Cheap diesel transfer pump

[Dougcole]

Anybody had any experience good or bad, with a chep transfer pump?* My son (I still love him) pumped about 10 gallons of water into one of my diesel tanks recently.

I took a fitting off the top of the tank and using a borrowed pump pushed the tube down to the bottom of the tank and pumped until I got clean diesel.* Then I ran the engine for about two hours and watched my racor super close.* It picked up a little water, but not much.

I'm thinking of making a super simple portable polishing system using an ebay pump I found for about $70 and a used Racor 500 I have to turn the fuel uel over 8 or 10 times.*

The tank seems clean, but I'm worried about the fuel.

Is it OK to buy a cheap pump here, you think?* I'm not expecting real long life out of it.

 

[psneeld]

If you pumped/drained the water till clean fuel...I wouldn't worry about polishing...just run the engine enough to turn over the fuel as quick as possible and keep extra fuel filters on hand (if water separating).

LOTs of people have had the same problem and never had any ill effects and only changed the filter once or at regular interval.

If you insist there are 40-50 dollar pumps at harbor freight that will move the fuel and "probably" move it through a Racor well enough.* They come in 12V and 120V models.*I use one to move fuel back and forth between tanks but not a polishing system.

If I was going to install a full time polishing system...no...I would go with a better pump with replaceable impeller.


-- Edited by psneeld on Thursday 9th of February 2012 01:55:14 PM

 

[Dougcole]

My concern is that I didn't get all the water out. My boat just doesn't turn the fuel in the tank fast enough, the tank is full, 120 gallons, and I only burn 1.5 gal per hour per side. Even with the return I'm afraid it will take me a loooooong time to push that much fuel through my regular 900 racor.

My thought is that I can rock the boat around every once in awhile as the pump is running to keep it stirred up, and cycle it through the filter 8 or 10 times. It would give me peace of mind, anyway. And I can build the system for about $200. The fuel in the tank is worth a lot more than that.

 

[jleonard]

I once had water in one of my tanks on the previous boat. What I did was make the boat list to put the water into one easy to access corner of the fuel tank. Then I made a rig using an outboard engine squeezeball and some copper tube to get into that corner. Didn't take more than 5 minutes to get all the water out* (about 1 gallon).

Personally I would take a shot using that cheap pump.

*

 

[meridian]

I had a sailboat with a 40 gallon leaky tank deep in the bilge. I would use a wand weekly to sweep the bottom of the tank and pull out a couple of quarts of water. My racor never had any water in it. As a test, take a jar of diesel, add water and shake it up. The water settles to the bottom in minutes. As long as you can keep the water below the pick-up tube, you should be OK.

 

[FF]

Whatever pump you use realize the pump must SUCK thru the filter , not push the fuel thru the filter..

This is not normal as pumps push far better than they suck,

but the idea is to not mix the fuel and water into an emulsion before attempting to filter out the water.

You might want to purchase a DE emulsifier , not the usual all purpose "fuel cure".

 

[JohnP]

I bought a cheap one on line (approx $40) and use it to transfer fuel from one tank to another.

It has been working for a few years now no problem.

JohnP


-- Edited by JohnP on Sunday 12th of February 2012 05:17:00 PM

 

[Shoalwaters]

JohnP wrote:
I bought a cheap one on line (approx $40) and use it to transfer fuel from one tank to another.

It has been working for a few years now no problem.

JohnP

*JohnP, Please give me a*pointer to where*I can find a similar pump. My eBay searches are not too rewarding.

Mike

 

[JohnP]

Shoalwaters wrote:
*JohnP, Please give me a*pointer to where*I can find a similar pump. My eBay searches are not too rewarding.

Mike

******** Mike , It is a Facet Pump, I think it was used as a primary fuel pump on some small diesels,* I know Universal used it in the eighty's, and a few others.

When I Google Facet Pumps it does show up but it appears to cost more than I paid a few years ago.

I did buy it on Ebay new for between 40 and 60 bucks.

Hope that helps.* John

 

[Daddyo]

That looks to be the exact same pump I have on my Perkins driven Westerbeke genset. I'd try Graingers or Harbor Freight for a cheap pump.

 

[Edelweiss]

FACET / PUROLATOR PRO 06SV 7 PSI FUEL PUMP*
*
12 volt Neg ground*pumps 32 gal per hour
*
<table><tbody><tr><th class="lANB" nowrap="nowrap">Price:
</th><td class="vANB">US $30.99 includes free shipping in the US
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Anyone interested in a low cost fuel pump rated for diesel or gas.* This seller has 10 of these*pumps*currently on Ebay.* I have bought two of them and just ordered a third. *They work great as either a priming or transfer pump.

Larry B

*