Water / Contaminants in Diesel ?

[cpt.biodiesel]

Hello everyone...

 

I am wondering if anybody has experienced problems with water or particualtes in their diesel ?

 

Is it a big problem ? Small problem or no problem at all ?

 

Are there any cases of damage being done to fuel delivery systems as a result of water or contaminants in their diesel ?

 

Thanks,

 

cpt. biodiesel

[Machpoint005]

On a previous boat I had all sorts of problems that were possibly down to water in the diesel tank. It may have been bacterial growth or just water, but the advice I received at the time (right or wrong) was to keep the fuel tank full in winter, to avoid condensation on the steel surfaces exposed to air inside the tank.

[WJM]

boat next to me had terrible problem this winter with a contaminated fill of diesel - took out not just the engine but also the central heating - painful in mid winter on a liveaboard. Suggestion was it was a bacterial bug living in the diesel. It took a lot of work to flush it out.

[tired old pirate]

Hello everyone...

 

I am wondering if anybody has experienced problems with water or particualtes in their diesel ?

 

Is it a big problem ? Small problem or no problem at all ?

 

Are there any cases of damage being done to fuel delivery systems as a result of water or contaminants in their diesel ?

 

Thanks,

 

cpt. biodiesel

 

My girlfiend had a nasty load of water in her boat tank this spring, she hadnt moved for ages and her interestingly finished liverpool boat did not have a breather cap fitted on the fuel tank (amongst a few other things!), they just hadnt put one on and she didnt notice,water just ran straight in all winter! engine just died.

 

I took the fuel filter off and it was full of what looked like yak sperm but was apparently water/diesel gunk. I siphoned the gunk out of the tank as much as I could, flushed the filters, refilled tank and cranked diesel through loosening off the injectors so that all the yak sperm escaped and then did them up really quickly as it started. No damage done to the engine I hope and I'm sure thats not the way to do it but it did work! I siphoned out about 2 pints of water!

I borrowed a hand bilge pump to siphon the goo out.

[Tony Brooks]

Hello everyone...

 

I am wondering if anybody has experienced problems with water or particualtes in their diesel ?

 

Is it a big problem ? Small problem or no problem at all ?

 

Are there any cases of damage being done to fuel delivery systems as a result of water or contaminants in their diesel ?

 

Thanks,

 

cpt. biodiesel

 

 

1. It is all but impossible to avoid water in the fuel and it arrives in a variety of means.

 

2. The fuel system should be designed to have a fair stab at dealing with it, but once moulds, microbes and yeasts get at it the stem will not cope.

 

3. Even if the water/bugs do stop the boat prompt action will normally resolve the issue without overmuch expense.

 

4. You will minimise the problem if you buy fuel form sources that have a vested interest in keeping their fuel in good condition and have a high throughput - like hire fleets

 

5. In view of 1 I would always advise the use of at least a water removing fuel additive. (see another thread on this forum) They do seem to work and most people look on them as insurance.

 

The particulates will almost certainly be the bugs and it is said they can not breed without water being present.

 

Individually one is probably unlucky to have a problem, but the company I run courses for (RCR - the waterway's AA/RAC) see a lot of problems but appear to fix them without drastic and expensive measures once the customer has been convinced to use a biocide additive.

 

Some bank side fuel suppliers are now adding the additive to their bulk tanks I understand.

 

Tony Brooks

[cpt.biodiesel]

Really informative answers everyone, thanks very much and please let me know more if you can ....

 

1. It is all but impossible to avoid water in the fuel and it arrives in a variety of means.

 

2. The fuel system should be designed to have a fair stab at dealing with it, but once moulds, microbes and yeasts get at it the stem will not cope.

 

3. Even if the water/bugs do stop the boat prompt action will normally resolve the issue without overmuch expense.

 

4. You will minimise the problem if you buy fuel form sources that have a vested interest in keeping their fuel in good condition and have a high throughput - like hire fleets

 

5. In view of 1 I would always advise the use of at least a water removing fuel additive. (see another thread on this forum) They do seem to work and most people look on them as insurance.

 

The particulates will almost certainly be the bugs and it is said they can not breed without water being present.

 

Individually one is probably unlucky to have a problem, but the company I run courses for (RCR - the waterway's AA/RAC) see a lot of problems but appear to fix them without drastic and expensive measures once the customer has been convinced to use a biocide additive.

 

Some bank side fuel suppliers are now adding the additive to their bulk tanks I understand.

 

Tony Brooks

[pig]

Really informative answers everyone, thanks very much and please let me know more if you can ....

 

Just to add my 2p worth;

Once, after refuelling my narrowboat at a local boatyard, I experienced many problems with the engine, on one occasion having to haul the boat 3 miles back to her moorings. I was having to change the fuel filter frequently, and the engine would misfire and die at inopportune moments.

I decided to get to the bottom of the problem and used a drill pump to empty the diesel tank into a big container. I couldn't believe the amount of rust, crud and water (no sperm though ) that came out. It appears I had the fag end of the diesel in the boatyard's tank. Very difficult to prove of course, so no joy in getting a refund from the supplier.

I fitted an inline separator in addition to the existing filter, and with a new tankfull, have had no problems since. I suppose I'm lucky that the rusty crap didn't damage the engine. I'm always careful now to buy my diesel from a hireboat yard if possible, for the reasons posted above.

I would recommend a separator with a clear bowl- you can see any problems with the fuel immediately. My boat was a cheap'n'cheerful narrowboat, so didn't have one as standard; I suppose they all have 'em nowadays.

hth

Neil

[Liam]

I would recommend a separator with a clear bowl- you can see any problems with the fuel immediately. My boat was a cheap'n'cheerful narrowboat, so didn't have one as standard; I suppose they all have 'em nowadays.

We had one of those clear bowls on the fuel filter on the Perkins 4108 which we had in our 27ft Nauticus. Apparently, I was told by someone, can't remember where, that these bowls can't be glass/see through as per the BSS. Does anybody know any different?

[John Orentas]

I have said this before, but it is worth repeating. For anyone who does not have a fully recirculating fuel supply system it is well worth considering modifications to improve it. Essentially your lift pump should deliver fuel from the tank via a filter/ water separator to the injection pump on the engine, the fuel pipe carries on from there and returns the fuel back to the top of the tank, all this in 8 or 10mm pipe.

 

The idea is that as long as your engine is running a good quantity of fuel is constantly circulating from tank through the filter, your fuel system will stay very much healthy, your filter many need changing more frequently for a while but that is what it is for. Just about all boats built in the last 30 years or so will have provision for a return but many engine installers did not bother to use it properly, some merely returning the tiny amount of fuel from the spill pipes.

[pig]

We had one of those clear bowls on the fuel filter on the Perkins 4108 which we had in our 27ft Nauticus. Apparently, I was told by someone, can't remember where, that these bowls can't be glass/see through as per the BSS. Does anybody know any different?

 

Well my boat's had two BSS exams with the see-through separator fitted, and passed on both occasions.

 

Neil

[Tony Brooks]

Well my boat's had two BSS exams with the see-through separator fitted, and passed on both occasions.

 

Neil

 

 

Clear plastic is allowed as long as its marked to show its compliant with the magic ISO standards (fire). As far as I know for inland use glass is not, but aluminium replacements are available if its one of the Delphi/Lucas/CAV units.

 

Tony Brooks