Preserving diesel fuel in transfer tank

[S854]

I’ve been driving my MF135 Deluxe for about five years… the first three years I lifted countless 5 gallon Jerry cans to fuel up… then I got a deal on a 33 gallon transfer tank…

the old Fill-Rite pump works great (the tank came off a 1984 Nissan pickup which was used at a local airport so I’m guessing the tank is about 30 years old…)… first thing I did was install a particulate filter between the pump and hose… filled up with red diesel and poured some two stroke oil in the tank then ran the nozzle in a loop to the tanks fill port… I let the pump run for about ten minutes to mix in the lubricating oil and also to clean any gunk out of the hose…

Been working great for a litt over a year now…

THEN I DID IT… went and bought a new tractor (Kioti 2610 HST)… the dealer suggested I purchase a dedicated, plastic fuel container so I can be sure to alway have fresh, clean fuel in my new toy… “New engines are expensive” he says… and the warranty doesn’t cover owner abuse (read: “bad fuel”)…

Which got me to looking into how modern ULSD “deteriorates” in storage… condensation inside the tank breeds “diesel bugs” which can wreak havoc on my new tractors fuel system… or so I’m lead to believe…

i don’t drive the Massey a lot.. didn’t go through an entire 33 gallon tank this last year… I’ll probably use more with the new tractor but i don’t want to screw it up… and I REALLY don’t want to go back to schlepping 5 gallon fuel cans…

At this point I’m seriously considering adding a second “water” filter in the circuit then recirculating fuel through the tank from time to time to keep the condensation out and the bugs trapped in a disposable filter…

Am I being overly paranoid?

 

[jyoutz]

I’ve been driving my MF135 Deluxe for about five years… the first three years I lifted countless 5 gallon Jerry cans to fuel up… then I got a deal on a 33 gallon transfer tank…

the old Fill-Rite pump works great (the tank came off a 1984 Nissan pickup which was used at a local airport so I’m guessing the tank is about 30 years old…)… first thing I did was install a particulate filter between the pump and hose… filled up with red diesel and poured some two stroke oil in the tank then ran the nozzle in a loop to the tanks fill port… I let the pump run for about ten minutes to mix in the lubricating oil and also to clean any gunk out of the hose…

Been working great for a litt over a year now…

THEN I DID IT… went and bought a new tractor (Kioti 2610 HST)… the dealer suggested I purchase a dedicated, plastic fuel container so I can be sure to alway have fresh, clean fuel in my new toy… “New engines are expensive” he says… and the warranty doesn’t cover owner abuse (read: “bad fuel”)…

Which got me to looking into how modern ULSD “deteriorates” in storage… condensation inside the tank breeds “diesel bugs” which can wreak havoc on my new tractors fuel system… or so I’m lead to believe…

i don’t drive the Massey a lot.. didn’t go through an entire 33 gallon tank this last year… I’ll probably use more with the new tractor but i don’t want to screw it up… and I REALLY don’t want to go back to schlepping 5 gallon fuel cans…

At this point I’m seriously considering adding a second “water” filter in the circuit then recirculating fuel through the tank from time to time to keep the condensation out and the bugs trapped in a disposable filter…

Am I being overly paranoid?

I have a 30 gallon fuel caddy and I just keep it inside the barn and add diesel power treatment to the fuel. Seems to be working. You can also add a biocide treatment if you’re concerned about bacterial growth.

 

[grsthegreat]

I went and got a new fuel filter for my 2010 DK45. Its like a $10 paper filter that fits into glass fuel bowl. Sales man showed me the new fuel filters for current model tractors. $250 monstrosity. New machines cant handle even slightest impurity i guess. Ive had a 50 gal transfer tank for at least 5 years. Dont add anything. I use entire thing up over summer, then fill it with winter blended fuel. Never have had gelling or bacteria growth.

 

[jyoutz]

Also, consider buying a Mr Funnel for fueling your tractor.

