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Old 04-08-2013, 10:36   #16
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Re: Old Diesel

I think the first thing to establish is do you have a problem. Take the top off the tank and have a look inside.

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Old 04-08-2013, 10:45   #17
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It's always a good idea to have a lockable drain cock on the tank if possible. It will allow you to easily drain off water when it accumulates. These however will also clog with sludge if ignored long enough to allow biofilm to develop.
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Old 06-08-2013, 01:47   #18
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Re: Old Diesel

Just to put things into context. Unless it is a biodiesel the diesel was already tens of millions of years old when it came out of the ground so just age is not a problem. The stuff generally only goes bad if it gets bugs or contaminants in it.
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Old 06-08-2013, 01:59   #19
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Diesel does deteriorate with time: http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_inte...age_diesel.pdf
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Old 06-08-2013, 05:20   #20
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Re: Old Diesel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
Now that's a mind boggler...

Would you care to expand upon that idea Raku?

Jim

Stupid rented fingers! Fortunatly it was POSSIBLE to put an access port in the fuel tank!!!

(runs off, blushing!)
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Old 06-08-2013, 05:22   #21
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Re: Old Diesel

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Originally Posted by RaymondR View Post
Just to put things into context. Unless it is a biodiesel the diesel was already tens of millions of years old when it came out of the ground so just age is not a problem. The stuff generally only goes bad if it gets bugs or contaminants in it.

Actually, the diesel that goes into our tanks is far different than it was when it came out of the ground. C'mon ...

It's called "refining." Diesel engines would not be able to run oil as it comes out of the ground.
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Old 06-08-2013, 05:36   #22
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Re: Old Diesel

if you are concerned with state of your old fuel, filter it and add more to it--make sure no water returns to tank

while we were underway, my repair guy actually placed a pick up UNDER the tank in rough seas....amazing and do-able.

you would be surprised what one can do when one needs to do it.
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Old 06-08-2013, 05:57   #23
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Re: Old Diesel

My boat was 1988 built when I bought it in 2009. There were no inspection ports so I asked a chap to install 2 of them. When he was finished drilling the first hole he started cleaning out the crud (I had hand pumped the remaining few gallons out of my tank). Tank was rusted badly in one corner and condemned. I installed a new tank with 2 inspection ports.
I pump out my tank each year and clean it. (Just finished job last week.) This is what a mild steel, unpainted interior looks after 1 year--sometimes filtering the inflow but it's so slow (and boats are always waiting)--not always.
Here is a pic of the bacterial growth/sludge--the black mounds. It is slippery, goey but easy to remove with a clean scraper. It pays to have a full tank all the time as you can see from the rust line. Cleaned her all.
It's cool here in Buenos Aires so I'm running my Dickenson diesel stove and hope to catch particles that way before heading south, where one needs an engine.
ps: The pencil didn't live there. Just for reference.
Pete
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