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Old Fuel

I haven't had the coach out in over a year and am worried about the old 1/2 tank of fuel.  Is it too late to add preservative?  If I do add it and if I have algae...once it is killed...will it still pollute the filter?
Dwayne Keith
1992 U240
3116/MD3060

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #1 –
Would guess the filter is going to catch anything that is not fuel and do it's job.  Worst case is you will be using your spare filters sooner.  Not sure it is ever too late to treat fuel.  Have read that a topped up tank is always a better way to store the coach.  Might be a good time for a drive, with diesel prices being lowered than last year.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #2 –
If it does have algae, carry a extra filter or three like Dave said.

You could find a marina down there that does fuel polishing, but filters would probably be cheaper..

Another idea.  If your tank is accessible from the top, go to a gas station supply shop and get some a tube of Kolor Kut water paste .  Stick some on the end of a wooden yard stick and stick it to the bottom of your tank.  If the paste turns red when you pull it out of the tank, there is water on the bottom of the tank.  Algae will only grow on the water surface between the water on the bottom and the fuel above it.  If there is no red, then there is no water.  If there is no water, there is not algae.  You might talk one of the gas stations out of a tube of water paste, or they might let you use it if they know you well.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #3 –
How hot has it been while in storage?  If it's been cool you might have gotten lucky.  Use a small flashlight and mirror to look at the fuel.  If it's clear you will be OK.  If there's black stuff floating on the bottom, see prior posts.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #4 –
Dwayne,

Smell it (fuel fill).  If is smell "turned" you have a problem.

And, while it is too late to prevent algae growth, a kill dose of a biocide such as Biobor JF will kill any algae present and prevent it from multiplying.  Would make that decision after looking in the primary fuel filter bowl after driving 50 miles or so.  If anything black and/or slimy, you need to treat it.  Where you live on the coast in FL, this could be an issue.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #5 –

Would old fuel make the motor smoke lightly, 
Cheers,
Brian,

Toys, 1989 Grand Villa, 36 foot, ORED with 300 Hp Cat. 2002 Gemini 34 foot Sailing Catamaran, 2006 Honda Super Blackbird 1100XX, 2002 ZR7 750 Kawasaki,
25 HP Chinese tractor and Backhoe,

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #6 –
Fuel starts to get out of spec anything over 3 weeks old but unless you have algae from the high humidity Florida location, you or your engine won't notice it. Have seen 20 year old diesel fuel work fine. Out of spec means emissions may be slightly higher while you burn the older fuel. Big ship diesels burn bunker fuel that is not far removed from some high quality crude that's been in the ground for millions of years.

Like Brett says, check the fuel bowel for water and or algae. Old fuel won't make the engine smoke and if it does smoke on initial start up, it will go away once you start driving it and it comes up to temp. If you do have algae and your filters clog, don't forget to change the generator filter if it is diesel.

Here is a 2 cycle Detroit Diesel that had been sitting and not started for 50 years: GM Detroit 2 stroke diesel engine, first start in 50 years.

