New to diesel & 4x4

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hi
I obtained 2 55 gallon plastic drums (5 dollars each) and bought a 100 gallons of diesel about 4 years ago I have about 30 gallons left. the winter time temp has been as low as -10 degrees. I have not added any thing to the diesel and seems as fresh as the day I bought it.

Charlie
)</font>

Does this sound right to anybody else that is familiar with diesel?

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I've never personally stored diesel for longer than 3 or 4 months, but the properties of diesel are much closer to the properties of oil than they are to gasoline. I suppose that it would not suprise me if diesel, in a seal container, would remain viable. Motor oil can remain stable for years in containers, why shouldn't diesel?

 

[cp1969]

Yep. As I said in an earlier post, the only bad diesel I've ever seen was over ten years old.

Unless it has water in it, there really isn't much risk of it going bad.

 

[Egon]

Near salt water and warm temperatures bacteria can grow in the diesel fuel. Plugs up filters.

Egon

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yep. As I said in an earlier post, the only bad diesel I've ever seen was over ten years old.

Unless it has water in it, there really isn't much risk of it going bad. )</font>

What are the best storage conditions, i.e. plastic or steel, warmer, cooler? As of right now, I store my fuel in a shed. It gets below zero sometimes here during the winter. Is there a "happy" temp. to store it at? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[cp1969]

I hadn't really thought about optimizing storage conditions because there isn't a lot I can do about it.

Ideally, storage would be under constant temperature to minimize condensation. I would think that cool temperatures would inhibit whatever bacteria growth there might be.

Plastic or metal? I use plastic, but only because that's what I have available. I don't think it would matter.

My own storage conditions (unheated shed) are far from ideal, yet I've never had a problem.

My only advice would be to not store untreated or unblended #2 in temps below +15F. If you do, you're liable to have a thick layer of paraffin on the bottom of the can.

 

[Joe1]

In a previous post, I stated that dyed diesel would not harm your tractor, and there were a fe questions from that comment. Just to confirm my prefious position, I contacted the local John Deere dealer and asked them if using dyed diesel was a problem. They stated it was the same fuel and the dye would do no harm, as I had previously suspected.

Joe

 

[KiotiJohn]

I'd like to just add something here. It seems that no matter how careful one is, dirt and debris are going to end up in your diesel. Especially if you're storing in a metal tank. There will almost always be some rust that ends up in the fluid. I just purchased a great little funnel, Mr. Funnel that not only gets out the trash, but keeps the water from going into your tractor's tank. As soon as it arrived, I filled it with water and not one drop got through. Each time I've used it to fill the tractor, I've found a lot of specs of crap that it didn't allow into my tank. I only bought the really small plastic one (non-conductive) at $10.99 plus shipping, I think the total was $19.99 and worth every cent. Off road diesel can be bought here from home heating oil companies. For your area, look in the phone book under fuel or oil distributors and call them to find out where retail outlets may be found. John
Mr. Funnel

 

[herdfan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I bought my diesel in 55 gallon drums from the local Exxon distributor. )</font>

Bird

How was the cost of the 55 gal drums of diesel compared to a delivery service filling your own tank?
Also, did you use an electirc or hand pump?

eric

 

[Bird]

Eric, I can't answer your question about the difference in price compared to having it delivered. I didn't even ask about delivery prices because I just bought 55 gallons at a time and I don't think anyone in the area would deliver less than 100 gallons at a time. So I just always put the barrel in the pickup with my FEL, went to town, got it filled, and set it back out of the truck with the FEL. And I just used a cheap manual lever action pump from Tractor Supply Co.; about $25.