Fuel Tank Cleaning

[ArtJ]

During the past 2 seasons, I experienced carburetor problems. Despite
changing filters and a new carb, they continued. It seems that the problems
begun with running the tank down to 1/4 or less.
I have always added mmo and stabilizer with every fill and especially
topping the tank off at the end of the season.

I have a Tartan 34C with a stainless steel tank, electric fuel pump, Racor fuel water separator and in line filter. All of which get changed every season.

Ten years ago, I emptied the tank with a siphon hose via the removal of the tank fuel level gauge. I then emptied the contents of 3 cans of carb cleaner
into the tank. I then swished a rag tied to a flexible wooden (no static) stick around inside the tank as best I could, removing rag multiple times and squeezing it out into a container. I then refilled the tank with clean fuel.
Not a perfect solution to implement or clean 100%. But it worked without
issue for nearly 10 years.

I was wondering about trying a different method.

I saw on line where someone used a electric fuel pump in liine with
racor and 2 in line filters. He recycled the fuel back nto the tank until
fuel was viewed in a cup as clean, He also changed in line filters
twice.

I was also thinking of trying a "special" tank cleaner brand ??

The tank is not readily removable without surgery and is a good ss tank

Suggestions Appreciated

Regards
Art

[joe_db]

You can hire a fuel polisher/tank cleaner truck that will show up with a high pressure pump

[ArtJ]

Thanks Joe

Never heard of that before .
I assume the tank must be empty, Are they expensive?

Art

[sastanley]

Art, Neil has a self-polishing system like you describe..I am sure he will post up a diagram for you when he checks in to the forum again.

[ndutton]

Art, Neil has a self-polishing system like you describe..I am sure he will post up a diagram for you when he checks in to the forum again.

Here is a post with drawings from 7 years ago:

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=67554&postcount=6

[ArtJ]

Thanks Neil, guys

A couple of questions on the diagrams

1 I note there is no in line filter in either diagram shouldn't there be at least 1?
Also wouldn't it be desirable to replace filters after polishing?

2 Does this system actually clean a tank ? or just for prevention?

Best


Art

[joe_db]

Using a fuel pump to clean fuel works OK for preemptive cleaning. Once junk gets stuck on the tank walls, the low flow rate usually won't get it back off. There are usually a few "Fuel Polishing" services around that send a truck out to your boat. They use high speed pumps that will break up and suck out a lot more junk than your fuel pump will.
Their usual customers are diesel boat owners, so I would call and ask about gasoline.
I just took my tank home and cleaned it, which worked fine until I had to get the last of the soapy water out of it. The fill is not as a corner, so I was dancing around in the front yard with it over my head shaking it back and forth, which made my wife think I am even nuttier than usual
* just remembered, I used PineSol to clean an antique outboard tank and it worked pretty well

[ArtJ]

Thanks Joe

I checked out a polishing company looks like they are more geared to
large industrial cleaning. For private boats, they offered just cleaning
stuff aka like something offered by companies like starbrite

Regards
Art

[ndutton]

Art, Joe, the system in not intended to remedy goo stuck to a tank's internal surfaces. It is intended to filter contaminants out of the fuel before that.

About the polishing filter, I've never had one relying instead on my primary filter to do the heavy lifting. I know, Moyer recommends one and those who want it will get no quarrel from me but the fact is with the single exception of water infiltration last year I've never had a fuel quality issue in the 15 years I've owned the boat. I do not use gas from the fuel dock, change my filter annually, [since last year's water incursion] replace my deck plate O rings annually, polish the tank contents annually, clean and rebuild the carburetor annually. Clean system = no problems.

And yes, polishing requires filter replacement as often as necessary. After polishing and at annual replacement I pour the filter contents into a glass container to inspect for contaminants. If any are observed polishing is repeated with a new filter.

[ArtJ]

Thanks Neil
Is the main filter you describe a Racor fuel water separator?

How long do you run the polishing before checking filter?

Best Art

[ndutton]

No, it is a cheap cartridge type filter with a spin-on element. I use Sierra 18-7945 water separating cartridges. With a full 12 gallon tank it takes 36 minutes to run the entire tank (3 mins./ gallon). I replace the filter cartridge immediately after a polishing exercise.

[joe_db]

I too use the cheap filters. I had enough of issues with Racors being expensive, rusting, being VERY hard to get apart, and being very hard to drain.
Easier and cheaper to use the disposable spin-on filters.

[ArtJ]

How to sort thru in line secondary filters

I was also wondering how to know which of the Autoparts store small in line
filters perform best?
They do not have microns displayed? , if so which are best?

Thanks Art

[ndutton]

MMI lists the micron specification for their small inline filter. It's all metal housing is also USCG compliant.

https://moyermarine.com/product/fuel-filter-inline-secondary-polishing-filter-fpmp_07-1_473/

[joe_db]

I use something like this. The cartridges are around $12-$15 or so and I usually change them out once per year. I drop them into a plastic bag when changing them and usually spill less gas or none at all, as compared to the Racor drain plug that gets gas all over Now we have gasohol that absorbs water, the traditional drain-the-water like a diesel system really no longer applies. If you get enough water in there to separate out, you have a very big mess on your hands. You need to NOT have it in there in the first place. 10 microns seems a common size and honestly it is a rare thing for there to be dirt or sand in the gas and I never have had enough of it to clog an entire filter. My dinghy and Whaler have the same filters, so my spares fit all three boats
Some anecdotal data regarding water: I once had a LOT of water from a bad filler O-ring. The Racor let it right on through, the alcohol-water goop would pass it. One of cheap filters did the opposite, it blocked everything once gooped up, gas, water, alcohol, and any combination thereof. An irate call to Racor yielded "Gasohol is a mess, no filter will fix it once contaminated with water". I warned someone who shall remain nameless that the water separators on their airplane would no longer work with car gas and sure enough one day water killed the engine. The plane was fine, it just needed better fuel.