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #7 –
Man, seeing that old detroit crank brought back some strong memories for me.  I bought a JT671TI marine out of a headboat that had been decomissioned.  One day I'm looking at the motor sitting around the shop and thought..."I think I'll see if I can get it to pop off a bit."  So, I hooked up some batteries, a gallon of fuel, gave her a shot of ether and jumpered the solenoid on starter.  HOLY SMOKES, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE!  The governor linkage shifted to full tilt boogie, the unmuffled roar of 671 cubic inches of whoopass along with the noise from the blower, yep, we got a runaway situation here and the decision was whether to run...my first inclination... or try to shut her down before it grenaded.  I tripped the air shutter on blower, didn't make the slightest difference.  (found out later that device works IF it has a good seal gasket which this one didn't), in a panic now I did the only thing I could think of....wadded up a coat and plugged the air intake on the blower.  Zook!  the coat disappears into the blower intake, engine is still howling like a wounded beast. Then I made one of the more stupid decisions I've ever come up with, took my Hand (!) and attempted to block the blower intake.  Engine starts slowing down but there is no way I can move my hand away from the blower due to the suction.  God looks out for idiots I guess, cause it did not suck my hand in and shred it, the engine slowly wound to a stop, but I had the mother of all hickies on my palm for a couple weeks.  Thus began my introduction to the world of Detroit Diesels.  I let my buddy handle engine related items after that. 
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #8 –
Diesels are really tricky around any kind of gas leaks and not even the electronic engines can be shut down. Blown turbo seals can do the same. Detroit 2 cycles use a lot more air than any other diesel and your story has been told hundreds if not thousands of times in the past. We had to exchange an engine after the air cleaner caught on fire from burning brush embers while we were pumping at a campaign fire. It still seemed to run OK but didn't want to take a chance with public safety. Sure did empty the air filter enclosure in a hurry. Probably could use old Roots blowers as garbage disposals or file shredders after they wear out. We had screens installed on all the engines after that.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #9 –
Here at work we have started having problems with fuel and we burn a lot of it so it is always fresh.  Filters are having to be changed with much greater frequency but there is no apparent algae.  After investigation we have learned that the low sulphur content is allowing a lot of things to flourish like bacteria, fungus and other varieties of algae that don't give the distinctive appearance.  We've sent filter samples out to the lab for analysis.  This is something we haven't dealt with before and as I said, we go through about 35000 gallons of diesel per month. 
Dwayne Keith
1992 U240
3116/MD3060

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Diesels are really tricky around any kind of gas leaks and not even the electronic engines can be shut down. Blown turbo seals can do the same. Detroit 2 cycles use a lot more air than any other diesel and your story has been told hundreds if not thousands of times in the past. We had to exchange an engine after the air cleaner caught on fire from burning brush embers while we were pumping at a campaign fire. It still seemed to run OK but didn't want to take a chance with public safety. Sure did empty the air filter enclosure in a hurry. Probably could use old Roots blowers as garbage disposals or file shredders after they wear out. We had screens installed on all the engines after that.

Pierce
really fun delivering gasoline with a diesel powered tractor pulling the transport.  Gasoline fumes can make a diesel run away, especially a Detroit.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #11 –
This talk of fresh diesel fuel cracks me up.  Long before the days of this new Ultra Low Sulphur stuff,  back in the early 1980s, the company I worked for had several hundred thousand gallons of #2 fuel in storage.  It had been in storage since the beginning of the fuel shortage of the mid 1970!  Company decided to put it back into the system.  It had been stored in old black RR tanker cars  sitting above ground outside in the weather.  We pumped the RR tankers out and put it into our storage tanks, mixed with what was already in there.  Some of what we pumped out was nasty looking.  The location of the RR tanks did not help matters, as it was a rendering plant :headwall: .  Place stunk to high heaven.  That fuel ended up in home heating tanks and in diesel tanks at local mom and pop gas stations.  There was never a complaint of anyone having problems with algae or any other problems with it.

But Dwayne is right about the current day ULSD.  It is susceptible to attracting all kinds of bugs.  Some right straight from the refinery.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #12 –
Checked it today with Kolor Kut.  No color change.  No water.  Now need to add some sort of stabilizer or algae preventative.  Any suggestions?
Dwayne Keith
1992 U240
3116/MD3060

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #13 –
Dwayne,

Biobor JF is a common brand of biocide and is available at marine stores, Academy etc.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Old Fuel

Reply #14 –
It is a pity not to use the old girl.  We bought the cabin and can't get the rig up the road nor would we have anywhere to turn it around once we did.  All of our time off is spent there now (can't wait to get back there).  Need to find a place to park it nearby and use it for one of our trips every so often.  Should sell it but just can't bring ourselves to do it.
Dwayne Keith
1992 U240
3116/MD3060