 

[seville009]

Just as an aside, I would not consider bad fuel to be “owner abuse” that would void a warranty. You could do all that you plan to do, then buy fuel somewhere that, as far as you know, is good, but turns out to be bad.

 

[Hay Dude]

I think your dealer is FOS.
There’s nothing paranoid about being very cautious about filtration, though.
You think a farmer is filling a farm tractor with a 150 gallon tank with “dedicated plastic containers”? Heck no, he is filling it with a 100 gallon to 1,000 gallon fuel tank mounted on a truck. Some buy oil delivery trucks to store & transport all the fuel they need.
And those engines have just as sensitive fuel systems.

Just keep your fuel tank clean and screw on new filters often and you will be ok.

 

[RjCorazza]

I’ve been driving my MF135 Deluxe for about five years… the first three years I lifted countless 5 gallon Jerry cans to fuel up… then I got a deal on a 33 gallon transfer tank….......
Am I being overly paranoid?

Better to be overly paranoid with diesel fuel than complacent.
I store 55 gallons for generator use that is kept in a shed. (2) inline filters - particulate followed by water blocking. I treat the fuel with PS White and a biocide for good measure.

I have thought about cycling the fuel through the filters once a year, but the available port in the drum is too small for the nozzle. I may come up with a solution to that and run the electric pump once in a while for good measure.
My daily fueling tank is a truck mounted transfer tank that is also filtered for particulates and water. That fuel gets treated with PS Silver or White, but no biocide. I also drop a water absorbing snake in the tank once in a while to confirm there's no water accumulating. In the past 20 years I have yet to discover water. I think the most frequent fuel problems occur from:
- poor or no filtration
- source contaminated
- outdoor tank storage

For light fuel use, the suggestion of using a Mr Funnel filter is a good one. They filter out large particulates, and do not pass water. I have reclaimed contaminated fuel using one. That contamination involved 250 gallons of free fuel I got, and I screwed up using the last 20 gallons or so. It was a royal pain.

 

[S854]

I would think a tractors fuel filter is its last line of defense… to keep all the bad things out of the injector pump… why else would it be there?

The Kioti uses a water separator type Filter…. I can easily drain accumulated water out the bottom any time I want…

What I’m not sure of is how big the bacteria are that sometimes grow in the fuel? Are they small enough to make it past the fuel filter membrane? That would be absurd!

Clogging a fuel filter with the goo the bacteria generates is one thing… that’s manageable… why all the internet hubbub about the goo ruining an engine? The horror stories I’ve found aren’t from web boards… they’re on commercial websites… there can‘t be that many snake-oil salesmen trying to get me to invest in their wonder cure for the diesel bug…

The biocides I’ve seen are a temporary fix… dose the fuel tank, wait eight hours then fill up… repeat every six to eight weeks…

On a separate, related note… condensation inside the tank seems to be where the bug rises… that water rests on the bottom of the tank… how do I tell if I actually have a problem? …and if I do have water in there… how does one get it out?

 

[duffer]

I have a 275 gal plastic tote (4' cube) that I have filled once a year. I use bio-kleen to keep the bacteria at bay. Treat it on a "maintenance" dose every 3 months (uses like 4 oz). Been doing that for 4 years and have yet to have any problems. I keep the tote inside my uninsulated garage/barn along with the tractor. That helps with keeping down condensation. (no dew or frost).

Also keep the tractor full of fuel during your fall/winter/spring months when temps are volatile from day to day.

 

[nyone]

Goldenrod makes water separation filters and housings that are clear with a bottom drain. I suggest you put one on your fill pump.

I have a 275gal heating oil tank that was filled in 2020 and is still 3/4 full. No water and no contamination. I treat the tank for algee every year and the machine every other fill up with power service.

A 25hp tractor isnt going to burn much fuel so a few 5gal jugs isnt the end of the world.

 

[newbury]

there can‘t be that many snake-oil salesmen trying to get me to invest in their wonder cure for the diesel bug…

Yes there can be.

