diesel fuel

Should I have the same concern for fuel for my diesel fuel as I have for my gasoline regarding stability?

Reply to
Frank Thompson
Loading thread data ...

While I personally don't have first hand experience with diesel fuel, I've heard stories and believe that you should have some concerns regarding storage and handling.

Just do a simple Google search using these words "diesel fuel stability growth" WITHOUT the quotes and start reading.

Seems that there is a fungus or microbial growth that can take place in the stored fuel which can play havoc.

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

+1

I had it happen to an old MB diesel that I was rarely driving. Fuel tank got clogged up with some kind of biological crap.

Reply to
trader_4

Not as much as gas, but over time, yes. There are additives for diesel, especially if it is stored in the cold and you expect to use it when cold.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I have not experienced the biological issue that I have heard of, but once when using some very old diesel, it ran fine but clouds of white smoke poured out of the tailpipe. Not just when cold, but for the entire tank.

Reply to
taxed and spent

Pour point depressants for cold use to keep it flowing and stop crystalizing, as well as algecide to keep the biologicals at bay, and you can store deisel for decades. Just make sure it is kept in a sealed drum. Low vapour pressure makes that work a lot better than with gasoline, where the drums tend to pressurize and swell.

Reply to
clare

The effect you mention is caused by partially full tanks which can "breathe" through a vent. Repeated temperature cycling caused by daily weather, causes air to be drawn into the tank and any moisture condenses. This moisture is heavier than diesel and sinks into the fuel. Over time, algae grows in the water mixture and can clog the fuel filters when the engine is run. Fuel stabilizers help limit this and borax additives can suppress the algal growth. Limited water in fuel will cause the white smoke seen when running the engine.

There's a second effect if low temperatures are encountered and that is the diesel separates into a waxy liquid which will clog filters. Pour point suppressants reduce this (kerosene and gasolene are effective too).

Good luck.

Thane

Reply to
Thane

Thanks for the advise. I assume that I am not wasting my money on using additive called PR-D which is specifically for diesel fuel. Been told that many watermen of the Chesapeake Bay area use it for the engines in their boats.

Reply to
Frank Thompson

The diesel fuel manufacturer is already adding the necessary additives.

If you are doing long-term storage of diesel fuel then PR-D is fine. No need to use it in a vehicle's fuel tank where the fuel is used on a regular basis. In fact their are warnings against excessive quantities of additives.

Reply to
sms

+1,001! (Just like they do in gasoline as an aside...)

Indeed. OP gives no klews regarding the application of the fuel nor any reason why he should have any concern. Only in special circumstances or for long term storage should there be any need whatever for additional additives.

I'd consider commercial marine use a "special application" re: the comment concerning boats as I would the area somebody mentioned of "summer" fuel held until cold weather or the like (altho it has to get _really_, _really_ cold for it to be an issue unless its the biodiesel which is less forgiving in that regard).

If we're talking a light-duty pick-em-up or the like, it's just no big deal unless again it sits for months unused...

Reply to
dpb

A lot of these additives are to make the buyer feel good, but they do nothing for the engine they are added to. Like recreational oil changing far more frequently than necessary.

In California, there are very high minimum standards for detergent gasoline additives. Gasoline from Costco or other independent stations meets the "Top Tier" standard. There is no advantage to buying gasoline from Chevron despite their heavy marketing of "Techron" and their ads imploring consumers not to buy gasoline at warehouse stores.

In some states there are no minimum standards for gasoline additives separate from EPA's rather low standards and in those cases "Top Tier" gasoline might not be available at the no-name stations. See .

Reply to
sms

Frank Thompson posted for all of us...

How about checking your mental stability? Got issues?

Reply to
Tekkie®

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.