Storing diesel

bowser · Veteran Member

Storing diesel

BaldEd · Veteran Member

I have never drained my diesel heater prior to storing the van away for winter. What I do do is to add a quantity of kerosene (approx. 10% of tank volume) and then run the heater on full power for around about an hour before shutting it down and parking the van in storage. The kerosene stops the diesel gelling in cold temperatures.

TravellerBob · Veteran Member

I did read somewhere that it is advisable to run your diesel heater for 10 to 20 minutes each month over the warmer weather to stop it gumming up. I did not do this the first summer that I had my heater installed and when I went to use it the first time it would not work. I had to pull it down and replace the glow plug and clean the gunk out of the pump.
The secong summer I did rum it every few weeks for 10 minutes of so and since there has been no problems with it.

Also when Im travelling I use the heater fuel tank as a spare, emergency supply of diesel if I need it or I come across a stranded vehicle .

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

I suggest adding a biocide to diesel in storage.
Cheers,
Peter

ps... adding kerosene and running the heater from time to time are quite different issues and not related to the storage of the diesel.

The kero stops the diesel from gelling in very cold weather. It does not control any algae which is likely to grow.

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Sunday 22nd of August 2021 08:20:39 AM

peatop · Senior Member

TravellerBob wrote:

I did read somewhere that it is advisable to run your diesel heater for 10 to 20 minutes each month over the warmer weather to stop it gumming up. I did not do this the first summer that I had my heater installed and when I went to use it the first time it would not work. I had to pull it down and replace the glow plug and clean the gunk out of the pump.
The secong summer I did rum it every few weeks for 10 minutes of so and since there has been no problems with it.

Also when Im travelling I use the heater fuel tank as a spare, emergency supply of diesel if I need it or I come across a stranded vehicle .

Not sure if it's still an issue as I haven't owned a diesel for 20+ years but I was told that you shouldn't store diesel for longer than a few weeks as there is wax or more wax added in warmer months, could this be the reason for the gunk?

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

We put a copper tube on tank . Theory is it keeps algae at bay !! Seemed to work on 880 David Brown, Ford Dexta etc

peatop · Senior Member

I had the David Brown 880 selectamatic but I emptied the tank to often to worry about mold

Tony LEE · Guru

Webasto say to run the heater once a month but this is to keep pump and fan motor seizing up

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

And I would have the tank FULL.
Cheers,
Peter

yobarr · Guru

peatop wrote:
I had the David Brown 880 selectamatic but I emptied the tank to often to worry about mold

Great tractor,the 880 Selectamatic.Dexta also was a good tractor in its day,but there was too big a gap between 2nd and 3rd gear in the main box. We still have a Dexta in the shed in NSW.David Brown 1200 also was great tractor,which we used to crush acres of scrub on steep hillsides,and disc the land ready for sewing of grass,late 1960s and early 1970s. Still have lots of old tractors along with the Dexta. Several grey Fergies,one with the 8 speed Howard gearbox modification,couple of MF135s,an MK 65 Multi-Power,an MF 265 Multi-Power,a couple of E27N Fordsons,an E27N bulldozer (after market blade was fitted) a big old Chamberlain with a 2-3 person bench seat,a big old Fiat 640 tractor that has amazing PTO power,and various others,along with a Diamond Reo truck with the joey box,a group of old Accos,a White Road Boss,and the list goes on! Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Monday 23rd of August 2021 11:07:29 AM

bowser · Veteran Member

Thanks everyone,
I think I will put in a alge killer to be on the safe side.
Regards bowser.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I often watch YouTube on starting old Diesel engines ! Some have been left for years . Old style diesels dont seem to have the same troubles ? Is it the moisture where algae starts ? Out of all the work vehicles at Energy Aust . Ive only known of one truck we had to replace tank . Due to algae it had slight crack in top of tank ! Apparently let moisture in !! Many bulldozers kept stored over 18 months never had a problem! I think keeping tanks on the full side keeps moisture or condensation at bay ?

Radar · Guru

Back in the early eighties my European truck caused me some unwanted grief at wrong time of the morning in Armidale and then a couple of times in Albury where I had an overnight stop over. The wax content in diesel fuel freezes blocking the injector lines, in winter months I would use a 240 volt blow heater on the exposed injector lines to make sure of a early start for tne day.

I did speak with a industrial chemist about the problem and his answer was add, "2 litres of methylated spirits to 600 litres of diesel during the low temperatures weeks". Never had a problem again.

Methylated spirits also breaks down water to smaller particles and gets rid of some other nasties in diesel.

This is not for everyone but it worked for me and I also would not use commercial wonder products in my diesel heater tank, maybe some kero.

StewG · Senior Member

When ordering my van, I wanted extra heating fitted. After a lot of research I decided on gas. Dealing with maintenance of a diesel heater was one thing that I wasn't aware of at the time, but I'm glad I opted for gas, even though the tug is diesel.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The algae grows between the water and the diesel.
Get too much and it will block up filters and everything else.
You can never keep all the water out, but keeping the tank full of diesel helps to reduce the condensation rate.
Cheers,
Peter

Mike Harding · Guru

StewG wrote:
When ordering my van, I wanted extra heating fitted. After a lot of research I decided on gas. Dealing with maintenance of a diesel heater was one thing that I wasn't aware of at the time, but I'm glad I opted for gas, even though the tug is diesel.

The Chinese $185 diesel heater I fitted about 15 months past must have clocked up well over 1000 hours of use over these past two Victorian winters and is, at this minute, still performing flawlessly and with gas at around $30 per 8.5kg I suspect I am $thousands ahead. The *only* maintenance my diesel heater has received has been to be run on high on kerosene for 15 minutes every three months.

You stay with gas and I'll stay with diesel.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Pffft theres maintenance on gas too ! Big issues when flex hoses leak . Much more dangerous!