Water in diesel?

[tomfifield]

Thanks all; I got it running today. I drained the water from the tank and lines untill it ran clean and red. I have a L3400 and it has a valve you open to bleed the air from the pump. I did add some Diesel dry just to be sure. After a bit of smoke it cleaned up and ran fine. I use oil for heat in my house and have three 275 gallon tanks so I plan to make one a fuel tank. I will put a filter system like LBrown59 has on it. But in the short run that Mr. Funnel sounds like a good thing.

 

[Soundguy]

less surface to condense on for sure, if it's full.

soundguy

My understanding is a partial tank of fuel (either can or on tractor) will have a higher propensity to have water condense inside it than a tank that is full???

I don't know that to be true, just something I once read. If accurate then it might benefit you to try to keep your tank(s) as full as possible.

I've got two glass bowls on my backhoe's fuel system.

Had some issues with it running very strange one day and got curious. As it turned out, both bowls were pretty much full with water. They are 20 some years old and were VERY difficult to see through so you couldn't tell if there was diesel in them, water in them or jelly beans in them

Once I figured out the water problem, I took them off and cleaned them, getting all that accumulated junk off the inside of them so I could see through them.

 

[RalphVa]

I'm having water troubles with my first batch of off road diesel. In 32 years of using on road diesel, I never had ANY water problems. I'm not using this red crap again.

Tomorrow, I plan to go to TSC to see if they have a small 12v, 120v or hand pump to pump fuel from my containers through a filter/water separator to the tractor tank. I've had this Perma-Cool filter/water separator for 26 years. Bought it for our 1983 240D but never put it in. The filter is a tad rusty around the rubber seal, but I think its still okay. The filter has a spigot on the bottom to drain water off. The Perma-Cool outfit is still in business. Haven't checked with them yet whether they still carry a filter assembly that will work on this old rig. Bet the screw and seal ring is still the same. One of their newer model filters will probably work. I'll use this one for a while.

The tractor cut out today just as I was finishing up the driveway. I put an old filter in and got it back in the carriage house. Will buy a couple more filters tomorrow either at TSC or JD.

To SoundGuy: yes, alcohol attracts and dissolves water, but the solubility of either water or alcohol in diesel is limited. What you'll end up doing, if you put alcohol in diesel, is it grabs the water and just comes out of solution. Those drops of alcohol-water mix won't burn too well and will give you engine missing similar to water only. What makes more sense to "grab" water in diesel is maybe a detergent of some sort. Think this is what they use in dormant or orchard spray oil to make it soluble. Dormant oil or orchard spray oil is just a very narrow cut of very light diesel. I know. I used to design the distillation columns to cut this stuff from a diesel feed stock.

Ralph

 

[atgreene]

On road diesel and off road diesel are identical with the exception of the red dye. Feel free to buy the more expensive of the two (road tax), we appreciate your contibution to the maintenance of the roads while you operate your tractor.

I operate a fleet of equipment, both fuels will gell from time to time, but only if I fail to treat each tank load with Power Service. I get anywhere from 100 to 500 gallons a month delivered into my tanks. One bottle ( approximately 1/2 gallon) of PS does the trick. Temps down to -20 the last two years and no issues.

I've had people tell me their red fuel gells easier. If that is the case it's only because of lack of treatment. Treat it and filter it and you'll have no issues.

FWIW, my fuel co. tells me they no longer treat any fuel. There is no winter blend anymore. It's up to the customer to treat it.

 

[LBrown59]

*Cant figure this out :
Off road is simply on road with dye in it.

I'm having water troubles with my first batch of off road diesel. In 32 years of using on road diesel, I never had ANY water problems. *I'm not using this red crap again.
Ralph

 

[LBrown59]

1*On road diesel and off road diesel are identical with the exception of the red dye.
I operate a fleet of equipment, both fuels will gell from time to time,
2*but only if I fail to treat each tank load with Power Service. I get anywhere from 100 to 500 gallons a month delivered into my tanks. One bottle ( approximately 1/2 gallon) of PS does the trick. Temps down to -20 the last two years and no issues.

1*Right and the dye has no affect on the fuel what so ever !
2*I'd say the OPs problem was more of a problem of how the fuel was handled or stored rather than a matter of on verses off road.

 

[Soundguy]

If the droplets are falling out of soloution.. it's saturated.. could bee just too much water to alcohol.. and / or temps are lower..

as with most things.. the soloution to polloution is diloution... mind you.. I'm not advocating adding alcohol to diesel as a primary means of water eradication... seperating it out and draining it off or other mechanical means are much prefered.

soundguy

I'm having water troubles with my first batch of off road diesel. In 32 years of using on road diesel, I never had ANY water problems. I'm not using this red crap again.

Tomorrow, I plan to go to TSC to see if they have a small 12v, 120v or hand pump to pump fuel from my containers through a filter/water separator to the tractor tank. I've had this Perma-Cool filter/water separator for 26 years. Bought it for our 1983 240D but never put it in. The filter is a tad rusty around the rubber seal, but I think its still okay. The filter has a spigot on the bottom to drain water off. The Perma-Cool outfit is still in business. Haven't checked with them yet whether they still carry a filter assembly that will work on this old rig. Bet the screw and seal ring is still the same. One of their newer model filters will probably work. I'll use this one for a while.

The tractor cut out today just as I was finishing up the driveway. I put an old filter in and got it back in the carriage house. Will buy a couple more filters tomorrow either at TSC or JD.

To SoundGuy: yes, alcohol attracts and dissolves water, but the solubility of either water or alcohol in diesel is limited. What you'll end up doing, if you put alcohol in diesel, is it grabs the water and just comes out of solution. Those drops of alcohol-water mix won't burn too well and will give you engine missing similar to water only. What makes more sense to "grab" water in diesel is maybe a detergent of some sort. Think this is what they use in dormant or orchard spray oil to make it soluble. Dormant oil or orchard spray oil is just a very narrow cut of very light diesel. I know. I used to design the distillation columns to cut this stuff from a diesel feed stock.

Ralph

 

[Matt_Jr]

I think it all boils down to bad luck. I won't buy fuel if they're filling the tank while it's raining. As a matter of fact, I won't buy fuel if I see them filling their tanks. I wait for the dirt to settle or go to another station. I've never used off road in my kubota, but that has to due with convenience, not preference. Plus, I like to contribute by paying extra taxes.

 

[Mousefield]

I don't use that much diesel for my CK35 so just go to the local gas station and fill up a 25 liter (5 imperial gallons) can of road diesel, it is a green/yellow color. They only sell on road diesel. People with larger needs have their own tanks and have it delivered at a lower cost. There is a difference in gasoline however; off road/farm gas is dyed purple and cheaper. You get in big trouble if you use it in on road vehicles unless they are farm status registered. The gas is the same, they just add a bit of dye to it so they know if it should have road tax on it (or you are using it illegally). I belive the same application for dye is also used for diesel.

 

[mrutkaus]

yes get and use a Mr. Funnel.

Mike