Cragrat

iTrader: (4)

..... like petrol ?

My father in law has given me some diesel about 3yrs old but I'm unsure if it will be ok to use.asfaik diesel doesn't go 'off' , anyone know ?

Btw it's a 5 gallon ex army jerry can that will have been well sealed .just seems a shame to sling it away

Thoughts ?

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

No, it will be fine. Run it through a fine mesh gauze as you can get 'diesel bug' which is a black gloopy mess that will collect in the bottom of the can. Diesel will also absorb moisture from the air so the water content can be high, but as long as the can had a good seal it should be fine.

Caddyshack

Yep, from the moment you put it in you should have bought a petrol...lol

Carlos-Titx

It goes off.

Don't know how long it takes but when I used to work with fuel stuff in our old pipe work would be really wax like as if it had been in very cold conditions.

gcfcos

Not worth the risk mate all fuel goes off

stevieturbo

It would take an incredibly long time to go off, some diesel standby generators could sit for years with the same fuel, and they've no problems

Only concern if container wasnt sealed is the fuel can absorb moisture.

3 years is fuck all though.

Carlos-Titx

Unless it's filled to the brim and fully sealed it will absorb moisture.

Like old fuel tanks that are half full will rust on the inside as moisture is present.

Cragrat

iTrader: (4)

He's not sure if it is 3yrs or a little longer lol.not opened the jerry can as yet so not sure if it was brimmed, it's an ex army "plastic" jobbie so is that more or less of an issue re moisture? ?

Is there any way tell if it's got water in the fuel or is it simply going to floating in the diesel

Carlos-Titx

Plastic?

That'll be a water Jerry can not a fuel Jerry can.

stevieturbo

Just use it, it will be fine

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

For £20 worth of fuel, is it worth risking it.

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

sell it to a mate and with the money buy some new fuel

Cragrat

iTrader: (4)

Yup that was a concern too

gcfcos

Funny u should say that, last year the massive generator out the back of my work for the massive printing place next door didn't start on a power cut, 3 of us mechanics were out there to get it going, had to clean the filters out and put fresh fuel in to get it going as was full of water :-( talking to an engineer who came round to eventually service it he said most large places like hospitals etc they have dedicated maintenance men who regularly start them up and check them over and service then and replace fuel as moisture gets in there

stevieturbo

All their filters should have water traps and alarms

Hell, even car diesel filters used to have water vent taps and some water sensors on them !

Given how fussy common rail etc is, I'm amazed they dont still have these

scoooby slayer

iTrader: (4)

Lol some funny replies here, I had a crawler sat for over 10 years new batterys and unseized it ran like a top on the diesel in the tank, paranoia tells people oh it must be knackered, lol it will be fine

scoooby slayer

iTrader: (4)

All our 1970s equipment have water traps surely this new stuff does, our newer machines do with the drainer on the bottom to drop the water at service time.

gcfcos

I'm not sure im just going by what the service guy was telling us but then he could be full of shit lol. The generator out the back of our
Work thinking about it had filters like on a truck and there was all sorts in the fuel, maybe it had a leak into it somewhere I don't know

ajamesc

Big dafs don't have water traps un less spec'ed by customers. Modern diesel has a percentage of bio in it that gives us issues. Companies like McDonald's who make there own have terrible issues with fuel. I've been called out there before and had to change fuel filters on 3 or 4 different trucks. When you take a fuel sample and leave it for a few days all the crap sits at the bottom sometimes you can even see bits floating about lol. And foreign trucks crist fuck knows what poor standards they work too. The amount of lack of power Daf Aids you get from low fuel pressure. The fuel filters and tank stack filters are black with shit and you end up blowing out the fuel lines. With the euro 6 engine having such fine tolerances it's a real issue

stevieturbo

McDonalds make their own fuel ?

ajamesc

Yep there own bio from the oil used it there restaurants. It's a bio percentage as Daf don't like full bio in euro 5/6 engines

stevieturbo

Ahh right, bio-crap !

You'd think they'd go overboard with filtration with that stuff especially on expensive machinery

gcfcos

When I worked for a van and truck hire workshops 2 of the tractor units were on long term hire to a company. They used to remove the first diesel filter and housing so they could run bio diesel. Everytime it came in for inspection and service we would fit a new filter and housing and they paid for it but soon as they got the Lorry back u knew they removed it straight away.

stevieturbo

Surely if any engine damage ensued, they'd be liable for all costs ?

Did injectors/pump not come to any harm ?

ajamesc

Depends who they are lol if they buy 30 trucks a year they have a lot of clout. Most trucks in big yards are owned buy leasing companies who the likes of Daf want to sell trucks to so they normally end up footing half the bill. Un less it's on a Daf repair contract then there can be arguments lol but normally then still get a lot of the cost wiped of the bill

stevieturbo

Then some poor bastards gets landed with it after the lease deal is done !

scoooby slayer

iTrader: (4)

that's bloody stupid if that's the case, all diesels need a drainable water trap, all my machines have them on the base of the first filter, then 1 or 2 more fine filters after that, it should never be an issue just drain off at every service, and if the filters get blocked machine will just stop running it doesn't cause any damage on any of my equipment, newest I have is a 2007 cat.


we have had to clean a few fuel tanks out with the sludge with this new diesel, so much had accumulated it just wouldn't drain off from the base drain taps.

ajamesc

When used with the correct grade of fuel i.e normal pump diesel no water trap gives zero issues

gcfcos

These tractor units were doing serious mileage, the amount the company must have been Saving using bio diesel must have outweighed any repair costs. Never saw any pump issues with them. They bloody stank the workshop out mind lol