Project: Fuel Polishing System
(click on any of the small pictures for a large one!)

Why

I was not sure about the fuel condition in the tanks when I bought the boat. I could not confirm how long it had been in the tanks, or whether there was conditioner added or not. There was over 120gallons of diesel that I didn't want to just throw away.

I could have had the tanks (2 @ 75gal each) "professionally" polished, but the cost for this one-time service was quite high.

I called around and discovered that, for about what it would cost to have the professionals clean the tanks only twice, I could have my own, permanent fuel polishing system. I was about to pay one of these two immediately anyway. The on-board system would also have the following additional benefits:

Bleeding the fuel system would be a simple task.
The electric pump would serve as a backup for the engine's lift pump
I would have an additional in line filter full time
I could polish my fuel continuously while underway or at the dock

I couldn't see any reason not to put in a permanent system.

Where

Parts were obtained and the system was assembled by Charles and his crew at Belgoes Fuel systems (http://www.fuelpolishing.com). Very good to work with. Great communication also.


Step 1 - Draw up what I wanted

This the drawing I sent to Belgoes Systems telling them what I wanted.

I already had a RACOR 500 in the boat that I could re-use. I wanted two Gulf Coast Jr. filters so that either one could be selected (typically only one would be active at a time), both run in parallel, or both completely bypassed.

These would flow into the RACOR which would do the water separating function as well. I use a 2micron element in the RACOR. The dual vacuum gages indicate whether the GCJr or the RACOR is beginning to clog up.

The pump is the standard Walbro 7GPH pump that pulls the fuel through all of the filters.

From the pump, the fuel goes a) to the engine and b) to the return feed to the tanks.

The engine has a secondary filter and a lift pump not shown in the drawing. The lift pump can "pull" fuel through the Walbro without it running.

Step 2 - Install the system

Here is what I received from Charles at Belgoes. This is a very handy unit mounted to Starboard that fit right where I had planned.

I relocated the timer up near the helm so I could control the system without pulling up engine room hatches. I do have to lift a hatch to see the vacuum gages, though.

No installation problems at all (what?!?!?!?). That was a first. Fittings, high pressure hoses, etc. from Belgoes worked first time.

Results

So far the system has been great. After the initial polishing of all of the old fuel (it turned out to be perfectly clean wouldn't you know!), I have had no issues at all.

The RACOR has never even been the slightest bit dirty when changed every 100 hours. The Gulf Coast filters have only been mildly dirty - I alternate using the two GCJr's, keeping one clean for backup.

The vacuum gages never move off of 0in. when the Walbro pump is off and the engine lift pump is doing the work.

With the Walbro polishing the fuel, the gages read about 2in. and 3in. (RACOR and GCJr, respectively).
 
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