Spraying Diesel on Old Equipment?

Gary Fowler · Nov 20, 2011

I suppose a pint here and a pint there add up over time but how many people know that lots of military bases are still open just because they are super contaminated sites. If they closed them, the government would have to clean them up and they dont have the money to do it. The military probably runs more fuel and oil on to the ground each year than every other person on earth combined. No one complains about that but you want to crucify the farmer who sprays a few ounces of used motor oil on a piece of equipment to prevent rust. I am all for a clean environment but lets go after the major guys before we haul in a poor guy just trying to protect his investment. Also, every day you hear of companies dumping toxic waste (I mean really bad stuff that kills and/or maims for generations) rather than pay the high fees for proper disposal. Those A-holels are the ones that need to pay and not just fines or a couple years in jail for killing hundreds or even thousands in the name of profit.

creekbend · Nov 20, 2011

lilranch2001 said:
I think we should all move out of our homes and into caves and go back to using stone for tools

Sounds like an excellent idea to me. When a man finds a beautiful woman that he wants to take home, all he has to do is beat her in the head with his club knocking her out, and drag her home to cook his meals and making sure that his cave is swept daily.

clemsonfor · Nov 21, 2011

Gary Fowler said:
I suppose a pint here and a pint there add up over time but how many people know that lots of military bases are still open just because they are super contaminated sites. If they closed them, the government would have to clean them up and they dont have the money to do it. The military probably runs more fuel and oil on to the ground each year than every other person on earth combined. No one complains about that but you want to crucify the farmer who sprays a few ounces of used motor oil on a piece of equipment to prevent rust. I am all for a clean environment but lets go after the major guys before we haul in a poor guy just trying to protect his investment. Also, every day you hear of companies dumping toxic waste (I mean really bad stuff that kills and/or maims for generations) rather than pay the high fees for proper disposal. Those A-holels are the ones that need to pay and not just fines or a couple years in jail for killing hundreds or even thousands in the name of profit.

I work for the military. Every time equiptment is parked there is a rubber catch pan that is put under the engine to catch drips even if there is none. The bad stuff gets one under engine tranny and leaky diff if there is one.

That said is todays rule, not the rule of the past. And yes each military installation is a superfund site. The lead alone casuses that. Today they actually dig up the berms and reclaim the lead on the ranges!! Some sites they do close the base but retain the land in DOD system because of this very reason, to contaminaated to clean and cant turn it over if contaminated. They retain a skeleton crew for land management as well as whatever else is that closed bases pet project.

Combustix · Nov 21, 2011

bcp said:
What's wrong with pouring oil onto the ground? That's just returning a natural item to nature.

Bruce

Only if it's crude

Bota4me · Nov 23, 2011

Mix waste oil with diesel, 50/50 then spray on for corrosion resistance. Works great!

MikeD74T · Nov 24, 2011

When I worked as a cement finisher we brushed diesel fuel onto the rim, blades, & elevator of our power trowels after each job. Prevented rust and concrete accumulation. I've taken apart 50 year old fasteners that were occasionally sprayed with DF, it will go into places where water won't. Like all things, moderation is key. MikeD74T

Combustix · Nov 24, 2011

Why not wipe the equipment with a rag with diesel or oil. Seems you would not have over spray and it would go were you want it. I have done this and have not had any issues with oil on the ground. And I don't breathe the spray

D7E · Nov 24, 2011

Some machines like air-seeder tanks have a lot of nooks to get into and some places you cant even see so needs to be shot out of a wand like a pressure washer .

Verticaltrx · Nov 24, 2011

Bota4me said:
Mix waste oil with diesel, 50/50 then spray on for corrosion resistance. Works great!

That is what I use, but it is more like 70% diesel 30% used oil. I put the mix in a little spray bottle with a fine mist setting. Almost zero gets on the ground (actually the concrete floor of my shop,) and we're talking milliliters here. I generally only use this on things that corrode badly like fertilizer spreaders. Environmental impact is basically zero....