Diesel Shelf Life

[SteveInMD]

I recently installed a 275 gallon diesel tank next to my barn. I have my tractor, a car, and a truck that run on diesel. My question is how long will the diesel remain in good condition? My tank was red when I got it, but painted it light grey (same as my barn) based on the advice of the fuel delivery guy. He said it would keep the heat off the tank better than the red so the fuel would last longer. The tank feels like it still gets very hot to me, I guess I should have gone with white. Can anyone tell me if I should repaint the tank white? Should I add a stabilizer? If so, which one and where do I get it?

Thanks....

 

[deereman63]

I dont have a lot of experience, but I would think if you were subject to heat on the tank the main problem would be condensation inside which would lead to problems in the winter. Unless of course you ran it down towards the winter months.

 

[bdog]

Kind of off topic, But I assume you are using highway diesel if you are using it in you tractor, truck, and car. You could use off road diesel for your tractor and just fill up your vehicles at the station and save $$.

 

[chriswheeler]

We empty out our larger stationary storage tanks ( 8000 gal ) and exchange for fresh diesel yearly. Smaller fuel tanks ( less than 1000 gal ) usualy get used up exerciseing machinery monthly and will always have fresh fuel. We are forced to keep all tanks full at all times and I think that helps with the moisture somewhat. Long term storage in our tanks has shown condensate in the tanks, tank rust, ( only above the fuel line in the tank ) and alge growth. Outside temps go from +25 - +110 in the summer. Even in these conditions the fuel still burned fine, couldn't tell the difference. Shelf life??? Who knows. But if it were mine I would empty the tanks at least yearly from years of changeing tanks where this hadn't been done. Also have a oversized filter and moisture seperator in the service line. Best I've used is Racor. We run much larger engines, but burn the same diesel.
Chris

 

[SteveInMD]

I guess I'll just get some stabilizer somewhere and hope for the best.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Kind of off topic, But I assume you are using highway diesel if you are using it in you tractor, truck, and car. You could use off road diesel for your tractor and just fill up your vehicles at the station and save $$. )</font>

I am using highway diesel. I pay a little less than I pay at the station. Also I can fill my tank in August when diesel is at its low price for the year. However my main motive is convenience. I've never found a good way to fill my tractor with a 5 gallon can. And my wife hates going to the station, so I end up having to take her car just to fill it up. I always think I'm going to run out of fuel half way there since she doesn't tell me about it until the low fuel light has been on for a week.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Consider yourself lucky.... y wife has done it twice. My daughter did it maybe 5 times.....

They manage to run cars or trucks out of fuel just as they turn into the driveway.....

Sometimes the hardest part of being a husband and/or father is not jumping under the bus.......

 

[SteveInMD]

I've explained that it's not a good idea to run a diesel motor out of fuel. My explaining din't help anything - go figure.

 

[RalphVa]

The shelf life isn't 4 1/2 years! That's how long the diesel was in the tank of my car while we lived in Singapore this last time. The car started and ran okay, but the diesel was BROWN. Had to add some Techron Red Line to stop the pinging. Had to do this when we first got the car at 1 year old, too.

Wonder if there's a way of fashioning an air breather for a diesel tank whereby the air would bubble through some ethanol or methanol? Then just change out the alcohol every 6 months or so. This would capture any moisture that wanted to come in. I had a fuel oil tank during that oil embargo period that I took fuel from for the car. Didn't have any problems with the car. Then tank (underground) eventually developed a leak that put water into it.

Ralph

 

[frank_f15]

seeing how you have 3 vehicles that run on diesel and a 275 gal tank, i don;t think you have to worry about it, UNLESS you have extreme temp changes in a short time span.but even then i don't tink you have much to e concerned about.

 

[deere755]

If I were filling my truck and car out of a 275 gallon tank it woulnd't have time to spoil. I know I have bought farm diesel in December and not used a drop until spring with out any problems.

 

[SteveInMD]

You are probably right. I'll see how fast we go through it. I was concerned because the sun seems to really heat up the metal tank. I 'm guessing that causes the fuel to oxidize and also to loose the more volatile hydrocarbons.

I did add Power Service stabilizer. Does anyone know how stabilizer works? I always feel like I'm buying snake oil when I buy that stuff. I would think it would have to be some sort of antioxidant (but not so strong that it caused problems with combustion in the engine.) As I mentioned above it would also have to keep the lighter hydrocarbons from evaporating. I don't know how it could do this? Does anyone know something about fuel chemistry?

 

[Dachshund]

Paint your tank with the same "CoolSeal" stuff they use on Mobile Home roofs. Works around here anyhow.

 

[fishman]

I don't know how Powerservice works, but I use it based on recommendations from several knowledgeable people on this board and have had no problems. I think the most important thing it does is bind with the water/condensation, but again I don't know the details.

I also use Stabil in my gasoline with very good results. I've experienced first-hand the results of not using a stabilizer and it is not good. Thankfully it wasn't my own equipment.

 

[Lawnjocky]

I was once told (or read ) a good rule of thumb for fuels is:
2 cycle mix - 1 month
gas - 3 months
diesel - 6 months
If you use stabilizers double it.

I'm sure this is conservitive but it has worked for me. I also learned that rule a long time ago so things may have changed. But safe is always better than sorry.

I did have deisel go bad once and that was 2 times to many. The tractor just barely ran and when I drained it (full tank) the fuel had seperated. I allowed it to set for a day in a clear container. The diesel had a light color (almost clear ) on top and dark on the bottom. There was no water. It was very weird looking stuff. I believe it was about a year old with no stabilizer. The diesel may have been winter mix as well. I've always wondered what happened to it so if some knows please reply.

Hope this helps.

 

[cp1969]

Diesel doesn't degrade at anything close to the rate that gasoline does, and gas is usually good for well over a year. I have hauled ten-year old diesel that, while it looked bad, was still good enough that the customer (a power utility) did not throw it away. It was standby fuel that did not get used, so they replaced it with new and sent the old stuff to another plant to be used immediately.

The reason it doesn't degrade is that the evaporation temperature of #2 is something like 140F, whereas gas is something like -70F. The lighter elements of gas evaporate away, leaving the heavier junk like varnish behind. Doesn't happen with diesel-there aren't any light elements to speak of.

My first car was an old Dodge that sat in a shed for ten years. It's gas had turned to asphalt in the tank--I had to cut a hole in the tank and scoop it out with a putty knife. I think gasoline has improved a bunch since then, though, as I have chain saws lawnmowers, tillers, etc., that might sit for a year or two with gas in them and have never had a problem. Knock on wood.

 

[Lawnjocky]

How long can I store diesel fuel?
If you keep it clean, cool and dry, diesel fuel can be stored 6 months to 1 year without significant quality degradation. Storage for longer periods can be accomplished through use of periodic filtrations and addition of fuel stabilizers and biocides.

That is a quote from the Exxon website FAQ section. You can do what you want but I'm staying with what works for me.