I'm currently draining the fuel from a D6 that's been sitting for over 10 years to address a fuel leak. The fuel has turned red. What causes it to turn red? What are viable options to do with it or can it be revived to be used again? I haven't noticed any large particles inside the fuel other than the color being red. Thank You.
All my off road diesel is dyed red. As an aside, I left a box van parked for 4 years, and that on-road never turned red. Ran it anyways with no issues.
If you have the tank drained already, I'd add ten gallons of fresh fuel till you get it running again, then add that red stuff right back in and use it up during mild weather. It might not start as well as fresh fuel in the winter, or have quite as much power.
Filter it through paper towels or something cheap just to keep the chunks out. Make sure no water gets back in. In Northern California, temperature should be no concern unless you are in Truckee or Modoc or something.
An old t-shirt or strip of cotton could be used to strain it and won't disintegrate.
Bought an old truck that sat a decade. Didn't even bother changing fuel filters and it ran fine.
Thanks for the replies. I think I found the source of the slow drip.
I agree with the other posts that your fuel is probably fine, but to answer your original question about other uses for old fuel - I use it in my drip torch for control burning and starting brush piles. Sometimes I use old motor oil for this as well. 60/40 gas to diesel or about 70/30 gas to oil seems to be about right.
Use a paint strainer to filter it. Any auto paint store has them. I say use it slowly mixing with clean fuel. Maybe 5 gallons at a time to 50 gallons of clean? Make sure there is no water in it.
Should work great in our waste oil heater. . .
Its a great weed killer if you don't pool it
Mix it with Remedy and apply basal spray to Huisache if you have it.
Have you tried filtering it and diluting it with fresh fuel? The red is more likely from oxidation than degradation if there are no large particles present https://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bid/117621/Diesel-fuel-degradation-in-storage-the-signs
I filtered the fuel. I have not yet diluted. I was thinking about how to check to see if the problem leak has been fixed. Could I mix fresh fuel into the tank and also (would it be wise) to introduce fresh fuel to the system via opening the fuel filter and pouring new stuff in?
Lots of people do and there are others that strongly caution against it. If the fuel was fresh from the pump in a clean container you're probably OK on an older D6. I'd get the machine running good before I mixed the old fuel into the tank.
Use fresh and then slowly introduce the used. Maybe 1 gallon at a time?