German specialist for motor oils and additives Liqui Moly claims to have the ultimate range of products for fighting the curse of rust in the fuel tank and fuel lines of vessels.
Many wonder how components in an oily diesel fuel system can corrode. Liqui Moly explains that this corrosion is the result of water contained in the fuel. This can be caused by water condensation on the inner walls of the tank, or contaminated fuel or carelessness when filling the tank. In the laboratory, the so-called steel finger test shows how quickly rust can form. For this test a steel rod is suspended in a glass containing naphtha, to which ten percent water has been added. Then the glass is placed in an oven at 60 °C. After only 24 hours the steel rod is covered with rust.
But the test results are quite different when the recommended quantity of Liqui Moly additive is added to the naphtha. Here not one single speck of rust is visible after 24 hours. This applies for the diesel additives (Super Diesel Additive, Diesel Protect) as well as the fuel additives (Fuel Stabiliser, Fuel System Cleaner). These additives, says Liqui Moly, form a film which covers and protects the metal surface at the molecular level. This film protects the metal from the corrosive substances.
The longer the boat is laid up, the more important this corrosion protection becomes. Here the company claims that regular use of the Liqui Moly additives ensures reliable protection for long-term maintenance.
Liqui Moly GmbH from Ulm in South Germany offers a wide range of high-quality products such as motor oils, additives, vehicle care products and service products. The range includes some 4000 items. Liqui Moly develops and tests their products in their own laboratories, manufactures exclusively in Germany and markets all of their products themselves.
By Jake Frith