Is my diesel still usable?

[RHiebert]

Try the fuel additive that should make a difference.

 

[qualsite]

Some of my diesel is a few years old, and no problems. I do use an algicide and fuel additives in my stored fuel, plus I added a separate fuel filter with a Goldenrod element.

 

[5030]

I have no add on filtration on my 500 gallon bulk diesel tank but I do add biocide to it. All my diesel powered equipment have Racor Style axillary filters on them. I use the generic (Chinese) filter bases but I use Genuine Racor spin on elements and they come with the clear bottom bowl and drain built in. The genuine Racor bases are stupid expensive whereas the China copies are about 1/4 the cost and are exact copies.

I like the vlear bottom bowls as I can visually see if there is any foreign crap in the bowls and I use the 2 micron Racor filters. In fact, I've bypassed the spin on fuel filters entirely on my diesel powered equipment and just use the add on Racor units. If they are good enough for ever diesel powered ship everywhere, they are good enough for my use.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I think we can all agree that diesel lasts longer than gasoline, right?

Well, I have a car that was most recently filled up on 5-30-23 and it still ran fine on 12-11-24 when I changed the oil in it.

It'll have to get fresh gas next time it's driven, if for no other reason because there's barely enough left to make it to the gas station.

 

[5030]

Try the fuel additive that should make a difference.

Got news for you... If the stuff you are adding don't explicitly state on the bottle that it contains a biocide (and if it does, under Federal Law it must come with an MSDS data sheet), all you are doing is wasting your money on some basically worthless elixir that does nothing but what the maker claims. I don't add anything to my bulk diesel but a MSDS certified biocide. Been down the algae road before and remediation isn't a cheap date and I'll let it go at that.

 

[5030]

I think we can all agree that diesel lasts longer than gasoline, right?

Well, I have a car that was most recently filled up on 5-30-23 and it still ran fine on 12-11-24 when I changed the oil in it.

It'll have to get fresh gas next time it's driven, if for no other reason because there's barely enough left to make it to the gas station.

If it's corn squeezed gas (Ethanol) don't expect it to last a long time. E-gas is prone to phase separation and that is what gums up fuel systems. Stuff is Federally mandate crap.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

If it's corn squeezed gas (Ethanol) don't expect it to last a long time. E-gas is prone to phase separation and that is what gums up fuel systems. Stuff is Federally mandate crap.

Yeah, it's the basic up to 10% stuff, but thankfully Star Tron seems to overcome that. Heck, even Stabil keeps gas from stratifying for two years I've found.

Come to think of it, the 200 gallon tank's contents must be about two years old by now, yet the more sensitive vehicles that gets fed from it haven't started to complain yet.

 

[Chewwy]

Currently burning home heating oil that I bought march of 2020. Its stored just like alot of fuel..in a 275gal tank outside and not covered.

My pump has a goldenrod filter with clear bowl..its clean and the tank is 1/2 used. I should run out of fuel in year 2031-2032.

My aunt went into assisted living several years ago. I had power of attorney for her and was in the process of cleaning out her home and property to put it up for sale.

There was an old home heating oil tank sitting outside that was about 1/2 full of kerosene (~125 gal). I was very concerned about the structural integrity of the old galvanized tank. That tank and its contents have been sitting there since the early 70s when my aunt had central gas heat installed and the old oil heater removed (i.e., 50 year old kerosene).

Saw an ad on Craigslist for a guy willing to take and dispose of the tank in exchange for the fuel. Even knowing the age of the fuel, he pumped it to another tank and then hauled the old tank off.

Talked to him about a week later. He said the kerosene was just fine, clear and bright. He mixed it with diesel fuel and used it in several older tractors. No problem with the 50 year old kerosene.

 

[ritcheyvs]

If there are no signs of algae growing in the fuel, I would not hestitate to use it. I am currently running fuel in a diesel tractor that I loaded up from out in the middle of the field where the tractor sat for a minimum of 5 years. It was clear, didn't have any algae growing, and I had already gotten it running on that fuel before I even thought that I should have changed it out. That was a year ago, and since I don't run that tractor much, it is still on that tank. I pulled that tractor out last week just to drive it around and my Bride made the comment "I didn't even know that tractor ran"!!! which shows you how much it gets used.
David from jax

Right. Diesel lasts Much longer than gasoline (especially the crap they sell now).
Larger power boats hold hundreds of gallons of Diesel which can be in the tanks for years. When it gets funky (or just old) commercial companies can "polish" it by running it through filter banks to remove water, microbes, and whatever solids it may contain. Not cheap but much cheaper than replacing that much fuel.
Water and air can make Diesel old. Diesel in sealed, completely full, metal containers can last a long time.

