Diesel fuel polishing

Fish Slayer · Feb-10-2007, 12:29 AM

I have a 24' Skipjack that I have been updating forr the past year. It has a AQA-41A Volvo diesel and it has not been run much in the last year. I am worried about possible algae in the fuel tak since it has sat so long. I want to have the fuel polished and the tank cleaned. Does anyone know of a company between Dana Point and Long Beach that might offer this type of service? I have put so much work into the boat I do not want to chance running bad diesel through the motor.
John

Kingfish · Feb-11-2007, 07:18 PM

Call Roy at the link below, maybe he can reccomend someone up north.

Fuel Oil Polishing Company, The

Fish Slayer · Feb-12-2007, 10:23 AM

Thanks for the reply. On your link there are two other companies showing this service as well in my area. I will give Roy a call and see what he reccomends. If he is good I have no problem trailering the boat to SD if I can find someone I trust.

bassspotter · Feb-12-2007, 10:48 AM

Persons in Sheltet Island does it.

cvjarrod · Feb-12-2007, 11:47 AM

How old is the fuel?

Diesel breaks down a lot slower than gas.

If it's less than a year old, you can probably get away with topping off the tank and adding some stuff to kill off the algae.

If your tank needs polishing, it probably needs replacing.

For the price they'll rape you with (and it will be rape), it would be better to install an onboard polishing system. When on, it circulates the fuel through a system of filters that will clean any particles from the diesel. If you are really stressed about the quality of your fuel, this system is for you.

You should really run that motor at least twice a month (on the hose at the very least). The sulfur in diesel will really corrode the internals if you don't.

I would highly recommend a boatdiesel.com membership. You'll see how these systems are setup and there is a wealth of info about your motor on that board.

Cali Native · Feb-12-2007, 05:29 PM

At the Alamitos fuel dock in Long Beach a year or so ago they sucked out 90 gallons of diesel that had a water hose stuck in the tank for a while by a well meaning friend. It was a buck fiddy a gallon to dump it as I recall. It wasn't much more to polish it and who wants to chance putting shitty fuel back in?

Fish Slayer · Feb-12-2007, 06:03 PM

Thanks for the information. I can feel for you. We had the same problem a few years ago on my buddies 38' Uniflite. He had a friend that thought he was going to help out washing the boat and filling the water tanks for us. He filled the diesel tanks with water and the boat died before we left the harbor, as we did not know what had happened.