Diesel Fuel Expert

[Sled Dog]

Am buying a 150 gallon aluminum tank off of an old cabover Freightliner thats being used for parts.

The tank has 90 to 100 gallons of diesel in it and its been there many years.

Does the fuel go bad, yes or no? If yes can it be salvaged? Just hate the thought of pouring it out at $2. 50 per gallon. :{

Thanks in advance.

 

[AggieJustin]

If I were going to use it, I'd treat it first with a strong shot of biocide to kill any algae that might have grown in there. Then I'd run it through a filter/water separator before putting it into whatever I was going to use it in.

 

[TFucili]

I might feed it to my oil furnace, but not anything diesel powered.

 

[steved]

I might feed it to my oil furnace, but not anything diesel powered.

Ditto... don't run it in your truck.



steved

 

[Hoefler]

Its not worth the trouble you would have burning it in your truck. Oil furnace or waste oil drop off if it were me.

 

[moparguy]

I'm with Justin. However when I pumped it out of the tank, I'd do it in a way so I could watch the diesel stream.



I would take care not to transfer the last few gallons in the bottom of the tank into my use-it container. I'd also make sure the tank had a few days to settle prior to pumping it out, that way any water will be in the bottom.



As long as it looked good, and smelled like diesel, treat it and run it.



If you can use the fuel, the tank may wind up being free.





Good luck,



RJR

 

[KB0OU]

Filter it good, check for water, check cetane level, if it looks smeels and burns like diesel fuel run it, you might mix it for a while with fresh fuel.

In the Navy I ran diesels on submarines, some of the diesel we used was in the tanks for years with no problems.

 

[RustyJC]

If the fuel has been sitting stagnant in the tank for "many years", I'd be amazed if it's not contaminated with algae or other microbial crud. If it is, I for one don't want it in a precision fuel injection system.



Rusty

 

[keimmmo]

I have run diesel and even kerosene that was several years old a number of times. Like others have stated, "if it still looks and smells like diesel", just filter it the best you can and give it a shot of additive. I would also recommend just adding a few gallons at a time to fresh diesel. The fuel filter is there to remove what might be harmful to the injection pump and injectors.



CHEAP FUEL!!! I LOVE IT!



Steve Keim

 

[Sled Dog]

I have run diesel and even kerosene that was several years old a number of times. Like others have stated, "if it still looks and smells like diesel", just filter it the best you can and give it a shot of additive. I would also recommend just adding a few gallons at a time to fresh diesel. The fuel filter is there to remove what might be harmful to the injection pump and injectors.



CHEAP FUEL!!! I LOVE IT!



Steve Keim

The tank is only $25, the fuel comes with it. Oo.