 

[5030]

I have a 500 gallon farm tank beside the shop that I generally keep full (when I have enough funding to fill it with off road diesel hovering around 4 per gallon here that is always expensive)... I never use it all, always has some fuel in it. I regularly drain off what collects in the bottom of the tank and I always use a biocide like Powerservice Bio-Kleen. Easy to tell what a genuine biocide is by the labelling. Any biocide will have the required Federal hazardous substance labelling on the bottle.

Neither of my tractors are High pressure common rail like the new ones are and the new T4 units are very sensitive to any water or contaminates in the fuel and they can cause very expensive issues as has been noted in some threads on here.

Have no idea what MF uses for fuel filtering but I do know what Kubota uses and at least on my units, it ain't much (spin on primary
and a fuel bowl separator pre injection pump so I added a fuel polishing unit pre spin on filter (Racor style) with a clear bottom bowl that I can drain off any accumulated stuff that comes out of the fuel tank (including any water or debris).

I do know that the standard Kubota spin on filter has a pass rate of 80 microns and the fuel bowl with it's brass screen will pass small pebbles...lol

The fuel polishing unit I added 2 both of mine, the spin on filter with the clear bottom has a pass rate of 30 microns plus it's a water blocking (stripping filter) that removes and deposits any water in the clear bottom drainable bowl.

Did a thread under Kubota owning-operating you might want to look at.

I do know that Kubota is now adding polishing units to their T4 final tractors from the factory but on what units or sizes, I have no idea.

I modified mine because the Racor style units aren't that expensive and they give an added insurance against injection pump failure. Have one on my diesel pickup truck as well.

 

[5030]

Yes there can be.

You get the 'diesel bug' algae, you'll wish you added a biocide to your fuel. been there, did that and it's not a cheap date to rectify.

Just because some 'elixier' additive says it prevents algae growth don't mean squat of it don't have the Federal Government attached MSDS labelling attached to the bottle.

Keep in mind that biodiesel (B20 or better) is the most susceptible to algae growth. The Bio part likes to grow slime and it's the slime that destroys the injection system.

No bio diesel here. They can shove that stuff IMO.

 

[RalphVa]

I’ve been driving my MF135 Deluxe for about five years… the first three years I lifted countless 5 gallon Jerry cans to fuel up… then I got a deal on a 33 gallon transfer tank…

the old Fill-Rite pump works great (the tank came off a 1984 Nissan pickup which was used at a local airport so I’m guessing the tank is about 30 years old…)… first thing I did was install a particulate filter between the pump and hose… filled up with red diesel and poured some two stroke oil in the tank then ran the nozzle in a loop to the tanks fill port… I let the pump run for about ten minutes to mix in the lubricating oil and also to clean any gunk out of the hose…

Been working great for a litt over a year now…

THEN I DID IT… went and bought a new tractor (Kioti 2610 HST)… the dealer suggested I purchase a dedicated, plastic fuel container so I can be sure to alway have fresh, clean fuel in my new toy… “New engines are expensive” he says… and the warranty doesn’t cover owner abuse (read: “bad fuel”)…

Which got me to looking into how modern ULSD “deteriorates” in storage… condensation inside the tank breeds “diesel bugs” which can wreak havoc on my new tractors fuel system… or so I’m lead to believe…

i don’t drive the Massey a lot.. didn’t go through an entire 33 gallon tank this last year… I’ll probably use more with the new tractor but i don’t want to screw it up… and I REALLY don’t want to go back to schlepping 5 gallon fuel cans…

At this point I’m seriously considering adding a second “water” filter in the circuit then recirculating fuel through the tank from time to time to keep the condensation out and the bugs trapped in a disposable filter…

Am I being overly paranoid?

I've never ever had a water in diesel problem in around 40 years driving diesel cars and tractors since 2004.

 

[RandyT]

Just as an aside, I would not consider bad fuel to be “owner abuse” that would void a warranty. You could do all that you plan to do, then buy fuel somewhere that, as far as you know, is good, but turns out to be bad.

