How do I Clean Diesel Tank?
Original Message:
Diesel Problems
Hey everyone,
Got a question for you. I'm having problems with my fuel gelling. I
hardly use the engine except to get in and out of the marina, etc.
and I haven't bought fuel for a very long time (over a year). I do
use an additive, but the last time I bought fuel it was from a
marina that didn't sell much so it probably wasn't that clean. I'm
having trouble starting and it's got plenty of battery. I put
another little bit of additive in it on the advice of another diesel
owner, but it hasn't helped much. It has gotten colder than normal
here this winter (ice around the boat and across the slew once). I
don't want to take the tank out, but I will if I have to.
- Has anyone ever pumped their fuel out?
- If so, How? I've got a siphon system that is used on 55 gal
drums of acetone. I may use that.
- Where did you get rid of it?
- Can a place like Express Oil Change recycle or get rid of it.
It's all petroleum, right?
- Will it help to do this if I can't get it all out or is it not
worth it to maybe get air in the line? I had an idea to maybe
use 3 of the plastic 6 gallon tanks like I have in my small
motorboat and only hook them up one at a time instead of having
the built in 18.
- Diesel is no longer available on the lake I live on and I have
to carry cans anyway. Is this a good idea?
Thanks for all your help. I just got my injectors rebuilt and
replaced the fuel filter in the last year and don't want to go
through that again.
Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Tiffany Dunlap, c30 #3359, "Original", TKD4AU@aol.com
RE: [c30-list] Diesel Problems
Tiffany,
I know you will get plenty of good help but I wanted to give you a
quick idea of what I went through last year. The 30 I bought has not
been used much for some time. I will try to contain my info to the
tank only. Mine had quite a bit of blackish alga in the tank. I
removed the float, which gives you a hole in the top of the tank. I
used a kerosene pump (the plastic kind people use for transferring
from a 5 gal can to their heater.) I removed all I could this way. I
then put in a 1/2 or so of new clean diesel, rocked the boat and
pumped it out. I then took a flat piece of spring steel and wired a
scrubby (scotchbrite) to the end of it. This will fold up to go
through the hole then spread out again. I tried to get to every
surface in the tank. After this I again put in 1/2 or so of good
fuel and rocked boat and pumped out. After looking around inside
with a small flashlight you can see how you are doing. I'm also told
there is a screen on the fuel pickup. Most people suggest removing
this. I blew back through mine to make sure it was clear and left in
place. After making sure the tank is mostly clean, there is a
product you can buy that will dissolve the left overs and send it on
through your fuel system (I'll look it up, if you want). Of course,
you need to then change filters and etc.
I'll leave the balance of the questions to someone else.
Hollis on Lake Guntersville, Hollis.Babb@med.ge.com
RE: [c30-list] Diesel Problems
I purchased my 1986 C30 this past fall, and found a great deal
of sludge in the tank, and a very clogged filter. Removing the
fuel-sending unit allowed me to inspect with a small flashlight.
There was no question that the tank needed to be cleaned. First I
went to Home Depot, and purchased a $14.95 pump that attaches to a
power drill. Next I vacuumed the tank using this pump (Diesel fuel
is safe to use with this type pump, NEVER TRY THIS WITH
GASOLINE!!!). It was amazing how much sludge the pump picked up.
Using several clear 5-gallon jugs, I transported the old fuel home,
and after letting it settle overnight, I pumped all but the bottom
half inch of fuel into my home heating oil tank. Next I back flushed
the fuel feed line to clean the screen. Lastly, I took a coat hanger
with a lint-free cloth and scrubbed the tank inside as much as
possible, completing this before all the old fuel was pumped out.
As a final safety measure, when the tank was empty, I poured in 3
gallons of fresh fuel, and vacuumed it out with the pump. Again,
more sludge.
The real success of this project was the pump. The high volume of
it really creates the needed suction to remove all the sludge, right
down the bottom corner of the tank. The clear plastic tubing that
comes with it allows you to monitor the amount of sludge being
removed. As a side benefit, this pump is outstanding for pumping
waterlines and water tanks dry during winterization, cleaning out
bilges etc. I will carry it on board with a cordless power drill
this season.
Stephen Bradley, WINDSWAY #4567, SDBSAIL@snet.net
Important: The opinions expressed here are
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the Catalina 34 National Association or Catalina Yachts, Inc.
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