Water in diesel

Dirtythirty

Here is something  that happened to me last weekend, and I will try to add in as much detail as I can think of in hopes for some input as to how this happened.

My boat was sitting for a couple weeks without using it. Between some bad weather and some previous commitments, we hadn't been out on the water for about 3 weeks.

I had just taken the boat over to top off the tanks (which were 1/2 full) and a pump out.   Since it was nearing the end of the season, I added a container of Stabili to the tanks.  

I had done my usual  engine room check, and did not notice anything out of the ordinary. And 3 days after filling the tanks, we had a beautiful weekend and decided to go out for an end of season cruise. 

After we motored out of the marina, we entered the channel and began to bring it up on plane.

The engines maxed out at 2770 RPMs and wouldn't go any further.  I tried time and again for about 20 minutes, and then as quickly as it happened, the problem disappeared and we climbed straight up to 3200 RPMs and had a great day with no further problems. 

When we we got back about 2 hrs later, I climbed into the engine room and looked around, I found that both my diesel separators  were half full of water.   I assumed  that was the issue why we couldn't get past 2770 RPMs. I emptied the separators and I am hoping for another nice day before I get hauled out, to try the engines one more time. 

My my question is this.  I have good seals on my filler caps.   My marina swears that they have good filters on their tanks to pre
vent water from contaminating their fuel.  Some have suggested that with aluminum fuel tanks, and the cooler water and air at night, it could be a condensation issue.  However my separators are large and to have them both HALF filled with water seems excessive for condensation.

does anyone have any ideas how this may have occurred. ???????

Handymans342

Well since I am the only one on here qualified to answer this, here goes.
1) Do the tank vents have their covers on? Mine were missing when I bought my boat and my separators were half full as well. 
2) Do you use an algeacide as well as a water emulsifier treatment? I use both and a cetane booster.
3) Maybe the props were fouled and it wore off briefly and then you were able to take off. 
4) Unless the marina has a good water separation/filter system prior to the fuel entering the tanks then it cant stop the water. Do they dip the tanks to test the water level in the tanks? There is a special paste to apply on the end of the sticks to check depth of the water if any. 
5) You should also have your fuel polished every year in your boat. They can do their tanks as well at the Marina. 

Hope this helps. 

raybo3

Handy your to only one qualified to answer????? Really?????? Bro you kill me.......LOL

zaverin1

qualified handy giver

Dirtythirty

I appreciate the input... I will look into these possible solutions.  I almost expect a little water here and there, but both separators half full ?? somethings up.

Thanks again !!

Handymans342

Had to be water in the delivery.

frenchship

End of the season maybe the marina tanks where low. I guest they don't store there tanks full. $$$$$$$$

raybo3

I am willing to bet that most marinas with fuel store their tanks full depending on the water table in the area. If tank is empty and water table is high the tank will try to float and could cause quite a bit of damage.

Handymans342

I know a marina that had a delivery in the morning, after lunch there were at least 12 boats towed in that had filled up before they went out fishing. All gas boats though. LOL

Dirtythirty

One thing I forgot to mention, when I pulled in to fill-up, the dock hand stated he had to check if there was enough fuel for me to top off. State Police had just come and and taked a couple hundred gallons, and a larger MY in front of me took 280 gls.  Apparently they were quite low when they got to me, although I took 120 gls, and didnt run their tank dry.  Hmmm..   perhaps this is the answer.

Handymans342

And there you have it.

zaverin1

Water settles to the

Handymans342

zaverin1 said:

Water settles to the

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

zaverin1

Ur prop and creates slip 

zaverin1

Then u handy yourself 

Michael T

A friend who drove a gas tanker said if you see a gas delivery tanker at a station filling its tanks drive away and don't come back for at least 24v hours. Even the really new tanks with baffles will shoot crud and water from around the tank insides after a fill. BTW, Steve's usual arrogance aside he did deliver a 5 star primer on fuel usage. Fuel polishing - particularly after the advent of ethanol and diesel after the removal of sulphurs and"traditional" components that held algae somewhat at bay - has becomes big business. A year or so ago I posted regarding fuel polishing and the manufacture of a very reasonably priced system by a Canadian lad who was a chief diesel tech on a Canadian destroyer that won rave reviews from boating mags. It could be set to automatically polish fuel even if the owner was absent.

Handymans342

I have looked at that system MT for my boat

Michael T

I had an acquaintance with a Mainship that had twin diesels who installed that system and love it!

212rowboat

I use an AirDog150, which is the same as the lift pump from tank to HPFP, to polish fuel.  (two separate pumps- and so if the primary one fails I have the second one I can pull and install.).   It is a 1um absolute primary filter and a separate water separator.  I use the same system to transfer from aux tank to main tank while driving and through the use of a timer board and solenoids... I control them through upfitters in the cab.  the airdog150 can move 150gallons an hour (hence the name).  They make several.  The cost for the pump/filter head is around $700.   Because of ULSD being stripped of lubricants (as a result of removing sulfur), i add lubricity- which is also why i don't 'over polish' the fuel... which can be done... two or three passes is all it takes.  

Handymans342

Patent that 212

Dirtythirty

so we finally found an answer here.  When we went to replace my fuel cap o-rings, we found that they had LONG since dry rotted and fallen off. I had NO o-rings at all. What I thought were rubber o-rings on my fuel caps were actually the black plastic portion of the threads.
Rain water was just running in through my fuel fillers all this time, and I had no idea.  
Installed new o-rings...problem solved.   
My boat was previously owned by a gentleman who kept the boat at the Jersey shore in salt water.  That was the main factor in the o-rings dry rotting.  
keep a bead of silicone on those o-rings and you wont need to replace them nearly as often.

Thanks for all the input

Handymans342

I had the same issue on my caps when I boat the boat plus the vent covers were gone!

Dream_Inn

Handy, a diesel problem?? Really?

Handymans342

Dream_Inn said:

Handy, a diesel problem?? Really?

No Rinker problem