Manufactured by Marsh Marine...Tank Cleaning Professionals
“Our experience is your protection since 1966”
Deck Fill Protection Device
I
n
previous
articles
I
took
you
through
the
problems
we
are
all
experiencing
with
diesel
fuel
due
to
changes
in
the
chemical
make-up
of
today’s
diesel
fuel.
We
examined
the
various
maintenance
methods
every
boat
owner
needs
to
follow
if
one
is
to
insure
their
fuel
is
clean;
which
translates
to
safe
and
reliable.
In
this
article
I
will
pull
back
the
mystery
cloak
from
fuel
additives
to
reveal
some
facts
you
simple
must
know
if
you
are
to
prevent
fuel
problems
and
the
costly
expense
they
bring.
If
you
read
no
other
article
on
diesel
fuel,
this
one
is
absolutely
vital.
Before
I
begin,
let
me backtrack and review some key points:
T
he
primary
fuel
contaminant
that
causes
filters
to
clog
and
engines
to
stop
is
diesel
fuel
breaking
down
attempting
to
return
to
its
original
crude
oil
state.
Call
it
the
misnomers
algae,
mud,
sludge
or
its
correct
name,
Asphaltenes;
this
black
goo
is
the
main
fuel
problem
boaters
face.
It
results
because
today’s
diesel
fuel
is
far
less
stable
than
fuel
made
years
ago.
Why
you
ask?
The
answer
is
demand
and
profit.
Petroleum
refiners
use
to
distill
crude
oil
into
various
products,
i.e.
kerosene,
heating
fuel,
gasoline,
diesel,
etc.
Today,
to
increase
production
to
meet
demand
and
more
importantly
to
increase
their
profits,
they
use
a
chemical
or
catalytic
process
called
“Cracking”
which
yields
more
product
per
barrel
of
crude.
Good
for
them,
but
bad
for
us
since
these
products,
especially
our
diesel
fuel,
are
far
less
stable
as
the
result.
Put
simply,
their
“shelf
life”
is
shorter.
Within
60
to
90
days
of
production
fuel
begins
to
oxidize
and
re-polymerize
back
into
crude
oil.
Since
most
boats
sit
idle,
conditions
are
perfect
for
promoting
the
destabilization
of
the
fuel.
Besides
changes
in
the
way
fuels
are
being
processed,
we
are
also
seeing
changes
in
the
way
fuel
is
being
stored.
Storage
tanks
use
to
be
underground
where
fuel
was
always
cool.
Now,
we
are
seeing
smaller,
above
ground
tanks. These small tanks cause higher fuel temperatures which accelerates the formation of Asphaltene particles.
S
olutions
to
slowing
this
destabilization
process
include
installing
high
quality
and
large
fuel
filters,
investing
in
Magnetic
Fuel
Conditioner
units,
like
those
offered
by
the
Algae-X
company,
and
rotating
fuel
more
frequently
by
not
filling
one’s
tank
with
any
more
fuel
than
can
be
used
within
a
month
or
two.
Better
to
fill
more
often
so
fuel
is
fresher.
Also,
change
your
primary
and
secondary
fuel
filters
often.
I
recommend
they
be
changed
with
every
oil
change
or
at
the
first
sign
of
sludge
in
the
filter
bowl.
Filters
are
the
main
line
of
defense
against
bad
fuel
and
are
cheap
compared
to
tow
bills
and
engine
repairs.
The
final
and
often
least
considered
fuel
maintenance
option
is
using
a
high
quality
fuel
additive. So let’s throw some light on this subject of fuel additives.
B
esides
the
production
changes
refiners
made
to
increase
profits,
diesel
fuel
has
changed
due
to
the
clean
air
acts
of
1994
and
2004.
These
government
regulations
were
enacted
to
lower
exhaust
emissions.
To
do
this,
refiners
were
required
to
lower
the
sulfur
content
of
diesel
fuel.
In
1993,
low
sulfur
diesel
(LSD)
fuel
was
born.
This
was
good
for
the
air
we
breathe,
but
bad
for
diesel
engines
since
sulfur
provides
the
load
bearing
protective
film
for
injectors,
fuel
pumps,
and
the
balance
of
the
fuel
metering
system.
The
introduction
of
LSD
fuel
sent
engine
manufacturers
scrambling
to
redesign
their
engines
to
prevent
part
failures.
In
2007,
the
government
again
enacted
further
emission
reductions
and
in
2010
more
went
into
effect.
Current
diesel
is
now
classified
as
Ultra
Low
Sulfur
Diesel
(ULSD)
and
has
97%
less
sulfur.
These
changes
spurred
the
introduction
of
a
whole
new
generation
of
electronically
controlled,
low
emission,
high
speed
and
high
horsepower
diesel
engines.
These
high
tech
engines
have
electronic
injectors
with
much
smaller
tolerances
than
older
engines
and
will
not
tolerate
fuel
contaminants
below
their
rated
micron
capacity
or
any
water passing through them. This makes it ever more critical that fuel be clean and water free.