Oil & Fuel Fuel conditioner??

[fbiwrench]

I will be storing my tractor, CT230, in a unheated garage for the winter (approx. 5 months) after my final fall cleanup of the property. I plan to remove the battery and place in heated storage area to eliminate chance of discharge then freeze. Should I use a fuel additive, or stabilizer prior to storage? If so what is best??

[TripleR]

You are going to get a lot of answers as this has been addressed several times before. We don't use anything in our tractors or storage tanks and neither do any of the farmers with whom I have spoken. My father in law owned and ran a bulk fuel and lubricant dealership. His tanks held thousands of gallons of gasoline, kerosene and diesel with minimal draw down of diesel during the winter and no conditioner was used in his tanks, trucks or tractors.

All that having been said, you will probably feel better using something and it sure won't hurt.

[Bird]

Yep, lots of differing opinions. Two real farmer neighbors of mine used Power Service in their diesel all the time. I bought my diesel in a 55 gallon barrel from an Exxon distributor and asked him about it. He said you shouldn't need anything if you were going to use it within a month, but after that something like Power Service would be a good idea. So I just dumped a quart of Power Service in my barrel each time I got it filled with diesel. Did it really help? I don't know, but for the amount I used, it wasn't very expensive and it sure didn't hurt.

[TripleR]

Yep, lots of differing opinions. Two real farmer neighbors of mine used Power Service in their diesel all the time. I bought my diesel in a 55 gallon barrel from an Exxon distributor and asked him about it. He said you shouldn't need anything if you were going to use it within a month, but after that something like Power Service would be a good idea. So I just dumped a quart of Power Service in my barrel each time I got it filled with diesel. Did it really help? I don't know, but for the amount I used, it wasn't very expensive and it sure didn't hurt.

We have three hundred gallon tanks on two of our farms and are thinking about it on the other, so cost is a bit more.

My wife's cousin bought my father in law's business and when I talked to him, he said all they recommend is good filters on the tanks.

I am certainly no expert and would never recommend someone not use it, only relate what has worked for us.

[Bird]

Of the 2 farmers I mentioned before, one went to get his diesel with two 55 gallon barrels, but the other one had his delivered to his 1,000 gallon tank with a pump that looked like a gas station pump. And yes, he had a filter at the pump. I don't guess I ever asked him how much he used, but he had one old open station John deere, two air-conditioned Deeres, his own 18-wheeler for delivering hay he sold, and of course he drove a diesel 3/4 ton pickup. He did NOT use dyed fuel.

[JoeL4330]

this might answer many of your questions:
http://amsca.com/files/Download/Fuel...age_diesel.pdf

if you bought "summer" fuel in bulk and then wanted to use it in the winter, you might need an anti-gel (like power service, white bottle) agent.

if you bought "winterized" diesel fuel and stored it for use in the summer, you will have slightly less power.

the article at the link will set your mind pretty much at ease; sometimes a biocide is indicated to curtail the growth of algae. If you store in bulk, a filter is pretty much mandatory, IMHO, and, if you have an electric pump on the tank, you can always recirculate it back into the tank and "polish" it ...there are special (expensive) rigs to polish diesel fuel. If you are just storing the tractor with fuel in the tank, the tank should be full to prevent condensation.

again, read the article (or many others like it you can google) and set your mind at ease

[TripleR]

Of the 2 farmers I mentioned before, one went to get his diesel with two 55 gallon barrels, but the other one had his delivered to his 1,000 gallon tank with a pump that looked like a gas station pump. And yes, he had a filter at the pump. I don't guess I ever asked him how much he used, but he had one old open station John deere, two air-conditioned Deeres, his own 18-wheeler for delivering hay he sold, and of course he drove a diesel 3/4 ton pickup. He did NOT use dyed fuel.

We use the dyed fuel now as my son fill his truck up at the bulk plant where they fuel their delivery trucks. I wouldn't be surprised if some are running it in their trucks though.

[Soundguy]

for sure add some sort of fuel storage conditioner.. I'dd add a biocide to it as well.

would not specifically look for a cetane enhancer though.. but you may get stuck with one anyway depending on what you buy.

once you treat the fuel.. run it, otherwise only tank gets treated and not filter, lines and injection pump!

soundguy

[LBrown59]

If you store in bulk, a filter is pretty much mandatory, IMHO.

This storage system or set up filters the fuel 3 times befopre it ever enters the tractors tank.

[whistlepig]

I don't add stabilizer to diesel because I have never had a need to. Diesel seems to have a good shelf life. I have had a couple of gas motors build up shellac in the carburetors due to old gas. A real pain to clean shellac out. For my back up gas for the portable generator I treat it with stabilizer. I don't want to be out of power, in the cold, in the dark, while trying to clean shellac out of a carburetor.