Water in Marine Diesel
Water is the number one enemy of marine diesel. It condenses inside half-full tanks, sneaks past worn deck fittings, and feeds the "diesel bug" — a microbial sludge that blocks filters and corrodes injectors. The first you often know of it is a sudden loss of power offshore when the filter chokes. EEK drains the contaminated fuel, cleans the tank, and polishes or replaces the fuel so the engine runs reliably again.
Call Now: 0800 769 00024/7 marine fuel recovery — nationwide
What to Look For
Engine surging, losing power, or shutting down under load
Clear water or a dark slime in the primary filter bowl
Black, brown, or stringy sludge on the filter element
Rough running after the boat has sat unused for months
Common Causes
Condensation
Half-empty tanks breathe moist marine air; water condenses on the tank walls and settles under the fuel.
Deck fill leaks
Worn O-rings on the deck filler let rain and spray into the tank.
Diesel bug
Microbes live at the fuel/water interface and multiply into a filter-blocking sludge.
What to Do — and What Not to Do
Do
- Shut down before the engine is starved at a bad moment
- Note when the boat was last used and fuelled
- Call 0800 769 000 for fuel polishing or a full drain
Don't
- Start, crank, or run the engine
- Attempt to burn off contaminated fuel by running it
- Top up the oil or fuel before the system is assessed
- Motor the vessel back to the ramp under its own power
- Pump contaminated fuel overboard — it is an environmental offence