And would still not be covered under warranty. Bad fuel from a known source could be responsible for damages. like a gas station gets a new fuel tanker but is contaminated with water. the station would be responsible for damaged not the vehicle or equipment warranty.

 

[5030]

I've never ever had a water in diesel problem in around 40 years driving diesel cars and tractors since 2004.

Be patient, if you leave it sit with a partial tank you will at some point. Diesel that was cracked 40 years ago and modern ULSD diesel are 2 different things.... and in some areas, refiners are adding bio diesel and not telling you as well. Bio is the culprit as it promotes algae growth when combined with condensation that forms in a partial tank of fuel during ambient temperature changes.

 

[Hay Dude]

If you can, fill your tractors with the engine turned off and let the tractor sit a spell.
When you fuel, you stir up all kind a crap from the bottom of the tank.

 

[S854]

Well… could be I’m cryin‘ before I’m even hurt…

I just went to the barn to inspect the transfer tank… to see exactly what I’m dealing with…
reading the particulate filter (# F4010PMO) it’s rated for: dirt, rust and microbes… are microbes the diesel bug I’ve been readin about?

it’s a 10 micron filter… is this gonna keep all the bad juju outta my fuel system? (Except water… I’m still going to place a water filter on The pump…)

 

[HighTwelve]

Well… could be I’m cryin‘ before I’m even hurt…

I just went to the barn to inspect the transfer tank… to see exactly what I’m dealing with…
reading the particulate filter (# F4010PMO) it’s rated for: dirt, rust and microbes… are microbes the diesel bug I’ve been readin about?

it’s a 10 micron filter… is this gonna keep all the bad juju outta my fuel system? (Except water… I’m still going to place a water filter on The pump…)

It isn’t hard to spot bacterial contamination in diesel fuel. You will see black slime in the fuel filter. Yes, microbes=bacterial contamination and a 10 micron filter should work fine.

Home heating fuel tanks that are installed outside of the house are the biggest troublemakers in this regard. You have to have some water in the tank and simple condensation provides the water. It’s not usually a problem with tanks inside the house or buried tanks.

My experience is with home heating oil tanks. I still keep my diesel fuel in 5 gallon cans. My advice is to add a biocide to your tank once a year or so and keep an eye on the fuel filter on the tractor for black slime.

 

[Gord Baker]

I’ve been driving my MF135 Deluxe for about five years… the first three years I lifted countless 5 gallon Jerry cans to fuel up… then I got a deal on a 33 gallon transfer tank…

the old Fill-Rite pump works great (the tank came off a 1984 Nissan pickup which was used at a local airport so I’m guessing the tank is about 30 years old…)… first thing I did was install a particulate filter between the pump and hose… filled up with red diesel and poured some two stroke oil in the tank then ran the nozzle in a loop to the tanks fill port… I let the pump run for about ten minutes to mix in the lubricating oil and also to clean any gunk out of the hose…

Been working great for a litt over a year now…

THEN I DID IT… went and bought a new tractor (Kioti 2610 HST)… the dealer suggested I purchase a dedicated, plastic fuel container so I can be sure to alway have fresh, clean fuel in my new toy… “New engines are expensive” he says… and the warranty doesn’t cover owner abuse (read: “bad fuel”)…

Which got me to looking into how modern ULSD “deteriorates” in storage… condensation inside the tank breeds “diesel bugs” which can wreak havoc on my new tractors fuel system… or so I’m lead to believe…

i don’t drive the Massey a lot.. didn’t go through an entire 33 gallon tank this last year… I’ll probably use more with the new tractor but i don’t want to screw it up… and I REALLY don’t want to go back to schlepping 5 gallon fuel cans…

At this point I’m seriously considering adding a second “water” filter in the circuit then recirculating fuel through the tank from time to time to keep the condensation out and the bugs trapped in a disposable filter…

Am I being overly paranoid?