• depending on the design of your filler, you may be able to stick a bit of pipe (copper or flexible) down to the bottom of the tank, and pump out a bit of fuel from the bottom of the tank. That's a good way of checking the tank is clean.

[Guest]

I've been using Marine 16 for the last few year, and it seems to be working well. There was almost no crud in the filters after my tanks got a VERY good stir last summer. Two other thoughts:

 

• if you have to fill up the tank in the rain, then dry the surrounding deck etc, and the filler nozzle, and use an umbrella (to keep water out of the tank, not to keep you dry)
• depending on the design of your filler, you may be able to stick a bit of pipe (copper or flexible) down to the bottom of the tank, and pump out a bit of fuel from the bottom of the tank. That's a good way of checking the tank is clean.

DSCF5434.JPG

Two good tips if I may say so. I have done the tank dipping thing ever since it got a load of water in there some years back. Took a surprisingly long time to get the last drops of water out, but it comes out clean these days. Well worth the effort if a bit messy.

Edited to add our filters always look clean since using M16.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Guest

[GreyLady]

I've been using Marine 16 for the last few year, and it seems to be working well. There was almost no crud in the filters after my tanks got a VERY good stir last summer. Two other thoughts:

 

 

• if you have to fill up the tank in the rain, then dry the surrounding deck etc, and the filler nozzle, and use an umbrella (to keep water out of the tank, not to keep you dry)
• depending on the design of your filler, you may be able to stick a bit of pipe (copper or flexible) down to the bottom of the tank, and pump out a bit of fuel from the bottom of the tank. That's a good way of checking the tank is clean.

DSCF5434.JPG

Thanks for you advice it's really appreciated.

 

I am gooogling for syphons now. (I must be weird)

Edited March 18, 2016 by GreyLady

[DrunkenDonkey]

Is Diesel bug real or just a myth?!? After I first bought Mary, we had a heap of problems with the engine and everyone told me it was diesel bug and that they "have the solution, for a single one off payment of £150 we can polish your tank!!" etc. etc.

 

After changing the filters, some of the fuel line and filling the tank up (and actually using the fuel rather than it being sat in a marina for however long) all the problems cleared up on their own.

 

It seems to be everyone's first go to for anything problematic in the fuel line, but I'm not convinced.

[wrigglefingers]

Well, whatever diesel bug is, it's certainly be true that a good service, change of filters and fresh fuel in a quantity that reduces the proportion of muck at the bottom of the tank would help.

[Victor Vectis]

Good to see you back!

 

And I hear what you're saying.

 

[Keeping Up]

Is Diesel bug real or just a myth?!? After I first bought Mary, we had a heap of problems with the engine and everyone told me it was diesel bug and that they "have the solution, for a single one off payment of £150 we can polish your tank!!" etc. etc.

 

After changing the filters, some of the fuel line and filling the tank up (and actually using the fuel rather than it being sat in a marina for however long) all the problems cleared up on their own.

 

It seems to be everyone's first go to for anything problematic in the fuel line, but I'm not convinced.

 

Yes it definitely exists. We suffered greatly from it last year, after somebody stole half our diesel and left the remainder contaminated with water and bug.

 

The bug was potent enough that despite copious amounts of the usual chemicals being added, after several unsuccessful attempts at having the fuel simply polished and the inside of the tank being cleaned, the entire contents of the tank was thrown away and the interior was cleaned again, all the fuel lines and filters were yet again replaced and then the tank was filled with fresh clean FAME-free diesel plus a 6-times overdose of bug killer; but a morsel of the bug must have been hiding somewhere because it took less than a week for that entire tank-full to turn into 250 litres of black slime. The eventual cure was only achieved by cleaning the tank with high-pressure superheated steam.

[DrunkenDonkey]

Bloomin' eck! Fair do's.

 

Had no idea it could be so bad, although I still think many use it as a buzz word to drive sales.

 

If you moor around MK you've probably seen us around. Say hi if you see a donkey on your travels