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 Post subject: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 12 Sep 2008 10:56 
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Grinder

Joined: 22 Jun 2008 10:54
Posts: 85
There is a long running ad for a bank card that asks, "What's in your wallet?" Well you need to ask What's in your tank? The two attached pictures show what I pumped out of my fuel tank. The first shows three layers the top being fuel, the middle dirty water and the bottom settled particulates. I pumped out nearly a quart of this sludge. The second picture show some of the particulate matter (no the penny did not come out of there it is for a size reference) that was filtered out. SInce the boat is new to me I do not know when the last time anything was pumped out of the tank so I can't speak to how long this was accumulating. I do know that the previous owner always added biocide to his fuel.
I know a friend of mine each spring sends a copper tube down through an access hole to the bottom of his tank and pumps out water and sludge that has settled during the winter layup. He always gets something besides fuel.

So, you might ask "what's in my tank?"

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Neal Musto
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 14 Sep 2008 08:38 
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Rail Meat

Joined: 22 Oct 2006 17:21
Posts: 13
Do you have a stainless steel screen mesh (about 1 mm square, like insect screen) in the right angle, brass fitting at the top of the pick-up tube? After a particularly rough sail this summer (broad reaching in 25 kts with 8' seas) I found the screen plugged with similar gunk. I was advised by a diesel mechanic to remove the mesh and trust the Racor. Am wondering if others have done this?


 
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 14 Sep 2008 19:17 
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Skipper

Joined: 27 Oct 2006 10:32
Posts: 827
Disturbing image!!! Shocked


 
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 27 Sep 2008 21:53 
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Rail Meat

Joined: 15 Aug 2008 18:14
Posts: 21
Looks VERY familiar. About 5 years ago I started pumping fuel from the bottom of the tank every spring and fall using the Tempo Oil Boy with a copper line attached. The first year I actually clogged a 1/4" line with crud and had to go to 3/8". I'm now down to only one pumping mid summer and all I get now is pure fuel.

I'm convinced that most condensation occurs in the spring with warm air and cold fuel. So one of the first things I do when the weather starts warm up is to try to warm the fuel to avoid the condensation in the tank. I have no idea what all the crud is but the worst I had was of a sandy consistancy. I think I have a prety clean tank today but still purge a gallon or so from the bottom of the tank as a PM item

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Mike Barich
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 19 Oct 2008 08:12 
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Skipper

Joined: 20 Oct 2006 16:10
Posts: 687
Location: Out of Waukegan, IL
Blech! 27 years and ours has never had such service. But being freshwater perhaps we don't have it so bad. I do know that we ran her dry last year and thus changed the filter. Afterwards we chopped the old filter in half to see the mess, and it was still pretty clean. The primary was all fuel as well. So if there's any muck in our tank it's below the pickup.

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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 20 Oct 2008 20:25 
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Grinder

Joined: 22 Jun 2008 10:54
Posts: 85
It is not a matter of fresh or salt water it is the potential water intrusion from anywhere including condensation. If there is water in your tank then bugs will grow and even if your pickup is above the grung some day when your bouncing around you'll bring it up. The best preventative measure is to get rid of it on a routine basis. No water, no bugs.

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Neal Musto
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2008 00:01 
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Skipper

Joined: 20 Oct 2006 16:10
Posts: 687
Location: Out of Waukegan, IL
Well then... I guess we'll have to add that to the schedule. (30 yr checkup?)
Thus far we've survived on topping off before winter storage.

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SMMO/First Mate aboard High Flight #299
1981 - Full Keel - Furling Main (A boat for the lazy crew...)


 
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 Post subject: Re: What's in your tank?
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2008 16:23 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
I strongly urge everyone to make sure that the screen at the bottom of your pickup tube that was installed in the factory (at least to hull 373 and probably beyond) is removed. Years ago I spent a lot of time running down a problem with my engine and this turned out to be it. Most diesel mechanics will agree with the one who said you should removed any screen and rely on your Racor. This does not suggest that this will replace the periodic cleaning of the bottom of your tank with a siphon or pump.


 
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