dirty fuel

[29chawk]

just got a 31' morgan with a perkins 6.354t been running it for a couple weeks and the racor's seem to quickly get fouled with alagae even had the motor stall out when running 2000rpm's only have a 500 series now and was thinking of picking up a 900 or 1000 series for more surface area will that help and eventually pass all the crap out or should i run some kind of fuel treatment? i have two 100 gal tanks. its a commercial vessel so it will see alot of use.

 

[CEShawn]

Find a friend that has a polishing system, or simple just a 12VDC pump that can get it through a Racor filter housing... usually between friends someone has one... Just keep recircing the tank.

 

[WC1966]

Fuel filtration

sbmar.com
Sea Board marine, go to the seamax multi-stage fuel filter and read away. If In have any further fuel issues this is the system I am going to switch to. Tony's Tips have plenty of good suggestions

 

[Regina E]

Blast it with biobor. Fill the tank drive it around a bit then start polishing. It's gonna be a while before its all gone if ever. Watch the ball in the bottom of the racor. It might clog even though the filters are coming out clean. Watch the racor pressure constantly. I just went through the same thing. Misery!!

 

[captainlarry84]

Find a friend that has a polishing system, or simple just a 12VDC pump that can get it through a Racor filter housing... usually between friends someone has one... Just keep recircing the tank.

He is correct it worfks and takes some time and plenty of filters.

 

[29chawk]

thats some nice systems on that seaboard site, out of my budget at the moment. for now ill try a racor 1000 should i start with a 30mic then work down?can that ball in the racor cause a fuel restriction that makes the motor stall? i believe the secondary engine filters on the perkins are 10 micron.

 

[Regina E]

Yep the ball can be clogged up and immobilized by chunks that break loose and lodge there before they get to the actual filter. The ball is part of the agitator just above the bowl. Get a load of filters. Polish as much as you can. Much easier to change those filters than the racor. I use 10 micron in my racor 1000

 

[29chawk]

how is that biobar, once you put it in are you going to have a alagae mess that clogs filters instantly? or does it dissolve it somehow?

 

[pugsley]

how is that biobar, once you put it in are you going to have a alagae mess that clogs filters instantly? or does it dissolve it somehow?

i won't all come at once, it's a long painful process, you can hook up two filters with a couple of ball valves between them, so you can turn one on, and shut the other off, that way when it clogs coming in the pass you can just switch filters instead of trying to change one right then. use biobor forever , and after it clears up you should never have the problem again.

 

[Regina E]

The biobor I used killed it all in one shot and subsequently it was a mess in there. The newer model allegedly dissolves the algae. Remember the algae is on all surfaces of the tank so you need to treat the whole tank including the top. Then you will get a full kill then polish away.

 

[29chawk]

i gotcha, ill have to pick up a bottle. thanks

 

[VPC]

fuel

Fight the battle on all fronts as follows:

put in the required amount of biobor and agitate the tank

clean the fuel professionally and in doing so do all of the fuel lines and returns, keep in mind were is the pickup on your tanks if they are not in the back of the tanks you will have to have the boat and subsequently the tanks in a position to suck all of the fuel. if the tanks have an odd configuration have the person polishing(cleaning) the fuel make an adapter either from copper tubing or stiff fuel line that will be able to get into those areas, at the same time do all primamry and secondary fuel filters.

as a followup precaution inspect all fills and were needed replace o-rings and check the fill necks for water or moisture intrusion and have a backup tank to run off of in case the tanks have a leak and you need to get in

 

[Jhbw]

I was just wondering how you like your Morgan I have one and think for a 31footer it's a great boat.

 

[29chawk]

i like the morgan ive only been running it for a month wouldnt mind a little more hp like a 300 cummins but the perkins 240 does ok. what do you have for power?

 

[Beamie]

The biobor I used killed it all in one shot and subsequently it was a mess in there. The newer model allegedly dissolves the algae. Remember the algae is on all surfaces of the tank so you need to treat the whole tank including the top. Then you will get a full kill then polish away.

Please understand the "algae" grows and lives in the fuel/water interface...."near the bottom of the tank". Not at the top. Biocide chemicals are designed to to stay at the bottom of the tank in this interface to effectively kill the algae. Yes as you mention some of this will cling to the tank surfaces, but it is mostly the water in the tank you have to get rid of, when there is no water the enviroment is not there to grow bugs.. Unfortunately one load of bad fuel takes a while to get under control...

