Preserving diesel fuel in transfer tank

[Tony H]

Low sulfur diesel makes bacteria happier then old diesel. Use BIODIESEL in your storage tank.

 

[5030]

Low sulfur diesel makes bacteria happier then old diesel. Use BIODIESEL in your storage tank.

REALLY???? Biodiesel provides an even better growth medium for algae to develop than ULSD does. Found that out the hard (and expensive way a few years back and most tractor builders don't endorse using biodiesel in the first place.

B20 is crap and costs more.

 

[charles todd]

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?

"Am I being overly paranoid?"

I think maybe. If transfer tank is clean and you have a filter on it after the pump, I'd send it!

CT

 

[Henniker]

Well; I guess I'm a real NOOB here. I fill my Kubota about 2-3 times a year from a 5 gal plastic can and the worst of it is the stupid "safety" nozzle they put on those now, Takes forever to fill.
I had never heard of stuff growing in diesel, although water/condensation does make sense.
Maybe I'll invest the $30 in a "Mr Funnel", and buy some biocide just to be on the safe side.

That's why I read this forum! I got edumacated today. Thanks all!

 

[5030]

Wish I could only fill mine a couple times a year. When I'm busy, they get filled every evening and usually it's about 30 gallons at a time.

 

[Henniker]

You must spend all day in your tractor. (not a bad thing). My B2710 sips fuel, but I only use it to plow/maintain the driveway and move firewood. Not a flat/level place anywhere on my property.

 

[5030]

You must spend all day in your tractor. (not a bad thing). My B2710 sips fuel, but I only use it to plow/maintain the driveway and move firewood. Not a flat/level place anywhere on my property.

Not really, just when running hay. Speaking of fuel, just filled my tank and it was $4.99 a gallon for ORD. 400 gallons really put a dent in my wallet. Way things are going I figure it will be even more in the future.

 

[dcarman]

Diesel by nature is Hygroscopic so there can be up to 7% entrained water. This is generally not a problem to injection systems. The problems begin with rust from ferrous metal storage systems. Rust is a narrow long sliver shaped granule that can sometimes shoot right through the fuel filters. Most diesel vehicles today use plastic tanks to prevent this issue.

The other issue is bacteria that grow in that water. A good water filter may help while fueling and getting the fuel to the injection system but in the mean time while it is sitting in the tank it can still be drawing water out of the air. If the vehicle is in a hot moist area the best thing you can do is add a biocide to the fuel if it is going to be sitting in the tank a long time.
Here in the frozen north we don't worry about such things. The cold is very helpful in eliminating this problem.

 

[Henniker]

I assume you mean "hydrophyllic" (as opposed to "hydrophobic")?

 

[SwingOak]

I have a 100 gallon transfer tank that usually rides in the back of my truck, although I set it up so I could take it in & out easily if I need the full bed for something. I have a inline filter with the water separator on the pump and have never noticed any kind of slime or very much water separation.

I've been buying my fuel from Costco, not just because I can legally use it in the truck when hauling my tractor to my land up north where fuel is usually 50 cents a gallon more than at home, but because it's also the same price or less than off road diesel much of the time.

I use a lot of fuel haying and doing contract farming work so I go through a full tank a couple times a month at least. I wouldn't bother storing more fuel than I normally use in a month, seems like that's asking for trouble.

Hygroscopic means absorbing humidity from the air, hydrophilic means absorbing liquid water. Not the same thing, but the reason that water forms in any fuel tank is from condensation. It's least likely to occur if the tank is completely full or completely empty.

 

[Monster5601]

Diesel by nature is Hygroscopic

All the more reason proper storage of your diesel is so important.

 

[Ken45101]

I have my off road diesel in a plastic cube, should have less condensation than a metal tank.

I have a spin on filter that is supposed to filter particulates and water. It supposedly will stop the flow when it's full. I keep meaning to change the filter but I never have. Same filter for 14(?) years, 2-500 gallons a year. No fuel problems on the equipment.

I have heard that bio-diesel is especially bad in growing bacteria if moisture is present. I would avoid biodiesel if it is available. BTW, I keep my tank inside the ban out of the sun and weather.

 

[SwingOak]

Condensation is caused by the difference and rate of change in temperature of air vs fluid. This is why a full tank will not form much if any condensation, because there is very little air. Likewise, a mostly empty tank has very little fluid, so the fluid will warm and cool at a fast rate. A plastic tank does not mean less condensation, just means the tank won’t rust. Keeping a tank closed, indoors, or at least out of direct sunlight will also greatly minimize formation of condensation. Condensation is most likely to form in a partially filled transfer tank in the back of a truck that typically sees drastic temperature changes.

 

[mo1]

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?

The diesel engines in the Massey-Ferguson and Kioti are both mechanically-injected diesel engines and thus should be pretty similar in sensitivity fuel cleanliness. I wouldn't worry about the tank if you had no issues with the Massey-Ferguson. I probably would have recommended draining the tank and making sure there wasn't any rust or crud in the bottom of the tank if you had a common-rail engine on your new tractor, though, as you may plug up its fuel filter that filters out smaller particles. Draining a little from the tank anyway to get the water out would be a good idea as water will settle to the bottom and water in fuel isn't good for any diesel engine. It is likely you have some condensation if you took more than a year to go through a tank.

If you don't want to schlep a 5 gallon can, then you could get a smaller can as on average it took you at least 2 months to go through a 5 gallon can with your Massey-Ferguson. There are 1/2, 1, 2, and 2 1/2 gallon diesel cans from vendors like Grainger, although they are safety cans and thus much more expensive than a plastic jug.

I guess I don't see handling 5 gallon jugs to be that big of a deal, I only put about 60-80 jugs through my tractor in a typical year. If I ever decide it's too large of a hassle, I'd just drive the tractor to the gas station a few miles down the road and fill up from the truck diesel pump. The fuel distributor that sells off-road diesel used to charge 20 cents less/gallon than clear diesel at the pump, now they are about 10 cents more per gallon, so lots of others just stop by the gas station and fill up.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

We have a mack truck that has 15 year old fuel in it. Runs good.

 

[Williy]

Instead of purchasing new gas cans You
can use your oil containers like mine are
T6 2.5 gal think I will be using them when
I change oil in about 92 hours then it will
be time for the 200 oil change. When you
turn the oil containers on its side IHMO you
have better control for pouring??

willy