Old(ish) diesel

[Misterbreeze]

Once drained, I'll have around 80 litres of mixed red & white diesel from the boat, some of it probably 2 years old some of it just 2 months. I want to start with fresh fuel & a clean tank next season - can I chuck the old stuff in my central heating tank at home? Currently around 2000 litres in there so well diluted.

 

[PCUK]

I'd be happy to take it off your hands for my boat's lump!

 

[Biggles Wader]

Definitely not for the heating tank. Dispose of it properly like the fine upstanding citizen you are or let me do it for you

 

[MontyMariner]

some of it probably 2 years old

2 years, it's hardly had time to mature

 

[reeac]

Once drained, I'll have around 80 litres of mixed red & white diesel from the boat, some of it probably 2 years old some of it just 2 months. I want to start with fresh fuel & a clean tank next season - can I chuck the old stuff in my central heating tank at home? Currently around 2000 litres in there so well diluted.

I’ve certainly done that in the past. I regard the burning of it in a boiler as very low tech. compared with in an internal combustion engine.

 

[NormanS]

It depends on whether your boiler uses diesel or 'heating oil' ie kerosene. But anyway give it to me, and I'll make good use of it.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I cleaned my tanks (2 x 60 Gallon tanks). The fuel was only about 30 gallons total. I just got rid of it and filled with new fuel.

I offered it up and someone took the drum away. I could not be bothered filtering, cleaning the old fuel. Suited me at the time.

I wouldn’t chuck it in my central heating. Don’t know why, just would not want the hassle at the start of winter if there was an issue. Give it away.

 

[Misterbreeze]

In the bad old days, 50 odd years ago, when we had proper winters I recall the authorities turning a blind eye to the addition of kerosene to derv to prevent waxing in extreme low temperatures. 10% was the recommendation I think. Is this not the same thing just the other way round?

 

[Refueler]

In the bad old days, 50 odd years ago, when we had proper winters I recall the authorities turning a blind eye to the addition of kerosene to derv to prevent waxing in extreme low temperatures. 10% was the recommendation I think. Is this not the same thing just the other way round?

Authorities turning a blind eye to what ??? Nothing illegal about it at all.

It was common practice among farmers ... machinery operators to use either Gasoline or Kero to winterise Diesel Fuel. It breaks up the Parafins and retards the Parafins forming and clogging filters.

Nanuk Diesel - which I oversaw shipments of to Alaska .. was in fact DPK ... straight Dual Purpose Kerosine.

Kero is only a few notches up the distillation curve from high grade GasOil (diesel).

To OP .... I would have no worries about using it in any of my boat engines ... I would just add a slug of Enzyme Bio and be happy ... maybe filter before putting back to tank.

 

[Misterbreeze]

Yes farmers, but...... getting caught with it in your road going truck in the UK would normally result in a fine from HMRC and a follow up from the Traffic Commissioner which spelt big trouble. There was one particularly severe winter around 1980 when it was unofficially encouraged though, the foamy "winter derv" just couldn't cope leaving trucks stranded everywhere with little bonfires under the fuel tanks to try and get them going again. I remember fitting very expensive heated fuel lies to avoid this.
Anyway getting a bit OT here, I'm more concerned with the alleged 6 month shelf life of present day bio diesel, additives seem to deal with the bug issue ok. What actually happens to modern diesel as it ages? Is it just that the cetane level gets lower and the stuff won't burn?

 

[oldgit]

To OP .... I would have no worries about using it in any of my boat engines ... I would just add a slug of Enzyme Bio and be happy ... maybe filter before putting back to tank.

In my case it would be carefully and throughly filtered by a bit of the cleanest rag I could find in my valuable collection of old "T" shirts placed inside the funnel used to refill tank. ?

 

[WoodyP]

It will go in an old tractor without a worry, which is what I did when I changed from red to white. I don't mind if the tractor comes to a halt with a blocked filter, but it's very inconvenient when trying to get somewhere on a boat

 

[Refueler]

I don't see any mention of the fuel being bad other than its age and a mix of Red and White ... so where's all this 'paranoia' coming from ?

A quick filtering ... dose of bio and away you go ...

 

[Misterbreeze]

Paranoia is the most essential element of single handed sailing

 

[MontyMariner]

so where's all this 'paranoia' coming from ?

In the thirst for knowledge some overindulge and become intoxicated!

 

[Refueler]

Paranoia is the most essential element of single handed sailing

Ok ...

For me - its planning and caution.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If my diesel engine stopped and it had done several times all I do is hoist the sail and carry on until I get to a jetty/ mooring where I can get help or change the filter or rebleed the engine.

I used to have an ait leak i my fuel system until I changes the copper washers for Dowty washers

 

[Slowtack]

Burn it all.... In the boat engine...

 

[LittleSister]

I see no reason not to use it.

I face a related problem, in that I want to drain the (boat ashore's) tank to clean it as best I can, and need somewhere to put the maybe 30 or 40 litres of diesel in the meantime. I asked the boatyard, assuming they'd have fuel transfer/polishing kit in regular use and would pump it out via a filter, store it then tip/pump it back in when I'm ready, but instead they said they'd dispose of it for me. That would mean I'd not only being paying them ££s for their time/kit (plus diesel disposal costs, or will they just use it themselves?) but also another ££s to replace the diesel (and have all the hassle of getting it from the pump to the boat).

So I found a big empty oil container another boatyard was throwing out, and was wondering how slowly my diesel would siphon out from the tank via a filter to the container a few feet below when I happened upon and bought a cheap suitable 12v pump in Lidl (or was it Aldi?). So yet another job on the to do list, but it will save money (which is in short supply), and also allow me to (a) check exactly when the level falls below the pick-up pipe compared to the fuel gauge reading, and (b) to filter and use the 10 litres of fuel in cans, probably well over 10 years old now, that I acquired with a previous boat purchase that have sat in the shed ever since.

 

[B27]

....
Anyway getting a bit OT here, I'm more concerned with the alleged 6 month shelf life of present day bio diesel, additives seem to deal with the bug issue ok. What actually happens to modern diesel as it ages? Is it just that the cetane level gets lower and the stuff won't burn?

Last time I read the small print that came with the additive bottle, treated fuel had a pretty short shelf life.

These days, I tend to try to minimise storing fuel, it's much easier to check the tank in the spring and buy some fresh.
As I buy white for the boat, my reserve cans go into the car.


With the OP's fuel, I'd probably filter it into cans which can be properly sealed then use it next season.
But if it's cloudy and doesn't settle, maybe not!

Would there be a risk of introducing diesel bug to the heating system?