Our Story

Over the years of being involved with boating and marine maintenance the problem of marine diesel fuel contamination was very apparent.

The only available solution was the installation of fuel filters and fuel additives, containing biocides and other alleged esoteric ingredients. The biocide fuel additive kills the algae; however, the residue from the algae plugs (blinds) the fuel filters, thus causing the engine(s) to fail. Algae, of course, is only one of numerous contaminates that find their way into diesel fuel tanks. Water, rust, carbon residue, fiberglass threads, metal filings and sludge are also contributors.

Due to the lack of viable solutions, boat owners/operators, in desperation, would drain the diesel tanks of dirty fuel and dispose of it somehow. Normally the method of disposal would not be in the best interest of preserving our environment. Even after draining the tanks, contaminates that have settled to the bottom of the tank are still present. This approach to the problem is expensive, wasteful and does not really solve the situation.

Our goal was to devise a method and procedure that would clean (polish) the diesel fuel, flush the tank(s) and still preserve the fuel at a reasonable cost.

A common problem shared by all boat owners is the quality of Diesel #2 marine fuel that is received from our suppliers. Worldwide petroleum product demand has increased. Diesel fuel is a large part of this growth. Increased use of the cracking process by the refineries, particularly catalytic cracking, is the main path to increasing diesel fuel volume. The consequence has been increasing amounts of “less stable” and “dirtier burning” fuels. Over the past twenty years diesel fuels have shown downward quality changes with respect to, Cetane number, cleanliness, performance, stability and low temperature flow. The greatest changes have occurred in North America. The European diesel fuels have tended to be 5 to 7 Cetane numbers above the United States. Higher Cetane can be directly related to a cleaner-burning fuel.

Injector nozzle deposits caused by dirty diesel fuel, result in excessive engine noise at idle and low speeds. It also causes increased exhaust smoke and particulate emissions. Partially burned fuel and carbon is returned to the fuel tank and contributes to blinding-out the filters.

DIESEL FUEL FILTERING employed the services of professional petroleum engineers to construct equipment that would filter, polish, clean and remove entrained water from Diesel #2 marine fuel. The process also effects and internal tank wash down and flushing action. The clean fuel is returned to the tank, thus preserving the fuel. The equipment is scaled to fit on a trailerable boat for mobility. Our location in Alameda allows us to reach the majority of San Francisco Bay Marinas within 30–45 minutes, by boat (weather permitting). We side or stern tie to owners yachts at their berth to execute the fuel polishing.

DFF recommends having the fuel polished every eighteen to twenty-four months. It is also highly recommended prior to committing to a sea passage, cruise or ocean race. In any event take a lot of extra fuel filters.

DIESEL FUEL FILTERING    (510) 521-6797

We are in compliance with State and Federal Specifications and Pollution Control