 

[mike5511]

Got news for you... If the stuff you are adding don't explicitly state on the bottle that it contains a biocide (and if it does, under Federal Law it must come with an MSDS data sheet), all you are doing is wasting your money on some basically worthless elixir that does nothing but what the maker claims. I don't add anything to my bulk diesel but a MSDS certified biocide. Been down the algae road before and remediation isn't a cheap date and I'll let it go at that.

Which biocide do you use?

 

[RandyT]

Right. Diesel lasts Much longer than gasoline (especially the crap they sell now).
Larger power boats hold hundreds of gallons of Diesel which can be in the tanks for years. When it gets funky (or just old) commercial companies can "polish" it by running it through filter banks to remove water, microbes, and whatever solids it may contain. Not cheap but much cheaper than replacing that much fuel.
Water and air can make Diesel old. Diesel in sealed, completely full, metal containers can last a long time.

My diesel is stored in an overhead tank, but it has one of those low pressure caps on the tank. So my diesel is under 3 psi of pressure at all times except when I draw out enough to remove the pressure and it will draw air in the vent but will go back to being pressurized when the temp changes.

 

[JRH02]

I normally have 250 gallon of red dyed diesel delivered when I need diesel. That will normally take me 4 years to use. I am not scared of using it even after that time

Yup. I just tapped a 55g drum that was filled with 'red' at the depot in Feb 2022 along with my 100g tank. Both the drum and the tank sit uncovered along the side of the trail to my shop. Exposed to all the elements. At the time I set them there I added conditioner and anti-fungal. The drum has been capped tight. Of course the tank breathes. I was actually more concerned about the tank as I got toward the bottom than I was about the drum. The old fuel runs just fine.

Gasoline... Now that's a different story.

 

[5030]

Which biocide do you use?

I use Powerservice Bio-Kleen and it's not cheap but every bottle comes with the required by law, MSDS cautionary label attached. There are other brand available as well but if there is no MSDS label on the bottle, it's not a biocide. I don't care what any manufacturer claims. Has to have the MSDS label or it's just phooey.

 

[mike5511]

I use Powerservice Bio-Kleen and it's not cheap but every bottle comes with the required by law, MSDS cautionary label attached. There are other brand available as well but if there is no MSDS label on the bottle, it's not a biocide. I don't care what any manufacturer claims. Has to have the MSDS label or it's just phooey.

I usually use BioBor JF but would trust the Powerservice product as well.

 

[5030]

Nothing to do with trust far as I'm concerned and all do to with what is in the bottle and more importantly the MSDS label because the chemical used to kill the algae can be harmful if ingested. If the Biobore has the label, it's good. If not, it's phooey and it's not sold around here but Bio Kleen is,

 

[ljgordon]

I found out, this weekend, that I left a couple of the plastic gas cans on my property, filled with diesel. They had the caps on and were under a tarp but I am concerned for 2 reasons.

1. The diesel is probably somewhere between 6-8 months old
2. Could it be contaminated with water in those conditions?

From what I read, diesel can last 6-12 months IF stored properly. I suspect the way mine was 'stored' does not qualify. If it is still potentially usable should I treat it with something that will disperse the water? I found this product Diesel Force Comprehensive Maintenance System

I found out, this weekend, that I left a couple of the plastic gas cans on my property, filled with diesel. They had the caps on and were under a tarp but I am concerned for 2 reasons.

1. The diesel is probably somewhere between 6-8 months old
2. Could it be contaminated with water in those conditions?

From what I read, diesel can last 6-12 months IF stored properly. I suspect the way mine was 'stored' does not qualify. If it is still potentially usable should I treat it with something that will disperse the water? I found this product Diesel Force Comprehensive Maintenance System

About 30 years ago I bought a filter. It does not allow trash, water nor anything else thru it except deisel and gas. About 5 years ago I had built up enough points at Kroger to get $1.00 per gallon off of fuel. In my car and tanks I got about 35 gallons. All was good until I got to the last tank. JD X324 mower, Honda Rancher AWD Kawasaki AWD. All went well until one at a time they quit running. I cleaned the carbs on all 3 4 or 5 times to no avail. Sent JD to JD. $268.00 plus labor later the JD ran. I got new carbs for th ATVs. In one of the gas cans I found 1/2 inch of fine dirt. THEREFORE: no gas or diesel goes in my vehicles without going thru that filter. No problems since.

