Diesel Fuel Treatment for the Winter

[jimL]

I'm sure the topic of diesel fuel additives has been debated in the past. For those of us who are new to trawlers (lot's of fuel) and diesel, please recap your recommendations for those of us in the North.

I have a 2005 Mainship with a diesel fuel capacity of 500 gal. What should I be doing to ensure a safe and reliable Spring 2017?

Thanks much,

JimL

 

[Capt.Bill11]

What should I be doing to ensure a safe and reliable Spring 2017?

Drain your tank, open it and look inside.

If it's clean, close it up, fill it up and go boating.

If it's dirty inside, clean it out as best you can, fill it, buy some extra fuel filter elements and go boating.

If you can't look inside your tank. Buy some extra filter elements and go boating.

 

[O C Diver]

I have a 2005 Mainship with a diesel fuel capacity of 500 gal. What should I be doing to ensure a safe and reliable Spring 2017

Take the boat to Florida for the winter. You'll be a lot happier and you won't have to winterize the boat. Works for me.

Ted

 

[Al]

Drain your tank, open it and look inside.

If it's clean, close it up, fill it up and go boating.

If it's dirty inside, clean it out as best you can, fill it, buy some extra fuel filter elements and go boating.

If you can't look inside your tank. Buy some extra filter elements and go boating.

In spades!!!! This is the concise response. There are so many various products that will assure the user that success has been achieved. Claims and counter claims.

One thing I do offer. If you have an older diesel engine prior to all of this 'level' rating, like an old 671, or tractor engine like Perkins or Ford, best be adding some oil additive to the fuel. I use Marvel Mystery Oil. The purpose is to add back the lubricant that was in the old diesel formula prior to the political correct extraction of all the natural lubricants to make clearer burning fuel. The new rail injected systems are designed with the new fuels in mind, the old engine fuel system pumps and such counted on lubrication in the diesel to keep things from wearing out.

What formula? Marvel Mystery Oil calls for 8 oz for every 10 gallons as I recall. I don't as a habit use that amount, more like 8 oz for every 50 gallons.
Occasionally will add a 8 oz measure of off the shelf diesel additive that deals with the potential of 'bugs' developing. The last is a self serving diligence to sooth my soul!!

Regards,
Al-Ketchikan 27' Marben Pocket CRUISER

 

[gaston]

In spades!!!! This is the concise response. There are so many various products that will assure the user that success has been achieved. Claims and counter claims.

One thing I do offer. If you have an older diesel engine prior to all of this 'level' rating, like an old 671, or tractor engine like Perkins or Ford, best be adding some oil additive to the fuel. I use Marvel Mystery Oil. The purpose is to add back the lubricant that was in the old diesel formula prior to the political correct extraction of all the natural lubricants to make clearer burning fuel. The new rail injected systems are designed with the new fuels in mind, the old engine fuel system pumps and such counted on lubrication in the diesel to keep things from wearing out.

What formula? Marvel Mystery Oil calls for 8 oz for every 10 gallons as I recall. I don't as a habit use that amount, more like 8 oz for every 50 gallons.
Occasionally will add a 8 oz measure of off the shelf diesel additive that deals with the potential of 'bugs' developing. The last is a self serving diligence to sooth my soul!!

Regards,
Al-Ketchikan 27' Marben Pocket CRUISER

Snake Oil dose the same and gets rid of warts

 

[Al]

Snake Oil dose the same and gets rid of warts

Well played!!
Do you Aussies have to deal with the same or more extreme level of fuels that are striped of everything that is good? Said as a younger sod, access to Canadian diesel had very heavy textured and rich in things that developed power and smoke. Being cousins to the 'Canooks', brings the question.


Al

 

[Edelweiss]

For those of us who are new to trawlers (lot's of fuel) and diesel, please recap your recommendations for those of us in the North.

JimL

To be blunt, if you keep the water out of your tanks from faulty fill caps and vents, you don't need to do anything. Put a little lubricant on the fuel cap O-ring and make sure it snugs down properly. Some people plug their vents over winter and top off their tanks. I've never done either. My boat is 40 years old and never had an additive added or any problem with fuel. If you accumulate water in your fuel it's usually from an external source.

