Bavaria Yacht Info
Member Forums => Bavaria Yacht Help! => Topic started by: Lyra on December 03 2018, 16:22
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I have a case of diesel contamination.
So I intend to "polish" it by circulating it through a set of filters.
Got a 70L/min pump. Since the pump ports are 3/4" it will not be correct to try to draw the fuel through the regular, small diameter, outlet line as this will not be able to provide the required flow for the pump. I would also like to agitate the tank contents as much as possible so will use 3/4" hoses.
Therefore I would like to open the fuel level sensor fitting and draw the fuel from there (I will push it towards the lowest part of the tank and pour it back through the fuel filling deck fitting).
Any thing special to look out for when opening and removing the sensor (special gasket that may need replacement if opened? etc.).
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Looks like mine. I've had it out. It was an absolute bastard to get the sensor out and back in. Luckily you don't have to!
For what you want to do, simply disconnect the cables, undo the screws and lift the sensor out far enough so you can hang your suction hose down there, parallel to the narrow bit of the sensor. This will be easy.
Finding the exact spot and angle where you can extract the sensor arm without bending or breaking it was quite tricky (although this may depend on how generously the hole was cut originally). Plenty of room for a thick hose and the sensor though.
(https://www.etbinstruments.com/image/cache/data/SENSORS/VDO_floatarm_fuel_sender-500x500.jpg)
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Not sure if this is relevant as the sensor set-up looks slightly different to mine. However, when I removed my sensor for replacement some time ago the sealing washer had expanded and, once the sensor unit was removed, would not fit back. I then had to source another one before I could refit it :-\
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Thanks to both of you.
Dawntreader - when you say that your setup is different, did you refer to my picture of the flange connection or to Yngmar's photo of the sensor internal structure?
Also - is there one sealing washer or two?
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Lyra,
My original float & lever sensor failed and Bavaria sent me a replacement - a 'tube' with an integral pcb/float. The wiring colour was different too ::). Unfortunately I do not have a photo of the internal sensor, just the external part. There is a black rubber-type washer under the flange.
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Thanks.
Just in case I will need it in the future I looked it up the ROAD site - it is a KTS capacitive level sensor (number on the first line is the manufacturer part number)
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I eventually discovered that to remove the sensor is easy if you push the float into the position it would be in if there was no fuel in the tank. Also I discovered that the gasket only fits correctly in one position . Mine was leaking and the last person to refit it had the gasket incorrectly lined up .
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For what you want to do, simply disconnect the cables, undo the screws and lift the sensor out far enough so you can hang your suction hose down there, parallel to the narrow bit of the sensor. This will be easy.
Finding the exact spot and angle where you can extract the sensor arm without bending or breaking it was quite tricky (although this may depend on how generously the hole was cut originally). Plenty of room for a thick hose and the sensor though.
Thanks Yngmar
1. Do you or others happen to know the make of the sensor? I have this model on my 2005 36. I would like to obtain instructions to adjust the sensor so it is actually working more accurately.
2. Also do you have to disassemble the sensor to remove? I haven't found the magic angle to remove.
3. Stumped after lifting the sensor out slightly, to find the 150 litre tank with the diesel level very close to the top even though I put 33 hours of motoring since last fill. At 1.8 - 2.0 litres / hour I should be down 60 to 66 litres!!!
Thoughts anyone?
Thanks Harvey
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For what its worth, I built a fuel polishing system based on the one that Patrick Laine demonstrated in his You Tube videos, and purchased connections from our local supplier of hydraulic fittings and connections that I was able to insert into the fuel lines just outside of the fuel tank. This was on my B36(2002), where the fuel suction and return lines came out of the top of the fuel tank where there were metal elbows and a straight couplings already in place. I purchased two “T” pieces and two stop ends so that the fuel polishing system could be coupled in easily when I wanted to use it, and after I’d finished the polishing system could be uncoupled and the stop ends fitted back into the then unused oart of each “T” connection. That meant that periodic polishing could be done whenever I wanted to do it, and I didn’t need to leave open the fuel filler cap and worry if rain might enter while the filler cap was open.
As for those connections, I took parts of the existing fittings that could be undone and removed to my supplier, in order that they could identify the size and thread so that the couplings they provided would fit correctly.
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1. Do you or others happen to know the make of the sensor? I have this model on my 2005 36. I would like to obtain instructions to adjust the sensor so it is actually working more accurately.
2. Also do you have to disassemble the sensor to remove? I haven't found the magic angle to remove.
3. Stumped after lifting the sensor out slightly, to find the 150 litre tank with the diesel level very close to the top even though I put 33 hours of motoring since last fill. At 1.8 - 2.0 litres / hour I should be down 60 to 66 litres!!!
It's a VDO sensor. Instructions here: https://etbinstruments.com/image/data/floatarmvdo.pdf
I didn't have to disassemble mine, but it was quite tricky. Perhaps it's easier if you do.
No idea why your engine uses no fuel, perhaps the diesel fairy came and filled your tank or it rained into it ;-)
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33 hours is approx 15l, only 10% of the capacity of the tank. The tank is shallow and large in surface area at the top, so a drop in level will be small.
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It's a VDO sensor. Instructions here: https://etbinstruments.com/image/data/floatarmvdo.pdf
Excellent. Thanks so much for the pdf.
Wish the fairies would add $$ to the boat budget too.
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33 hours is approx 15l, only 10% of the capacity of the tank. The tank is shallow and large in surface area at the top, so a drop in level will be small.
Hi Symphony
15 litres would mean little more than 0.5 litres / hour by my calculation. I would love that.
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Sorry, brain fade! However, principle applies. Level drops more slowly from full because the tank is tapered.