Adding White Diesel to Red

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Slipperman

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Earlier in the year I filled two 10 litre spare cans with white diesel, thinking that I might get to France this summer and aware about having red diesel only in your main tank, not spare cans. Well, in the end I did not get to France so I guess I can use the spare fuel in my main tank? My only worry is that I think I read somewhere that white diesel is more susceptible to diesel bug, because it contains a proportion of biofuel or some such? I have, till now, (touch wood etc) been clear of diesel bug - should I risk it? Or ditch the white fuel and start again with some more next year - when I will definitely get to France! What to do people think - am I worrying excessively?
 
AFAIK, 5% bio-diesel is now usual in road fuels.
Quote from the handbook of my Ford Focus TDCi, slightly abbreviated:-

"Most diesel fuels contain bio-diesel. For storage of the vehicle longer than 2 months, it is recommended to either fill the tank with purely mineral diesel if available, or add an anti-oxidant obtainable from your dealer."

This is advice recently put in the handbooks.
Not reassuring for boat owners!
 
I've been using road diesel for 2 years in Chiron, it's not a problem.

I can't undersatand why folk worry more about diesel bug in bio diesel. The bug that happily munches away at mineral diesel is unlikely to change it's diet and go for bio diesel I would think. There may be a different bug that prefers bio diesel but I don't know that there is.

Does anyone actually know that bio diesel is more or less prone to bug, or is it just that the bio part of the name makes it look like it should be worse?
 
aquaplane said:
I can't undersatand why folk worry more about diesel bug in bio diesel. The bug that happily munches away at mineral diesel is unlikely to change it's diet and go for bio diesel I would think. There may be a different bug that prefers bio diesel but I don't know that there is.

Does anyone actually know that bio diesel is more or less prone to bug, or is it just that the bio part of the name makes it look like it should be worse?
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Sorry, there is miles of print on this subject in the mags and on Internet. No doubt about it, biodiesel stored for more than a couple of months does have a greater tendency to promote bug growth, partly because it is hygroscopic but for other reasons as well. The weekly ybw newsletter has just arrived and contains a feature on it, apparently from the mobo side of the ipc stable but I know that YM are also looking at it. Cruising Association magazine has had several articles on it in the past year and has a member who is an expert on the subject.
 
vyv_cox said:
Sorry, there is miles of print on this subject in the mags and on Internet. No doubt about it, biodiesel stored for more than a couple of months does have a greater tendency to promote bug growth, partly because it is hygroscopic but for other reasons as well. The weekly ybw newsletter has just arrived and contains a feature on it, apparently from the mobo side of the ipc stable but I know that YM are also looking at it. Cruising Association magazine has had several articles on it in the past year and has a member who is an expert on the subject.
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Is there any evidence that countries where white deisel/gasoil only is available to boaty people suffer more from the dreaded bug than the UK does.
 
Courageous said:
No
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A brave statement.

From the ybw newsletter -
From the start of next year, road diesel may contain up to 7% biodiesel, which has water-attracting properties and is a better solvent than traditional gas oil, meaning more deposits in your fuel tank and a harder time for your engines.

Here's what the British Marine Federation say -

"According to the British Marine Federation, which is consulting with the DfT over the fuel regulations, we should know by the end of November what exactly the government constitutes as inland and coastal.

The trade body said: "The BMF will continue to work on behalf of the industry and will update members as and when news emerges. There are a number of storage and compatibility issues with biofuel and the BMF will work with members over the coming months to help them adjust to these new requirements."
 
Just yesterday I walked past a brand new diesel car parked at the roadside with a sticker on the fuel flap which said 'Do not use Biodiesel in this vehicle'. What's that all about? Are we all talking the about same thing when we talk about biodiesel? It seems to me that the term as currently used covers anything from mineral diesel with a 5 or 10% addition of plant derived oil to the extreme of used chip oil cut with paraffin or some such which some people do actually use in road vehicles.

John
 
Almost every boat on the continent uses white diesel, since crossing La Manche 2 months ago that is all I can buy. Has any one any evidence there is a greater prevalence of diesel bug in those countries where only white diesel is available for leisure users?
 
maxi77 said:
Almost every boat on the continent uses white diesel, since crossing La Manche 2 months ago that is all I can buy. Has any one any evidence there is a greater prevalence of diesel bug in those countries where only white diesel is available for leisure users?
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the general answer will be no - but this has no real relevance to the situation going forwards because it wasn't that long ago that red (and green) diesels were white diesel with a dye marker.

then came the gradual reduction in sulfur which, because it costs more money as much as anything, meant a split started to occur.

on top of that you have the gradual increase in the % volume of bio diesel included in 'normal' road diesel

and basically the emission rules look set to bring the fuels back together again - which could mean we go from a low sulfur 100% mineral oil to a 0 sulfur mineral/bio mix designed for modern cars.

which may be fine...
 
Slipperman said:
Earlier in the year I filled two 10 litre spare cans with white diesel, thinking that I might get to France this summer and aware about having red diesel only in your main tank, not spare cans. Well, in the end I did not get to France so I guess I can use the spare fuel in my main tank? My only worry is that I think I read somewhere that white diesel is more susceptible to diesel bug, because it contains a proportion of biofuel or some such? I have, till now, (touch wood etc) been clear of diesel bug - should I risk it? Or ditch the white fuel and start again with some more next year - when I will definitely get to France! What to do people think - am I worrying excessively?
Click to expand...

The best founded advice seems to be, red or white, keep up the turnover of fuel, store withn a full tank in winter, and always source from a trusted dealer with fast turnover.

Biodiesel is steadily advancing on us all and is less suitable for yacht use, but we have no practical choice, the limp wristed want everything green whatever...so you will have to suck it up with the rest of us!

PWG
 
maxi77 said:
Almost every boat on the continent uses white diesel, since crossing La Manche 2 months ago that is all I can buy. Has any one any evidence there is a greater prevalence of diesel bug in those countries where only white diesel is available for leisure users?
Click to expand...

My boat has not been in UK, except briefly, in the past 14 years and has never had anything other than European road diesel in its tank. And I'm glad to say, has never had an attack of diesel bug.

There is so much advice on the likelihood of the problem as the bio content of fuel hits 7% that I think it unwise to put one's head in the sand and pretend it will never happen.
 
Thanks for replies so far. After the first few, I was convinced that I was worrying unnecessarily - but now I'm still not sure!! The fuel in my spare cans is around 5 months old - is that too much? If I add some diesel bug filler to the main tank at the same time as adding the spare fuel, that should be OK shouldn't it?
 
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