Diesel doesn't deteriorate quickly and will stay stable and usable for a number of years without contaminating it with snake oil.

If you're talking gas, then that's a different story. Gas has a relatively short shelf life and needs to be treated or drained if left in the tanks for long periods of time.

 

[gaston]

Well played!!
Do you Aussies have to deal with the same or more extreme level of fuels that are striped of everything that is good? Said as a younger sod, access to Canadian diesel had very heavy textured and rich in things that developed power and smoke. Being cousins to the 'Canooks', brings the question.


Al

We have the same rubbish fuels here they come from Singapore sulphur has long been removed but old Perkins will run on fish and chip oil if needed . I cut my teeth in the oil game selling oil to the mining industry and our laboratory was always on the look out for the next best thing funny that was 40 years ago and nothing has changed. One thing we were aware of was snake oils had a massive tendency to eat seals and gaskets

 

[Al]

We have the same rubbish fuels here they come from Singapore sulphur has long been removed but old Perkins will run on fish and chip oil if needed . I cut my teeth in the oil game selling oil to the mining industry and our laboratory was always on the look out for the next best thing funny that was 40 years ago and nothing has changed. One thing we were aware of was snake oils had a massive tendency to eat seals and gaskets

15 years ending as a Sales Rep with Chevron (First Standard Oil of Calif) . Yep. but back then like you say, fish and chip oil. Diesel was hell a lot heavier in texture loaded with sulfer and tended to jell up come a bit above zero F. Cut it with #1 stove oil and later jet fuel, (Just better filtered #1 for the most part).

In this case Marvel Mystery Oil is out side being a snake oil be what it may, adds the lacking lubricant. Hell, even a equal 8 oz of engine oil would do the same. (Adding this back into the conversation to maintain the thread intent)

Al

 

[gaston]

15 years ending as a Sales Rep with Chevron (First Standard Oil of Calif) . Yep. but back then like you say, fish and chip oil. Diesel was hell a lot heavier in texture loaded with sulfer and tended to jell up come a bit above zero F. Cut it with #1 stove oil and later jet fuel, (Just better filtered #1 for the most part).

In this case Marvel Mystery Oil is out side being a snake oil be what it may, adds the lacking lubricant. Hell, even a equal 8 oz of engine oil would do the same. (Adding this back into the conversation to maintain the thread intent)

Al

I must admit I run Castrol TT 2 stroke oil in my 2014 common rail diesel Pajero at 200:1 Some time ago i remember Mystrey oil was near the same as auto transmission oil which is full of goodies

 

[BruceK]

Australia has lots of snakes, obtaining additives is no problem.
There was a good fuel additive here but it got banned, testing showed it gave laboratory rats cancer. So I use another one.

 

[FF]

A good bug killer , change brands when the can runs out.

 

[jleonard]

I'm sure the topic of diesel fuel additives has been debated in the past. For those of us who are new to trawlers (lot's of fuel) and diesel, please recap your recommendations for those of us in the North.

I have a 2005 Mainship with a diesel fuel capacity of 500 gal. What should I be doing to ensure a safe and reliable Spring 2017?

Thanks much,

JimL

Close your boat and go home for the winter. You need no additives.
I like to make sure I have 3/4 tank or a little more. Other than that I do absolutely nothing.

 

[TDunn]

I fill my tanks in the Fall. I do nothing else. I change all my fuel filters in the spring after launch.

 

[Phil Fill]

For the last 15 years, I fill the tanks about half full, 400 gallons which is what we use in one year, mostly for the diesel heating. When filling, in the fall I add 911 diesel additive, red bottle sold at most authoritative stores. The red 911 absorbs water back into the fuel and prevents separating. No water moisture no rusting and or algae growth. In the spring i again added 911 red can to absorb any moisture back into the fuel.

Also I do polish the fuel year around mainly to move mix the fuel so it does not sit. The best is during a winter storm when the fuel is sloshing around. In the colder climates I am more concerned about water moisture in the tanks.

