How Long Can You Store Diesel Fuel Before Using?

[JWChessell]

How long can I store untreated (nothing added; just the way it came from the pump) #2 diesel fuel in 5-gallon plastic fuel cans before it is no longer safe to use in my '03? Thx.

 

[Chief USA]

About a year... ... ... two tops. I would check the bottom of the can with a flashlight to verify there is no water of algae growing in it. I treat my farm diesel with a diesel fuel microbiocidal and a fuel stabilizer prior to storing it. I have used fuel that is almost 3 years old this way and not had any issues. If it looks nice and clean, use it. If it has gone cloudy or has water globs in the bottom, you may want to pass.

 

[jelag]

We have a customer who services large gen sets for industry... . some of them are fired by natural gas but most of them are fired by diesel... . they have all their customers on a change out program..... where they pump out and replace a treated diesel ever 11 months... ...

They charge a fee for this and pump out 95% of the fuel replacing it with treated fuel... . they filter the fuel coming out... . take a test sample for a lab and the fuel removed is discounted and sold to a truck stop and dumped into a 10,000 gal tank... ... they don't add more than 2,000 to a tank with 7,000 gal in it to allow for proper mixture... . and its pumped and sold for diesel... .

 

[JWChessell]

Thanks for the info, fellows.