We have some "gas"(diesel) cans that have been sitting around for over a year. I poured one container of fuel into my bobcat (using a screen). Cat stalled about 5 minutes- maybe 10 after adding this fuel. Does seem to be related, but the fuel was in a plastic gas can, and capped tight. Does diesel really go bad?
To answer my own question. Yup it does. How is it that I can totally forget about that additive stuff and that deusel gels. Thought screening it would be enough. So I'm hoping that I can drain the lines and clean the filter and all will be well. We'll see tomorrow. Does anyone know if any of our other containers of old fuel can be "saved "?
The useful life of diesel fuel is stated by oil companies to be between 6 to 12 mths, before it goes "stale". That's not to say it won't burn, it's just that it has lost a portion of its volatile ingredients that assist with easy starting - and some of the other additives such as corrosion inhibitors are possibly starting to break down chemically. I've known guys who cranked up tractors after 20 yrs of being parked up, on the original fuel - but that's not to say they ran perfectly. The temperature, and the temperature stability, that fuel is stored at, assists in lengthening storage time. That's one of the reasons why underground tanks are the most popular form of storage. A stable storage temperature reduces a lot of problems. Condensation is always a problem if the tank/container is vented. However, a sealed, full can, should have gathered no condensation. Was the container perfectly clean when the fuel was poured in?
See if you can't blow out all that nasty fuel and I would change your fuel filter,don't even think of trying to ''clean'' it as that's virtually impossible,you might want to even run it a few hours and change it again,especially if you have electronic injectors in that engine.'' Saved''???? Yes--TO USE AS A LUBRICANT IN YOUR DUMP BODY AND TOOLS NEXT TIME YOU DO A BLACKTOP PATCH JOB.
Hello OxDozer, thanks for the response. The fuel was in one of those 10 gallon plastic deisel containers- just like the red gas containers, with the pathetic spouts that always leak. I poured it through a spout that has a fine mesh on the end and there was a little bit of gel on there after I finished. It actually looked like a tiny slug, but I didn't think that meant any problems since the filter caught it. However, now that the sun is shining and I can see what I'm doing I went out and there was definitely water in the fuel. All I can think is that while the container lids were screwed on tightly, they still are cheap plastic. I don't know if diesel attracts water in the same way gas does, but it could be that those cheap containers don't really seal tightly and water vapor got in. Not sure. I took off the filter and drained two of the hoses, but the deisel that come out when I pump the priming bulb looks good- no water, so I haven't drained thosehoses. Looks like I'm going to have to though as it's still not starting. I decided to check to see if anyone had any words of wisdom for me while I came in to check my repair manual on how to prime the hoses. I think I did it right, but I'm hoping that I didn't and that's all the problem is.
Well, I was priming it correctly so I guess I need to drain in all, from all lines. I started working on it, and the sky opened up- pouring cats and dogs. Will now have to wait until Monday.
You need to be extremely careful with modern diesels that have electronic/common rail injection. They are very picky on fuel quality and cleanliness. They have a lot of valves and solenoids that can't cope with gelled fuel, water or even the teensiest amount of dirt. In addition, common rail runs at enormous pressures compared to the equipment of even as recent as the early 80's. Old Cats ran at 1500psi injection pressure - and the reason why Cat put "buy clean fuel and keep it clean" on their fuel caps, was the number of early Cat owners who poured any crap they thought might burn, into the old Cat tanks! One Cat article from the mid-1930's talked about how they found one guy shoveling old asphalt into the fuel tank! However, modern engines are likely to run at anything up 20,000 or 25,000psi injection pressures - and often, electronic injection systems are set up to check fuel viscosity. In some electronic systems, if the fuel doesn't meet certain (usually fairly narrow) viscosity parameters, the electronics will shut down and refuse to fire the injectors. Then you have to totally drain the system. Usually these parameters are set to ensure that incorrect fuel doesn't cause huge damage to the injection system - such as filling a tank with gasoline accidentally. The old engines were a lot more forgiving of errors, wide variations in fuel quality, and even some contaminants. Newer engines can sometimes be seriously damaged with poor fuel quality, depending on the amount of protection designed into the engine electronics. Even a plugged filter will sometimes shut down an engine, if fuel flow becomes inadequate.
I understand that Diesel is hydroscopic (attracts water) and is vulnerable to a particular bacteria. I treat all the diesel I put in cans with a diesel fuel preservative (I burn 10-60 gals per month) since it can sit for a while at my property.
do not BLOW out the tank on a bobcat ....... unless you want to pull it out later lol there is a very fine screen in the tank and air pressure with blow the pik up tube off. with that said find an MHC kenworth dealer they sell this stuff that up put in old diesel and it eats the slime. i have had skid steers for 20 years and i can tell you 2 things Dont burn old fuel and dont ever fill the machine out of a 5 gallon bucket.