 

[hmason]

Take the boat to Florida for the winter. You'll be a lot happier and you won't have to winterize the boat. Works for me.

Ted

 

[koliver]

Way back, before your boat was born, your filters would need to be changed a least once a year, to get rid of filth from ordinary diesel. Some water would also show up in the filter bowl. Since the stripping of everything but the diesel out of diesel fuel, your filters will last long past your memory of when you last changed them, and nothing will show up in the bowl. This applies here in the South of BC, where nothing ever freezes, but the boat sits unloved for half of the year.

I fill up annually (just did so) so the winter usually sees the tanks at above 3/4. I have never added a drop of any of the snake oils or Biobor and its clones, and have very long service life on my filters.

 

[ctbarbarian]

what about adding seafoam?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

what about adding seafoam?

Why?

 

[ctbarbarian]

I have no idea, I'm a dentist. Fix teeth and hurt people.

A friend of mine puts seafoam in everything he stores for the winter,
especially his tractor.
So just seeing if this was worth doing.
Pros
Cons

 

[FF]

I have used Sea Foam mostly as a carb cleaner , when I'm too lazy to remove and soak the carb.

An RV gas noisemaker or a yard tractor can be started on starting fluid , and if it will keep running the sea foam in fuel may clean it up for another season after a long run..

Diesel fuel is delivered with some water regardless of the source.

Unless a very slow fill with a Baja funnel is done , it will be in any diesel tank.

Bug killer is to keep the bug poop from collecting while sitting, the tiny water is removed by most filters.

 

[Ski in NC]

I think a biocide makes some sense. Best is to get any water out of the bottom of the tank, but if that is not practical, the biocide will limit the gunk that grows over the winter. Maybe some "stabil" for diesel, it works on gas pretty well to prevent degradation over storage periods. But not really needed on diesel, that stuff lasts for years by itself.

 

[Lepke]

Most of the time, nothing special needs to be done. Especially if you keep your tanks full and have a good primary filter. If you don't have a vacuum gauge between the primary and lift pump, add one. It will warn you about the filter becoming full.
There are two basic fuel conditioners. One causes water to be absorbed into the diesel to be burned. The other helps extract the water so your primary can separate it out. Some also make the fuel burn better helping cold weather starts and economy. Water can damage fuel and engine components because it rapidly expands (16x or more) as it turns to steam.
I use an Archoil product that costs about 8¢/gallon in the smallest size but gives me a 10%+ mileage boost in Detroit mains at 1800 rpm.

 

[gaston]

Most of the time, nothing special needs to be done. Especially if you keep your tanks full and have a good primary filter. If you don't have a vacuum gauge between the primary and lift pump, add one. It will warn you about the filter becoming full.
There are two basic fuel conditioners. One causes water to be absorbed into the diesel to be burned. The other helps extract the water so your primary can separate it out. Some also make the fuel burn better helping cold weather starts and economy. Water can damage fuel and engine components because it rapidly expands (16x or more) as it turns to steam.
I use an Archoil product that costs about 8¢/gallon in the smallest size but gives me a 10%+ mileage boost in Detroit mains at 1800 rpm.

sorry totally 100% impossible if you believe the world is round .It could be possible if the world was flat

 

[menzies]

USE THE BOAT.

Why fuel it up if you aren't going to burn the fuel?

It's like calling the local dairy and asking them to deliver 200 gallons of milk to the house when you only planning on using a pint a week, and then worrying about the milk going bad.

 

[gaston]

USE THE BOAT.

Why fuel it up if you aren't going to burn the fuel?

It's like calling the local dairy and asking them to deliver 200 gallons of milk to the house when you only planning on using a pint a week, and then worrying about the milk going bad.

199 gallons of cheese gets me excited

 

[Bob Hudspeth]

ctbarbarian, I very seldom get a chuckle our of answers, but your initial sentence was damn funny!

I used two tanks worth of fuel this year from two busy marinas and had more than our share of rough water to mix it up, no water or sediment found in the bowl and no rust on the top of the fuel filters. I'm going with full tanks and without any additives again this winter in the wet PNW.