Author	[Modern View]
AtlasHayCo 07-07-2012 13:40:23 208.54.38.137 Report to Moderator	old diesel fuel how long can it fit before its bad. this is the question of the day for me. my father in law did me a favor and park my tractor under a tree for for 3 years. In those 3 years it was not started. I picked it up a week ago. drain the oil which was not fresh. drain the coolant which turned out to be green which was nice. also has a full tank of diesel. I did not try to start it. I bumped the starter and it rolled over. I am fighting the urge hto start it on the diesel in it. I have new filters on order, but am getting restless. any comments or concerns for this old minneapolis moline. It is a dual filered, roosa pumped, 4 cyl diesel last known to run fine. oh and I did put some startron in the tank. [Reply]   [No Email]
sflem849 07-11-2012 09:53:21 69.197.84.39 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Mine was from Waterloo, IA and it did not smell great. Not sure why, but it smelled just as rotten as the gas in the starting tank. Do you happen to know any of the Gillettes up there? I worked with the one that moved down here. [Reply]  [No Email]
AtlasHayCo 07-11-2012 08:50:33 208.54.38.177 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to Gus Hansen, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see The tractor was stored in turtle lake, WI .... And the fuel was purchased in 8 of 2009 I did not have odd smells here ... Just that wonderful diesel aroma. I have it near Stillwater, MN now Well our Winters are definitely low humidity, and long. - Andrew [Reply]  [No Email]
RodInNS 07-10-2012 19:09:27 216.118.158.123 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Depending on how hard the thing is to bleed and how lazy the starter is from sitting.... I might drain the filters on the water drain or I might just start it and go if it's a real bear to bleed clean again... Rod [Reply]  [No Email]
Fixerupper 07-08-2012 18:56:16 100.42.82.164 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Where are you at? Fuel will last longer in dry climates. I bought a diesel tractor that sat in a shed in central North Dakota for 13-15 years, according to the neighbors, and it started right up on the old fuel it had in it. There was no bad smell whatsoever. I don't think diesel fuel would last that long here in our Iowa humidity. Jim [Reply]  [No Email]
hd6g tom 07-08-2012 09:48:53 75.170.237.148 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Atlas Alge has been a problem in diesel fuel for many years before biodiesel came out. I had 150 gal of diesel fuel sit for over 10 years. Put a can of diesel conditioner in it and the tractors ran fine. By the way, I am in Iowa and now use biodiesel in everything, and do not see the old wives tales problems being promoted by some here. [Reply]  [No Email]
Jerry/MT 07-08-2012 09:18:13 206.183.116.145 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   the biggest potential problm is water in the fuel from condensation,especialyy if the fuel tank wasn"t full. The secondary problem is bacteria that live at the fuel water interfcae. and leave a snotty looking substance in the fuelthat can clogg the strainer and filter(s). Basic diesel is pretty stable but the newer ULSD has a tendency to attract more water and be problematic. I"d open up the fuel line betwen the tank and the filter, drain about a pint into a glass jar and let it settle.If it"s clean there"s no more than a few drops of water in the sample, I"d try a start [Reply]  [No Email]
Lazy WP 07-08-2012 06:53:47 184.20.74.98 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   I have a 7045 Allis that was sitting in Dad's shop for 15 years. Dumped a bottle of Howes in it, and have been running it off and on for the last 5 years, with just basic maintenance. It will gel up in the winter easier now then it used too, but I think everything gels easier then it used too. [Reply]  [No Email]
Ivan in Michigan 07-08-2012 02:05:43 174.125.94.79 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   If it was mine to be on the safe side I would add Bio Clean to kill any alage in ther tank if there is any and then let it set required time and start it up. Then I would add Bio clean for a few tanks of fuel to be on the safe side. I went thru the alage thing and it is not fun so I add some to each tank of fuel now. [Reply]  [No Email]
