Fuel and Filter Experts!
I need your help!  Bought the boat with about 50 gals per tank (222 gal
capacity), filled with a major mobile supplier, used the boat for about 15
hours including one 3 hour bumpy gulf trip with no indications of Vacum
advance of the Racor 500's.  Then boat on the hard for maintenance and storage
for 5 months in the Gulf area , plus 3 months in a marina with about 16 hours
running (no vacum indications).  Added some 200 gals (diesel) through another
major mobile supplier before starting our trip North for the great loop.
After about 15 hours and another 200 gal fill-up at a large marina, started to
notice vacum advance of the STBD filter.  Changed that filter twice, early (
about 15 hours use between changes)  before indicator hit the yellow zone on
the gauge, and once in about the middle of the yellow zone.  All during this
period had no vacum advances on the Port filter, then during the last 10 hours
of use the Port gauge has started to move up also and is now close to the
yellow zone?

Using Mystery Oil as recommended and modest amounts of Solatron additive, but
no biocide yet!!!!

Any thoughts?????

Ken

First, are you sure that your filters are in parallel and not serial? When
you have changed a filter, did you clean the interior of the case and filter
bowl? In a similar situation it was pointed out to me. "Congratulations,
your filters are doing their job." Marvel Mystery Oil and Solatron are two
different animals. One a lubricant and fogger, the other a chemical additive
to break up deposits in your fuel tank. Don't use "modest amounts," use
exactly what Solatron recommends.

You need to be able to answer these additional questions: are both filters
connected to the same tank or different tanks and how are these tanks
plumbed. Different tanks would explain why the filters get loaded-up at
different times. I would not use a trip to free the tanks of sludge. Were I
to use Solatron, I would go out locally on a rough day and/or run across my
own wake and any other I could find. It is best to have two Racors (or
similar) in series with valves to permit a quick switch from a clogged
filter to a clean filter.

Ron Rogers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Tarbell" 2ndTwenty@escapees.com

| After about 15 hours and another 200 gal fill-up at a large marina,
started to
| notice vacum advance of the STBD filter.  Changed that filter twice, early
(
| about 15 hours use between changes)  before indicator hit the yellow zone
on
| the gauge, and once in about the middle of the yellow zone.  All during
this
| period had no vacum advances on the Port filter, then during the last 10
hours
| of use the Port gauge has started to move up also and is now close to the
| yellow zone?
|
| Using Mystery Oil as recommended and modest amounts of Solatron additive,
but
| no biocide yet!!!!

I know the rate for fuel polishing in the Indiantown area of Florida is
around $1/gallon.  It might be worth the trip compared to a case or two of
expensive fuel filters.

                                      Regards....

Phil Rosch
Old Harbor Consulting
M/V Curmudgeon MT-44TC
Currently "aground" in Redondo Beach, CA