“Does an engine burn a clean tank?”
“Does a clean tank affect the warranty or extended warranty of an engine?”
Today, we’re thinking about two terms that are often used interchangeably but have very very little to do with each other. It could possibly have catastrophic results!!!
Fuel Polishing is defined as the removal of water, sediment, non-combustible particulate matter and microbial contamination (fuel contaminants) below levels stated in ASTM D975 (Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel Oils) while reversing oxidation and re-suspending combustible particulate matter to maintain ASTM standards for BTU value, lubricity, and Cetane.
Fuel Polishing / Maintenance is normally completed without interruption of the tank’s service by drawing from the bottom of the tank, pulling the fuel contaminants into the filtration system, and returning cleaned fuel high in the fuel column to prevent mixing of clean fuel and the contaminants at the tank bottom.
Tank Cleaning is defined as… a clean tank. Who determines that, exactly? We haven’t ever seen an ASTM standard for “clean tank” and we don’t know how to test for it. Common sense certainly has play here, but you can see our point.
Does an engine burn a clean tank? Does a clean tank affect the warranty or extended warranty of an engine?
What if the tank is clean but the fuel is out of spec? Conversely, what if the tank is dirty, but the fuel is IN-spec? (Spoiler alert: Both can happen!)
All tanks are vented. They have to be so that we can put fuel IN a tank and the engine can draw it out. We don’t want a tank under extraordinary vacuum or pressure. It also means that whatever is going on OUTSIDE the tank is happening INSIDE the tank. (BTW, there are tank vent filters, and they DO make a difference!) Sand, dust, pollen, ladybugs, spiders, humidity are all things that happen 24/7 to a tank with fuel in it. You name it, we’ve probably seen it!
And… did you know that fuel isn’t ever perfectly clean (that’s different than “IN-spec”). ASTM D975 acknowledges that fuel always has a little bit of contamination in it. Refineries, pipelines, terminals, trucks and hoses are not perfectly clean. It’s often considered a dirty business!!!
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What’s in your tank? Do you know? Do you want to?
You should!
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