 

[BillD]

thats some nice systems on that seaboard site, out of my budget at the moment. for now ill try a racor 1000 should i start with a 30mic then work down?can that ball in the racor cause a fuel restriction that makes the motor stall? i believe the secondary engine filters on the perkins are 10 micron.

Check the price of a Racor 1000 vs the Seaboard Marine single "mud filter".

If the filters are reasonably close in price keep your 500 and put the mud filter between the tank and the Racor 500.

Use the Biobor too.

Just a thought !

 

[Jhbw]

I have a 265hp iveco in my Morgan the engine is unbelievable It seems I can't kill it. However I would like more power also. This spring I plan to upgrade to a 370 hp cummins. The boat does 15kt with the iveco. Hoping for 19-20kts with the cummins.

 

[tomy]

TipsARTICLE DATE: September 1st, 2007 Marine Fuel Filtration - “The Seaboard Way” TipsARTICLE DATE: September 1st, 2007 Marine Fuel Filtration - “The Seaboard Way”

Here is what Bill D was talking about. I like it so much that i,m going to install the "mud" filter fefore my racor.


Bill D..any recomendations on where to pick up the filter mounting hardware? whole unit?

 

[captainlarry84]

Racor.....YOUR Motors Life Line

Making the system is not that hard. Find two used 1000- Racors on E bay. I would use 30 Micron filters to get the ball rolling.

On your boats almost all diesels have a motor mounted primary engine filter. You need to know the micron level of that filter. Your Racor should be one larger:

Example on my 370 Yanmar the primary filter is a 10 Micron therefore I use a 30 Micron in the Racor.

Racor Colors are as follows:
Brown 2 Micron
Red 10 Micron
Gray w/red trace line 30 Micron

If both your primary & Racor are the same you are cheating yourself of double fuel filtering as the Racor will be doing all of the work leaving the primary on vacation.

Let the Racor do the big job & the primary the clean up work. In doing so you will double filter life & have better performance.

Keep in mind that with diesel you are constantly filtering the same fuel over & over again. At idle you may burn .5 gallons & return as much as 19.5 gallons of once filter fuel. At WOT you may burn 19.5 & return .5 of filter fuel.

Lastly invest in a Racor vacuum gauge. It will also save you a headache. Run the boat a WOT watch the gauge once she starts to leave the yellow & enter the red at full speed it is time to change your Racor.

When you pull a Racor filter always look at it. See it the pleats are touching each other. That is a sign of suction meaning it is clogging.

I also like to really clean my Racor well once a season. I shut off my fuel to the motor and spray engine gunk into the Racor. The Gunk will pull every speck of dirty into the bottom bowel. Next I open the petcock and blast hose water into the Racor flushing all debris out of the bottom hole of the petcock. Next I double flush it with clean diesel re filter & done.
I prefer cleaning the filter without taking anything apart…as we know things can break. I have done it this way for years & never a problem.

PS Always carry a small 2 gallon jug of clean diesel for filter changing and priming.

 

[BillD]

TipsARTICLE DATE: September 1st, 2007 Marine Fuel Filtration - The Seaboard Way TipsARTICLE DATE: September 1st, 2007 Marine Fuel Filtration - The Seaboard Way

Here is what Bill D was talking about. I like it so much that i,m going to install the "mud" filter fefore my racor.


Bill D..any recomendations on where to pick up the filter mounting hardware? whole unit?

Tomy,

If I had "cruddy fuel" or wanted the added protection or convenience of a 30 micron spin on "mud filter" in front of a Racor 500,900 or 1000 that I didn't want to change out re-plumb,,,,, I'd bolt on this filter from Seaboard.

Important to note this 30 mic Fleetguard has "3 times" the filters capacity of a Racor 1000 with a 30 micron cartridge. $195 for the kit, includes filter head, easy to install.




PART N0:
#2 - Heavy Duty Bulk Separator Kit (FS1218)





DESCRIPTION:
Our Super HD Primary Bulk Separator Kit for the large fuel burner (10,000 gals + per year) or guys with a lot of mud, crud, and gunk in their fuel tanks. This filter will hold the equivalent of three Racor 1000 elements and extends your maintenance
intervals.

Includes (1) spare filter.





PRICE:
$195 each or 2 for $375

Third picture down on the R shows the mud filter plumbed to a Racor 1000

Seaboard Marine - Custom Marine Diesel Repower Specialists

FWIW,

Bill D