sflem849 07-08-2012 05:06:20 69.197.84.39 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to Ivan in Michigan, 07-08-2012 02:05:43   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see x2 To my knowledge, the algae only grows in biodiesel. If you aren't running bio you will be really be set. I just cleaned the tank on my McCormick WD-9 and that diesel was just plain rotten. The tractor came from Iowa and I believe they have a biofuel mandate. This fuel smelled rotten and had brownish crap everywhere. I would guess that was algae. [Reply]  [No Email]
Fixerupper 07-08-2012 18:50:13 100.42.82.164 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to sflem849, 07-08-2012 05:06:20   Biofuel mandate? I can get all the non-bio fuel I want here in Iowa. But I choose not to and get bio-fuel instead. No, it does not rot any faster than regular diesel. Jim [Reply]  [No Email]
sflem849 07-09-2012 05:02:14 69.197.84.39 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to Fixerupper, 07-08-2012 18:50:13   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see I am pretty sure you have one in Iowa. I did some Google searching and found this. Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see Here is the link if you would like to check it out. http://www.iowahouserepublicans.com/bio-diesel-mandate [Reply]  [No Email]
t.r.k. 07-07-2012 19:43:55 71.31.64.233 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   You may be fine. I would suggest you change those filters though. Back in February a customer at the mower shop traded in his 10-12 year old well worn grasshopper with Kubota Diesel in it for a new diesel Grasshopper. He brought it in running and we drove it around with the same diesel in the tank that was in it when we got it. About the middle of May, The BOSS (owner) was showing that mower to a potential customer. It ran about 5 minutes, shut off. He calls his on duty mechanic (me) I bleed the system, get it started, start back to the warehouse (The sale is off for obvious reasons) And it cuts off again. I bleed the sytem again, get it started and this time get it parked. It never started again. Finally I pulled the injector pump, lines and injectors out and sent them to the repair shop, and their diagnosis is algae in the fuel has frozen the plungers in the pump. I have the parts back now, not running yet. but $650 later, we are learning the necessity of good clean fuel. [Reply]  [No Email]
AtlasHayCo 07-07-2012 17:43:51 74.46.225.134 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to Welding man, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   .... What a good bunch of people on here. Its funny though most EVERYONE I have talked to around town said I should drain. The fuel looks just fine. I added some of that Startron Diesel additive (I believe it displaces HO2 molecules to that they cannot bind like they prefer to). .... I wasn't in the can, and haven't been since 18 years old (am 34), but that is funny I can see why you would say that. Wife got sick, lost the acreage to the bank at the start of the wonderful bank BS. I am going to change the motor oil, and some other stuff. I get concerned because of the ALGAE talk I hear. I was happy that it was full because of the rusting issue. a friend told me to drain it, but he is only 35, and a GAS enthusiast. So I get alot of mixed messages. Diesel is def. superior obviously. thanks people ...... [Reply]  [No Email]
bill mart 07-07-2012 15:58:51 69.204.65.189 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   two of my 2 cylinder john deere deisels sat in the barn for 12 years,started right up on the fuel that was in the tanks. Bill [Reply]  [No Email]
Mike (WA) 07-07-2012 15:56:49 75.172.124.239 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Diesel doesn't degenerate like modern gas does. Get something you can reach down and dip some out of the tank, and test it. Test is as follows: Pour it in a jar; look at it. If it looks fine, it is! If tank was full, you shouldn't even have much of a rust problem. Gasoline used to be the same- not uncommon to start a car in the '70's with gas that has been sitting in it since the '50's. It was only with the modern additives that it started self-destructing in a matter of months. [Reply]  [No Email]
Diydave 07-07-2012 15:28:19 96.244.153.137 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   I wouldn't start worryin till about 15 years or so. What were you in for? Just kiddin, LOL! If you want to be safe, drain the primary filter, and add some Diesel 911 to the tank. [Reply]  [No Email]
Polish Mike 07-07-2012 13:46:43 205.188.116.142 Report to Moderator	Re: old fuel how long can it sit. Algae? sitting tractor... in reply to AtlasHayCo, 07-07-2012 13:40:23   Only 3 years ??? What are you waiting for ? Start that sucker up ! The fuel should be fine. [Reply]  [No Email]