Fuel tank cleaning observations...

[MarioG]

Today I had Skip Trent inc. come out and clean the forward fuel tank that was badly fouled with sludge and alge which lead to screwing up the generator injector.

Skip Trent did a wonderful job and walked me through the whole process. Skip first started by uncscrewing the fuel gauge from the top of the tank. Of course I can't possiably be that lucky, the gauge had to be chisled off because whom ever screwed on the gauge the last time rounded the hell out of the nut that the gauge sits in. anyhow after quickly dispatching the sending unit with a hammer and chisle we had complete and unobstructed access to the tank. Skip carefully boarded the long hoses which were neat and clean onto the boat and through the guest room porthole and down to the tank in the floor between the engine rooms. He initially pumped out two 5 gal buckets of pure alge and black sluge then over the next 3 hour cleaning and polishing process another 5 gal bucket of dirty fuel of only god knows what. Skip mentioned to me that the tank is now pretty clean but he suspects that some alge will be behind the baffels that he can't get to because of no access. but he claims that it will be minimal and the chemicals he gave me (Technol) to put in the tank will eliminate almost all of the growth that is left in a short time. He also said that the fuel is old and bad and that it should be disposed of. ( i'll burn it off) he also said to invest in filters. Over all the experience was good. Skip Trent is careful and knows what he's doing. He says that if I keep up with the chemical schedule he gave me, he shoulden't have to come back. He also said he isn't always the cure but is always willing to find an easier way to clean and condition the fuel without having to invest in pumping and polishing the tank and fuel.

He charges by the job. The job set me back $605 bucks for a 4 hour job.

lessons I learned is to first try to take off the sending unit yourself. I found out that not only did the sending unit had to be hammer and chisled off but he also had to take off the fuel cap fixture and open up the hole with a hole saw to allow the large 2 3/8" socket to fit down into the floor and onto the gauge. this problem probably added about and hour to the job. thank goodness the gauge came off otherwise I would have to put a skill saw to the teak and holly floor.

Another observation is to keep a fan or blower down there to vent the rooms. the combination of diesel and chemical fumes are quite high.

The other lesson is an obvious one. keep you fuel and tanks clean.

Skip Trent Inc. ph. number is: 305-247-2177

Well recommended.

 

[Passages]

Mario,
Sounds like the fuel in that tank was pretty awful. How old was it? Did the mains feed off that that tank. If yes, then I'm surprised the return fuel did not act as a polisher in and of itself.

Did your service guy mention anything good or bad about using potions such as halogens at each fill up? (eg Biobor JF)

Sounds like you cleaned it up good, just trying to avoid a future $600 tank cleanings of my own.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Mario... thats what I just did last month. Both of my senders were rotted off at the bottom from being immersed in water for years! I tossed them and now unscrew the 1-1/2" pipe plugs and stick the tanks. Mine are at the aft engine room bulkhead. This winter I am going to cut a hole in each section between the baffles and wash them once and for all.
Is the Technol the same as Diesel Kleen? Where do you get it and whats the treatment schedule like?
My fuel was almost black with algae feces and slime, but after it went through a pair of 5 micron filters it was returning to the tanks a nice bright red. Take a spin over to Bimini for Christmas and run wide open for a while; you'll get rid of that old stuff fast! How much fuel was on board when yer guy started? I treated about 300+ gallons in each tank. Mine cost me $30 for filters and $35 for a used pump. I let it run for 6 hours on each tank. ws

 

[MarioG]

Mario,
Sounds like the fuel in that tank was pretty awful. How old was it? Did the mains feed off that that tank. If yes, then I'm surprised the return fuel did not act as a polisher in and of itself.

Did your service guy mention anything good or bad about using potions such as halogens at each fill up? (eg Biobor JF)

Sounds like you cleaned it up good, just trying to avoid a future $600 tank cleanings of my own.

Passages, the fuel in the forward is about 6 months old but it is mixed in with fresh fuel about every month or so. I've been running the mains on the aft tank which if fresh and clean. What we really run alot is the generator which feeds off the forward tank. more than likely not enough consumption to keep ahead of the fuel polishing. I guess all the bio life starts to really build up faster than filters do the job? anyhow the fuel was almost black and now the fuel is red. I'm going to switch the mains to the forward tank and use up as much fuel as I can before I add new fresh fuel with the chemical. the service guy said Dieselkleen is ok but the stuff he gave me to use does all what DK does but his stuff is claimed to be moe effective. 1 gal of Technol treats 1200 gals. of diesel, pretty strong stuff. I'll report my findings.

 

[MarioG]

Is the Technol the same as Diesel Kleen? Where do you get it and whats the treatment schedule like?
My fuel was almost black with algae feces and slime, but after it went through a pair of 5 micron filters it was returning to the tanks a nice bright red.

