Fuel Manifold Q

[davidwigler]

I'm looking for a convenient place to tie into the manifold to install a fuel polishing pump. There is a plug at the front of each valve, as shown in the photo below. Does anyone know how the valve operates that fitting? Does it open to the same tank as selected by the valve?

[sandspur1966]

David,

While you could tap in to those valves (the pointer on the valve handle is the indicator of which port is open) I would consider a stand alone pickup in each tank that inserts deeper in to the tank than the OEM ones do, alllowing you to clean fuel closer to the bottom of the tank. In addition you can use a reversible pump and just push or pull fuel through the filter without impacting the Engine and generator settings,
.
I am sure many wil have other opinions.

All that being said I personally am a nonbeliever in fuel polishing. Storing fuel (an inherently perishable substance) and polishing it periodically is IMHO a fools gambit. I prefer to physically make sure my tanks are clean the old fashioned way by removing the plates and then putting the fuel I intend to use aboard and making sure I use it before enough time goes by that the asphaltines etc can coalesce.

The logic being, I prefer instead of spending $$$$$ on a fuel polishing system, adding additional weight to the boat, maintenance etc. To just buy another tank of fuel and use the heck out of the boat.... You get to the same place (clean tanks) and have more fun doing it.

[davidwigler]

Windsong has as much as 100 gallons of ancient fuel in the aft tank. I can install a permanent filter, pump and timer for what a mechanic would charge to clean it up once. Once the aft tank fuel is well filtered the plan is to gradually mix it with fresh fuel by transferring it to the forward tank through the polishing filter. Once the aft tank is empty I can clean it somewhat by running the polishing pump while refilling the aft tank with fresh fuel.

I don't plan to use the polishing filter while underway. The DDs do that themselves, so there will be no conflict with the engines' needs.

[REBrueckner]

david..as you likely know, fuel floats on water being less dense so water and assorted crud is mostly at the bottom of a tank....so if you want to go the ultimate fuel polishing route, having a pickup just a smidgen off the bottom of the tank is ideal.

If by chance there is a lot of water in a tank, the lower pickup will get most of it and also help eliminate growth via filtering of growth at the fuel/water boundary interface layer which can also be helpful....

[davidwigler]

Good points. Thanks. How far off the bottom of the tank do the main engine pickup tubes reach? Is there a lot of unusable capacity? I suppose I could temporarily remove the gauges and stick a hose down to the bottom.

[q240z]

I had to replace the on-tank valves on my Connie this winter. I snipped one end of some 1/2" copper tubing and bent the snipped remains out just a bit then put it through the fill pipe down to the bottom of the tank. The snipped ends allowed fuel to flow through the pipe even when it was right on the bottom. Then I hooked up a hose to a Bosch automotive fuel pump and another hose with a clear section inline with a simple, glass-bodied filter. It took about 40 minutes to transfer 150 gallons. With all the talk about people needing fuel polishing systems, I expected to see some gunk, water, or anything else other than fuel in the clear line or filter but never did. It was pretty red #2 all the way until the tank was empty.

Of course, that transfer system only works if you've got straight pipes going into the tanks.