Diesel fuel storage options

[RjCorazza]

Internet sources will be all over the page on diesel fuel aging. Additive companies will have you believe 6 months. I think properly stored, diesel will be good for around 5 years or more. I have used 350 gallons of 10 year old fuel that was properly stored without issue.
That said, poorly stored fuel can go south quick with the introduction of water and bacterial contamination. If you're using cans, I think a 6 month to 1 year supply would be good.

 

[2manyrocks]

It is possible to go through tractor diesel pretty quickly depending on the use of the tractor. 1 gallon /hour comes to mind. I would start with at least two 5 gallon cans. Initially, I'd suggest topping the tank off before use to make sure the fuel gauge is registering accurately.

 

[WM75Guy]

I started out with 2 5-gallon cans for the TC40DA, then went to 4 cans. Lifting and pouring them into the tractor got old, not to mention having to constantly go 20 miles round trip to the closest fuel station. I had to keep the tractor full as the wife used it to drag the arena. She couldn't fuel it. As others have recommended, a tank on the ground and a small pump of some type is the way to go. A 25-gallon fuel caddy with a hand cranked pump would work, load it on a trailer or use the 5-gallon cans to keep it filled up if you don't want to lift it for transport. I use more fuel now, having 2 tractors and a ZTR that are all diesels. I have a John Dow self-contained 58-gallon fuel tank and electric pump system on a small trailer.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

I have a 100 gallon tank on a heavy duty pallet. Diesel has a pretty good usable shelf life so I don't worry about it getting old. On top of it is a 12v pump with two filters inline to auto shutoff nozzle. I've had it for a year and a half and filled three times. It's just about time for the fourth filling. Just disconnect the battery and haul it down to the local bulk filling station. The little battery powered units beat lifting a five gallon can, but they are also kinda slow. I use one to fill my lawnmower, no spills from a five gallon can.

 

[2manyrocks]

If you decide you really want a fuel caddy with a higher capacity pump, then there's no reason to spend money on 5 gallon cans that will just be in the way later. Plus, 5 gallon cans aren't cheap these days.

I also agree that the small battery powered pumps aren't fast.

That being said, for me it has been easier to just use 5 gallon cans that fit in my car. I like the fuel jug racing style cans better than the older style cans.

 

[jeff9366]

Just buy one of those flashlight-like diesel/gasoline/kerosene pumps. They run off of 2 D batteries. Set the fuel can near it and use that to pump it in. Easy. I've seen them at Rural King but always available online.
If you're only going to store 20 gallons, you might as well just use a D-cell battery powered pump and a few 5 gallon cans.

Almost all diesel engine related tractor problems are fuel problems. When I lived in rural Gilchrist County, Florida, I paid the higher price for fully taxed highway diesel at a high volume BP service station, rather than buy "red" less taxed offroad diesel from the Citgo. The Citgo offroad diesel was often dirty.

I second CH4Ohio's recommendation of buying diesel in 2 X 5 gallon or 3 X 5 gallon or 4 X 5 gallon increments. Fresh, clean fuel is important.

Kubota L3560 fuel consumption overall average 1/2 gallon per hour.
Your TYM T474 is just a fraction lighter than my Kubota L3560.

TYM T474​

ROPS Weight	3230 lbs 1465 kg
Cab Weight	3605 lbs 1635 kg

I averaged 300 tractor engine hours per year in Gilchrist County.

I had three diesel fuel options with three miles (six miles round trip) of my residence.

 

[GSVette]

I use a 25 gallon fuel caddy with a crank type barrel pump. Have a water/fuel separator on it as well as a low micron sediment filter. Generally use about 30-50 gallons/ year- will go up when we permanently relocate.

 

[Torvy]

My tractor tank is 17 gallons. I have a 5 gallon yellow jug for my diesel, but I am leaning toward adding a cart style that holds at least 17. May be better off with a 55 gallon drum on a Pallet. I can only get off road diesel about 20 miles away, filling 4-5 cans seems like a PITA. I don't want a transfer tank taking up my bed space.

 

[5030]

I also agree that the small battery powered pumps aren't fast.

That kind of depends on the level of charge in the batteries. Have a couple of the 10 buck HF battery pumps and they do eat dry cell batteries so what I did was buy a 4 pack of Li-Ion batteries and I charge them up in a plug in charger, I use 2 at a time, the other 2 sit on the shelf, 100% charged and when the pump slows down, I just exchange batteries and the ones in the pump I took out, go on the charger. I use them to fill the gas motors on the zero turns. Much less messy than these new fangled gas cans that dribble everywhere.

 

[2manyrocks]

Almost all diesel engine related tractor problems reported here are fuel related. When I lived in rural Gilchrist County, Florida, a paid the higher price for fully taxed highway diesel at a high volume BP service station, rather than buy "red" less taxed offroad diesel from the Citgo. The Citgo offroad diesel was often dirty.

I second CH4Ohio's recommendation of buying diesel in 2 X 5 gallon or 3 X 5 gallon or 4 X 5 gallon increments. Fresh, clean fuel is important.

I had three diesel fuel options with three miles (six miles round trip) of my residence.

I buy from the high volume place even though I pay highway fuel tax for the same reason.