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Deck Fill Protection Device

Fuel Additives...Continued: I f   you   think   fuel   filters   are   all   that   is   necessary   to   provide   clean   fuel,   you   are   sadly   mistaken.      Most   of   the   fuel/water separators   made   today   will   not   meet   the   new   engine   standards   because   they   were   never   designed   for   today’s   high   tech diesels   and   the   fuel   flows   they   require.      New   diesels   need   2   to   3   times   more   fuel   flow   through   them   in   order   to   cool and   lubricate   the   electronic   injectors   and   fuel   components.      Furthermore,   water   which   typically   settled   out   of   older diesel   fuel   in   a   matter   of   a   few   hours   persists   in   today’s   Ultra   Low   Sulfur   Diesel   for   days   and   often   cannot   be   easily separated.      This   is   due   to   the   various   lubricity   additives   that   refiners   must   now   add   to   compensate   for   reduced   sulfur. The   water   droplets   are   sufficiently   stable   to   pass   freely   through   most   typical   fuel-water   separator   media.      Water   is certain death to injectors! A lright,   so   what’s   a   guy   to   do?     You’ve   spent   an   exorbitant   amount   of   money   on   those   beautiful,   new   high   tech   diesels, and   you   must   protect   this   investment   and   be   able   to   rely   on   them.      The   answer,   besides   the   suggestions   previously mentioned,   is   to   use   a   proven    fuel   additive.      Key   word   here   is   “proven”.      Fuel   additives   have   often   been   questionable.     Many   are   no   more   than   smoke   and   mirrors   with   fancy   labels...snake   oil   remedies   with   more   promises   than   today’s politicians.      I   know   of   one   brand   which   is   nothing   but   refined   kerosene   with   blue   dye   in   a   pricey   bottle.   It   won’t   harm your   engine,   but   it   won’t   help   it   either.      Unfortunately,   the   fuel   additive   industry   is   not   regulated   by   any   government agency so “extravagant” claims can be made without recourse. L egitimate    fuel    additives    do    exist    and    they    do    work.        They    fall    into    two    categories:        Those    that    “emulsify” contaminates   by   dissolving    them   to   a   point   where   they   can   safely   pass   through   the   fuel   system   and   be   burned   by   the engine,   and   those   that   “demulsify”   contaminates   by   causing   them   to   settle   out    of   the   fuel.      Both   types   have   their usefulness   depending   on   conditions.      Both   types   will   enhance   and   protect   your   fuel.      They   add   lubricity   agents   which compensate   for   reduced   sulfur   to   reduce   metal   wear.      They   usually   have   combustion   catalysts   which   are   specialized chemicals   to   improve   combustion   efficiency   and   greatly   reduce   carbon   fouling.      This   reduces   engine   smoking   and provides   more   thorough   combustion   of   injected   fuel   resulting   in   better   fuel   economy   and   cleaner   exhaust   emissions. Most   have   corrosion   inhibitors   to   protect   the   fuel   tank   from   corrosion.      Without   this   additive,   moisture   and   sulfur   in the   diesel   fuel   can   combine   to   form   sulfuric   acid.      This   aggressive   acid   will   corrode   aluminum   and   especially   iron tanks.      One   of   the   most   expensive   repairs   you   can   have   is   to   replace   a   leaking   fuel   tank!      Additionally,   quality   fuel additives   have   polymerization   retardants   which   help   prevent   the   formation   of Asphaltene   sludge.      One   thing   to   bear   in mind,   no   additive,   no   matter   how   great,   can   totally   cure   an   existing   problem.      They   are   meant   to   be   used   as   a preventative,   so   if   you   have   a   bad   condition   in   your   fuel   or   tank,   clean   it   up   first,   and   then   use   a   fuel   additive   faithfully to prevent future problems. F uel   additive   advantages   are   significant,   but   which   type   should   you   choose,   Emulsifier   or   Demulsifier?      Based   upon my   experience   with   both   types,   I   would   choose   an   emulsifier   when   treating   fuel   aboard   my   boat.      One   example   of   an emulsifier   type   additive   is Algae-X’s AFC   705   fuel   catalyst.      I   like   this   choice   because   dissolving   contaminants   so   they can   be   burned   safely   makes   better   sense.         Demulsifiers   on   the   other   hand   will   cause   water   and   contaminants   to   settle out   to   the   tank   bottom.      There   they   form   a   bulk   mass   and   can   potentially   get   sucked   into   the   fuel   system.      I   won’t   take this   risk.      Demulsifiers   are   excellent   where   one   needs   to   precipitate   dissolved   water   and/or   contaminants,   for   example in   storage   drums   where   the   clean   fuel   can   then   be   siphoned   off   the   top,   something   which   cannot   easily   be   done   on   a boat.