Fuel polishing question

If you have the following conditions, I see no need for spending money on fuel polishing gear:

1) tanks are well cleaned to begin with
2) you buy fuel from clean sources, best of all high volume docks or trucks
3) you use your boat

In addition, I had the additional advantage of having DD's which as noted cycle a lot of fuel. It never occurred to me to install fuel polishing in 7 years.

rwidman said:

You're welcome. I think I read it first in PassageMaker.



One point I take away from the article is that we can recirculate our fuel through filters until the cows come home but with stock tanks and pickups, we're just moving fuel around.

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Yeah out boat is setup with suction on the bottom and return on top. We've really never had to worry about polishing although we do it every once and awhile. We just get our fuel from Port Consolidated (truck) which is the best way to get clean fuel.

>One point I take away from the article is that we can recirculate our fuel through filters until the cows come home but with stock tanks and pickups, we're just moving fuel around.<

This will continue till the boat first purchasers demand a genuine servicable marine fuel tank, instead of accepting a box for fuel ,which cost less to build..

Size may make a difference as to how much fuel you are recirculating or polishing thru a Racor. So fuel polishing may only be appropriate for certain power setups or usage Our Manatee's TMD31A Volvo 100 HP doesn't use a lot of fuel, ours probable burns 1 1/2 gallon per hour @ 2450 RPM giving us about 7 knots with the 5 KW generator running and loaded. It is also true that fuel polishers should be drawing fuel from the lowest spot on the tank and discharging the polished fuel into the other end of the tank. I was able to tap into the bottom of the fuel tank sight glass that pulls fuel out of a well built into the tank bottom and use a s/s tee fitting I had mfg to insert into the hose used to refuel the tank that enters the tank at the top far end giving me a great recirculation setup.
During tank cleaning the asphalteum (black goo) had settled and migrated to the bottom of the tank near the fuel pump suction fitting, probable thanks to wake action while underway and the suction of the pump.
Bill

I like the clear bowl on racors. Water,junk, or just cloudy fuel is immediately apparent.
A few hours sloshing around In a seaway stirs things up pretty well.

HiDHo said:

. The black goo on the bottom of the tank is ashphalteum a natural occorence in diesel fuel, so yes definitely fuel polishing is well worth installing.
Bill

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The black gunk you describe is not a natural occurrence provided you buy good fuel, rotate your fuel, prevent water ingress and generally stay on top of things. But with older boats and many different owners, tank gunk is indeed all too common.

And IMHO a top notch filter system ala Tony Athens, Fleetguard or Parker Hannifan trumps Bounty or Scott TP. A careful read of new engine warranties is replete with the necessity of good fuel filtering.