Oil Barrel > Diesel ... Does a little bit of new engine oil hurt in diesel?

[whirly]

My old 55 gal diesel drum is getting rusty and I scored a new 55 gal barrel that had engine oil in it. I've drained as much as I can from the barrel but there is still a little in it. Do I need to waste diesel to finish cleaning it out or will less than a quart of oil bother the next 50 gallons?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I know guys that add pretty much any oil to their (low sulpher) diesel to give it lubricity. I have added transmission oil too. The biggest worry would be if you have a CAT. I wouldn't then.

 

[Oldoak]

If your tractor has a Tier IV engine I would use some diesel fuel to finish cleaning the oil out of the barrel. If not, I would just go ahead and fill it with diesel fuel.

 

[California]

To oversimplify, diesel is kerosene plus a little oil for lubricity. So long as that isn't a late-spec 'smog' engine it will burn nearly anything without complaining. BTDT.

 

[whirly]

Thanks guys!!

I suspected it wouldn't bother my '59 Fordson but I have a 2012 Kubota MX5100. It has a Tier III engine but it's not suppose to be as cranky as the Tier IV ones.

I've let the oil settle with the barrel on it's side with the bung on the bottom, then tipped it up at an angle with the bung at the bottom and finally drained as much as I could. Probably best to get as much oil as I can out with as little diesel as possible.

 

[California]

Rinse the tank with diesel, pour (and filter) that oil-rich rinse into the Fordson, and move on with life. Expect slightly more smoke from the Fordson until the next refueling. No big deal.

 

[whirly]

Great idea!