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Fuel polishing / diesel tank cleaning


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Our fuel tank has a fair bit of water and debris in it. We're hoping to cross The Wash in the summer and need it cleaning out, so we don't have engine trouble when the tank is shaken by the waves. Does anybody have any experience of a mobile diesel scrubbing service? We're based at Debdale not far from Foxton. I've used the search function and come across mention of GUDS but can't find contact details. Many thanks.

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Only one way to do a proper job of cleaning a tank and that is drain it then cut it open if it doesn't have an inspection hatch, get in there and clean it. Fuel polishing will only clean the fuel and gather up any debris from a small area of the tank that the filler neck will allow the probes to reach.

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Only one way to do a proper job of cleaning a tank and that is drain it then cut it open if it doesn't have an inspection hatch, get in there and clean it. Fuel polishing will only clean the fuel and gather up any debris from a small area of the tank that the filler neck will allow the probes to reach.

Surly it depends how well they stir it up when they pump it out

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Surly it depends how well they stir it up when they pump it out

 

Not sure how they would stir a tank to get all the crud off the bottom there would only be the motion of removing and returning fuel to the tank.

 

Debris could be rust accumulated from the date the shell was built until the first tank full of diesel was put in, if the flakes or other lumps of crud are larger than the bore of the fuel polishing probes they will stay in the tank and could block the fuel feed pipe at some stage.

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Not sure how they would stir a tank to get all the crud off the bottom there would only be the motion of removing and returning fuel to the tank.

 

Debris could be rust accumulated from the date the shell was built until the first tank full of diesel was put in, if the flakes or other lumps of crud are larger than the bore of the fuel polishing probes they will stay in the tank and could block the fuel feed pipe at some stage.

So wouldn't those same flakes and crud also block the fuel polishing probes. Edited by pearley
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I've got in touch with Tankbusters. They seem able to sort it.

They are the only tank cleaning service I've found that seems to be totally effective, I'd definitely recommend them, but beware they only clean what is in the tank not the fuel lines, pumps, filters, or injectors etc

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Only one way to do a proper job of cleaning a tank and that is drain it then cut it open if it doesn't have an inspection hatch, get in there and clean it. Fuel polishing will only clean the fuel and gather up any debris from a small area of the tank that the filler neck will allow the probes to reach.

 

 

My opinion too.

 

I can't imagine how conventional fuel polishing can clear out debris lying on the base of the tank no matter how fast they pump the fuel around. The crud needs to be physically raked up into suspension before all of it can be pumped out.

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  • 1 year later...

Yes I'd definitely recommend Tankbusters. I can't remember the price now, but it can vary with distance he (or his agent) has to travel for example and if there is a lot of water or crud in the system so he has to use a second filter. Give Bruce a call and ask him, he's very approachable and helpful; the biggest problem sometimes is getting him to stop chatting!

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2 hours ago, Keeping Up said:

Yes I'd definitely recommend Tankbusters. I can't remember the price now, but it can vary with distance he (or his agent) has to travel for example and if there is a lot of water or crud in the system so he has to use a second filter. Give Bruce a call and ask him, he's very approachable and helpful; the biggest problem sometimes is getting him to stop chatting!

Ditto

 

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When we first got out boat the fuel tank had water and all sorts in the bottom 2 ins of the tank ,so i when to B&Q and got a wet & dry vac put a extension on it undid the fuel filler out so it just left a big hole and sucked all the gunge out 4 years later and still ok 

  • Happy 1
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Cleaned my first boats tank about 25 years ago with a wet vac down the filler hole.  Filled it several times with water, sucking it out with the vac until about the fourth or fifth time the water came out clean. I then left it a couple of days to dry out before re-assembly. I used a bamboo cane attached to the end of the vac hose to move it around the bottom of the tank. After I had finished I  attached some string to my torch dropped it into the tank to inspect it. No further problems for the next ten years until I sold the boat. When i spoke to the current owner a couple of years ago it was still ok with no further action required.

  • Greenie 1
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