Winterising diesel fuel tank

FairweatherDave said:
I quite like the sound of this. But if I drain the tank will it be "dry" or will any residue be the ultimate breeding ground for bug? Not a rhetorical question, I don't know.
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If you were concerned that there might still be water in there you could follow up with a dose of ethanol (meths or similar), drain and blow air in. This is how chemistry glassware is dried. Not something I have ever felt necessary.

When I removed my tank and cleaned it I was in Greece, left it in the sun after washing and it was dry in 10 minutes
 
OK ... Youtube is full of vid's about removal / testing of fuel .... vast majority are bunkum TBH .... but some are based on physical properties.

The removal of Ethanol by use of water is possible - best is Distilled of course. Its a rough and ready action only.

The problem is that removal of the Ethanol or any other component - alters the physical attribute / behaviour of the fuel. The blends are subject of intense serious calculation to arrive at the desired characteristics ....
Playing about with that blend can alter not only the RON / MON ... but also bring in ignition problems, change of temperature of the 'flame' ... just to mention two.

But anyway back to 15lts of Diesel ...... as I said earlier - why worry ... leave it and throw a dose of Enzyme based in there after winter ...
 
NormanS said:
My diesel supplier also supplies several of Calmac's fleet of West Coast of Scotland car ferries. I am led to believe that after experimenting with low sulfur bio diesel, Calmac demanded a return to non bio, high sulfur fuel. I get what they get.
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If they were able to be supplied non bio high sulphur fuel ... I would be VERY VERY surprised ........ unless it was MGO. DEpends on the engines on board.

I think that there may be an aspect here being overlooked .... Shipping and that includes Ferries - has a different grade of Diesel .... usually termed MGO .... a darker, heavier, higher sulphur content Gas Oil .....
Such MGO is already for some years under attack by Eco to be 'cleaned up' ......
This is not suitable for your average yacht engine.
 
Refueler said:
If they were able to be supplied non bio high sulphur fuel ... I would be VERY VERY surprised ........ unless it was MGO. DEpends on the engines on board.

I think that there may be an aspect here being overlooked .... Shipping and that includes Ferries - has a different grade of Diesel .... usually termed MGO .... a darker, heavier, higher sulphur content Gas Oil .....
Such MGO is already for some years under attack by Eco to be 'cleaned up' ......
This is not suitable for your average yacht engine.
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Well, whatever it is, I and hundreds of other boats, have been using it for 40 years now, without any problems
 
NormanS said:
My diesel supplier also supplies several of Calmac's fleet of West Coast of Scotland car ferries. I am led to believe that after experimenting with low sulfur bio diesel, Calmac demanded a return to non bio, high sulfur fuel. I get what they get.
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For the last few years (10+) I have got the majority of my red diesel from the Council pump at Lochinver, which supplies fuel for the offshore boats (a refuel for them can be 25,000+ litres). No idea what it is; it comes straight from a tank farm. So far, crossed fingers, no problems with a full boat tank overwinter.
 
NormanS said:
Well, whatever it is, I and hundreds of other boats, have been using it for 40 years now, without any problems
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40yrs ?????

No way Hose !! Fuel has changed in ALL aspects over 40 yrs ......

The only 'road / vehicle' fuel that I know of that has not changed in 40yrs is Russian 76 Gasoline. Which you I know for certain could never acquire.
 
FairweatherDave said:
The diesel itself is nothing. Its the bug I have never had I want to avoid. Push me off my fence:)
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I would not fill the tank now since the fuel will sit there unused degrading. Diesel doesn't keep like it did in the past due to the low sulphur an the FAME.
If you do get bug in a full tank it will be the whole tank full you have to deal with.

Better to refill in the spring when you need it and preferably from a source that hasn't been sitting in the retailers tank all winter.
The volume you are talking about may as well use white road diesel, which possibly you do already

If the 15 litres is easily drained off then do so and consume it elsewhere unless its red in which case I would leave it where it is. I would not worry about leaving the tank empty . Nor would I worry about leaving the 15 litres in place since you can top up with fresh fuel in the spring to deal with any (unlikely) issues.
 
I am of the school of thought that condensation at most causes around a dessertspoonful of water in a sizeable tank, so do not follow the fill to the brim mantra. However, I do make sure the filler cap threads are thoroughly greased with a water proof grease - this prevents one of the more common entry points, the entry point being that water that you buy with your re-fuels - I have just installed my polishing system to deal with that.

As a further option you could put a plastic bag over of the vent, or small piece of bluetac into the vent (NB very gently). This would stop any external air change bringing fresh airborne moisture in to the tank.
 
Thanks to all for the advice on my OP......cheers Martyn for coming back to push me off the fence :)......I shall relax, take a sample, maybe drain off and put in the car.....my fuel cap is already well greased previously thanks to the good advice here. No new fuel until Easter ish...No worries if the thread takes off elsewhere (its all interesting stuff) but again thanks for the expertise, the forum is a brilliant resource.
 
NormanS said:
Well, is there any reason why Calmac wouldn't be using MGO?
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Of course not unless they are using similar form engines as yachts - which are usually based on road / machinery engines - which are designed to run on standard road quality diesel ....

MDO / MGO as used on ships is lower quality - higher Sulphur than regular Road Diesel. Red was until recent based generally on 0.2 - 0.5% Sulphur which is still less than MDO /. MGO .... At present there is ongoing work in the Shipping Biz to convert ships to lower Sulphur grades and in fact in various regions such as EU waters - ships are required to swap over from passage making Heavy Fuel Oil to MGO .... which over time is having Sulphur limits reduced ... as is Heavy Fuel Oil.
 
thinwater said:
Their web site says they burn MGO. They may have the same supplier as you, but it's not the same fuel (Chem engr in the fuel business).

They are moving to dual fuel, but they list MGO and LNG.
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As TW knows ..... Diesel is a general term as is the base correct name Gas Oil. It sits and covers the range of Distillate from Kerosine to Fuel Oil. Road diesel sits in the lower section .... MDO sits in the mid range ... MGO usually refers to the upper range.

The two MDO / MGO are often swapped terms depending on sales contract and Customs Coding.

MDO / MGO also to bona-fide Commercial users such as Ferry's etc. have a price advantages which a Yachtie will not enjoy. That's assuming seller will even entertain providing Commercial MDO / MGO to a non Commercial customer.
 
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