 

[RjCorazza]

About 30 years ago I bought a filter. It does not allow trash, water nor anything else thru it except deisel and gas. About 5 years ago I had built up enough points at Kroger to get $1.00 per gallon off of fuel. In my car and tanks I got about 35 gallons. All was good until I got to the last tank. JD X324 mower, Honda Rancher AWD Kawasaki AWD. All went well until one at a time they quit running. I cleaned the carbs on all 3 4 or 5 times to no avail. Sent JD to JD. $268.00 plus labor later the JD ran. I got new carbs for th ATVs. In one of the gas cans I found 1/2 inch of fine dirt. THEREFORE: no gas or diesel goes in my vehicles without going thru that filter. No problems since.

I got stung by the same thing several years ago. A relatively high volume consumer fuel station had left several inches of dirt and very small gravel in my transfer tank. This buildup may have occurred over a year or so, but who knows. The tank was only fueled at this one station, but never again.
Also, FYI... my Goldenrod 10u water and particulate filter passed a slug of dirt into my tractor. I literally saw the brown stream as I was fueling. Over several months the Racor 2u tractor mounted filter cleared it up.
I don't know why the Goldenrod passed the slug of straight dirt, but I suspect the dirt level was up to the 2" elevated intake tube and the filter just couldn't deal with straight sediment. I added a secondary 2u filter on the transfer tank.
I now check my low point transfer tank drain once a year or so.

 

[mike5511]

Nothing to do with trust far as I'm concerned and all do to with what is in the bottle and more importantly the MSDS label because the chemical used to kill the algae can be harmful if ingested. If the Biobore has the label, it's good. If not, it's phooey and it's not sold around here but Bio Kleen is,

I order mine from Amazon. BioBor jf is cheaper.
For 100 gallons of fuel, you'd typically add 2.6 fl oz of Biobor JF for a 270 ppm treatment or 1.3 fl oz for a 135 ppm treatment.

Elaboration:
The dosage of Biobor JF depends on the desired treatment level (270 ppm or 135 ppm), and the amount of fuel being treated.

• 270 ppm (Shock Treatment): Requires 2.6 fluid ounces of Biobor JF per 100 gallons of fuel.
• 135 ppm (Maintenance Treatment): Requires 1.3 fluid ounces of Biobor JF per 100 gallons of fuel.

These dosages assume a fuel density of 6.7 pounds per gallon, which is common for aviation fuels like Jet A. For more precise calculations, you can use the weight-based formulas provided in the Biobor JF documentation.

To treat 100 gallons of diesel fuel with Power Service BioKleen, you'll need 16 ounces of the product. This is the recommended dosage for a "shock treatment" to kill microbes. If you need to maintain a clean fuel tank, you would need to add 1 ounce of BioKleen per 55 gallons.

Just fyi

 

[5030]

I got stung by the same thing several years ago. A relatively high volume consumer fuel station had left several inches of dirt and very small gravel in my transfer tank. This buildup may have occurred over a year or so, but who knows. The tank was only fueled at this one station, but never again.
Also, FYI... my Goldenrod 10u water and particulate filter passed a slug of dirt into my tractor. I literally saw the brown stream as I was fueling. Over several months the Racor 2u tractor mounted filter cleared it up.
I don't know why the Goldenrod passed the slug of straight dirt, but I suspect the dirt level was up to the 2" elevated intake tube and the filter just couldn't deal with straight sediment. I added a secondary 2u filter on the transfer tank.
I now check my low point transfer tank drain once a year or so.

Nothing beats a Racor as you well know.

 

[5030]

I order mine from Amazon. BioBor jf is cheaper.
For 100 gallons of fuel, you'd typically add 2.6 fl oz of Biobor JF for a 270 ppm treatment or 1.3 fl oz for a 135 ppm treatment.

Elaboration:
The dosage of Biobor JF depends on the desired treatment level (270 ppm or 135 ppm), and the amount of fuel being treated.

• 270 ppm (Shock Treatment): Requires 2.6 fluid ounces of Biobor JF per 100 gallons of fuel.
• 135 ppm (Maintenance Treatment): Requires 1.3 fluid ounces of Biobor JF per 100 gallons of fuel.

These dosages assume a fuel density of 6.7 pounds per gallon, which is common for aviation fuels like Jet A. For more precise calculations, you can use the weight-based formulas provided in the Biobor JF documentation.

To treat 100 gallons of diesel fuel with Power Service BioKleen, you'll need 16 ounces of the product. This is the recommended dosage for a "shock treatment" to kill microbes. If you need to maintain a clean fuel tank, you would need to add 1 ounce of BioKleen per 55 gallons.

Just fyi

BioKleen is a mile away and handy for me. Amascon is longer.

Actually because I treat continually, my dosage is low.

Like I said, been down the algae highway before and it was not a cheap date either.