Bill, the service guy said the Technol does all what DK does but it is much stronger and apperently is best for the breakdown of alge which makes it easier to be filtered and ulimatly burned. which as he explains to me is the only way to rid the tanks of alge. I have about 100 gal or so in that tank. he said to treat the old/bad 100 gal with 12oz (double dose) of Technol then with each fillup of 100 add 6oz for tank maintanance. but to be sure, I'll write down everything it says on the bottle and report back.

 

[Angela]

Skip did my tank when I was "in the hole" for Hurricane Ike. I, too, was having terrible genny troubles and it was all related to fuel supply. My tank wasn't that gunky, but what little gunk I had settled in the sump where the pick up kept getting clogged. My aft tank, from where I have always run the DDs, was good and didn't need cleaning. The forward tank that we use for the genny was a mess.

When Skip was done, I re-connected the genny fuel lines (I had had them off troubleshooting when I traced the problem back to the pick up - that's when I called Skip) and she ran just fine.

Skip treated my tank with Technol for a full tank. I'm going to go top off that forward tank this week and I should be good to go for CDR. I'm going to run the mains off of that same tank for a while so I can go through the fuel a few times.

I tried Diesel Kleen, but that's just didn't cut it. I don't know whether the Diesel Kleen was the cause or not, but after I used Diesel Kleen, that's when I got the sludge to drop to the bottom of the tank and hence, my real troubles began. Could have been a coincidence - I don't know, but I'm using Technol now.

 

[34Hatt]

That because it does as you just said kills it and then lands up behind in the bottom of your tanks. Then it just stuck behind the baffles and a year or so later your back in the same spot. Ajx will eat it kill it and then eat it and break it down to nothing. Then the micro organism will die off and a solvent in it will destroy the dead micro organism.
So just like the fuel guy said will I did a good job Except for near the baffles. Well boy you now there are 6 or more compartments in your tanks

 

[MarioG]

OK i got the info off the bottle. Technol 403 fuel conditioner.
claims to boost cetane up to 3 numbers, increased fuel lubericity, reduce smoke, disperses water and sludge, eliminates need for biocide, improves economy and power.

1 gal treats 2000 gals of fuel

8oz treats 125 gals of fuel

for initial use, add 12.8 oz of Technol for every 100 gal of diesel
after that, add 6.4oz for every 100 gals you add during fill up for maintenence.

 

[34Hatt]

OK i got the info off the bottle. Technol 403 fuel conditioner.
claims to boost cetane up to 3 numbers, increased fuel lubericity, reduce smoke, disperses water and sludge, eliminates need for biocide, improves economy and power.

1 gal treats 2000 gals of fuel

8oz treats 125 gals of fuel

for initial use, add 12.8 oz of Technol for every 100 gal of diesel
after that, add 6.4oz for every 100 gals you add during fill up for maintenence.

Sounds great but the Question of the day is you kill the bacteria then what happens too the dead tissue!!!! Hint look into the bottom of your tank!!

 

[Boatsb]

Dan. Do you have a solution? AJX maybe?

 

[stormchaser]

Accordign to AJX's website, if you use it, it leave behind no dead tissue? Anyone ahve any REAL experience with it? Seems too good to be true, which you know what they wsay about thigns that seem too good to be true. My old boat (a Willard 40 full-displacement canoe-stern trawler) had a real fuel polishing system on it and that I KNOW works like a charm...chemical polishing? Wonder if it really works or simply leaves goo at the bottom of the tank?

 

[Diver Down]

I have zero affiliation with the producers of AJX but have used the stuff. In 2007 I had ongoing problems with algal growth in all 3 fuel tanks. Early this year I filled all tanks with fresh fuel (about 750 gal), added the recommended amount of AJX/TCS (tank cleaning solution), cleaned all Racor filters and added new elements. I burned almost all of that fuel in '08 and I've had no filter cloggging whatsoever. Don't know whether this product works any better than other brands, but it does seem to work as advertised in that there is apparently no critter debris left behind to foul the filters.

 

[34Hatt]

Accordign to AJX's website, if you use it, it leave behind no dead tissue? Anyone ahve any REAL experience with it? Seems too good to be true, which you know what they wsay about thigns that seem too good to be true. My old boat (a Willard 40 full-displacement canoe-stern trawler) had a real fuel polishing system on it and that I KNOW works like a charm...chemical polishing? Wonder if it really works or simply leaves goo at the bottom of the tank?

Do a search here on Sam's you will members that have used it!

 

[nyrussell]

I have used it to solve a problem. Works like a charm. And we depend on it for heat as well. Which reminds me.... Ummm Dan....

Noel