What to do with old diesel fuel

[AJMD429]

55-gallon plastic drum of off-road diesel fuel, stored outside for five years, with hand-pump in drum bunghole, and covered with waterproof tarp...

• go ahead and use it as is (in new John Deere utility tractor)...?
  some kind of 'fuel treatment' to clean it up...?
  use a bit up at a time by putting a pint or two in each tankful of new fuel...?
  some sort of 'test' to see if it is still good...?
  dump it in neighbor's swimming pool...?
  pyrotechnics project involving large-caliber rifle...?

[FWiedner]

Got any fertilizer?

You might be able to use it for stump removal.

[86er]

It makes great hog bait mixed with corn or bread!

[Blaine]

http://amsca.com/files/Download/Fuel_ne ... diesel.pdf

Ain't lookin' so good.

[Griff]

I didn't know that about hog bait!!!

[FWiedner]

I think most of the hogs in Indiana are in Indianapolis...

[Rusty]

I like the idea of the neighbor's swimming pool... you want his address along with a satellite photo?

[Mike D.]

Is there a creek nearby?

[Thunder50]

Have one of those kerosene heaters, forced air , torpedo type? Work well in it. I have used diesel 3-4 years old, in my tractor, but I had conditioner in it and it was stored inside a shed. Don't know about the one stored outside.

I know I would hate to throw away $200 worth of fuel, but unless you have a good filter/water seperator on your pump, damaging your injection system will cost you alot more than that to fix. Now, using maybe a gallon per tankful in your tractor, as long as you filter/water seperate it first and add conditioner also, you might be fine.

Pump some in a clear container and get a good look at it first. IIRC, you can get some grungy stuff growing in the diesel, if you didn't put conditioner in it when you stored it. I put conditioner in my diesel barrels, when I go fill them up.

I know this is not a definitive answer, but you are in a grey area here. It all depends

[Blaine]

I think most of the hogs in Indiana are in Indianapolis...

After about tours and 7 years of Ft Ben Harrison, I can vouch for that....well, except this one cougar at the bowling alley on Post Road and the evening waitress at the SNAFU Bar and Grill.....

[J Miller]

You could send me 5 gallons to soak and clean my rusted sewing machine in.

Joe

[Ji in Hawaii]

Algae will grow in old diesel fuel and clog everything up. It should be filtered at least. Motors with mechanical fuel injection are less picky about fuel. The newer electronic fuel injected diesels are very picky. A buddy had to replace all his injectors on his F350 after running bio-diesel for a month.

[JB]

Spray it on poison ivy to kill it.

Or use it to cut motor oil to the point it will flow through a sprayer and coat under your vehicle bodies. I knew guys that did this for years and it helped prevent their old trucks from rusting out from road salts.

Do anything with it other than run it in your equipment!

[Mac in Mo]

I have read that a certain bacteria can grow in fuel and will "infect" your system if used. Supposedly stations that have a low turnover in fuel can be a source of this bacteria. That may be the bacteria that is referred to above. I would not run it in your new tractor, not worth the risk. I know I would not put it in my truck.

Maybe sell it to an equipment dealer to clean parts? I don't know.

Kevin

[pokey]

dump it in neighbor's swimming pool...?
pyrotechnics project involving large-caliber rifle...?[/list]

half and half.

[stinson]

Filter and use it in your furnace, or give it to someone you know. BTW, I'd love to see an alga that can grown in diesel fuel.

[olyinaz]

Filter and use it in your furnace, or give it to someone you know.

Yes, or heater of some sort. I have a heater like this that would probably love the stuff: http://tinyurl.com/7fugp87

BTW, I'd love to see an alga that can grow in diesel fuel.

Well there is one (or more). Same problem for Kerosene and Jet Fuel (herbicides are added at the refinery).

Oly

[flashpan]

BTW, I'd love to see an alga that can grown in diesel fuel.

I've seen it, or at least one form of it.....
Sort of a grey, gelatinous looking/feeling substance.....was told it was "diesel mold"
Weird science for sure......

[FLINT]

Check with your local landfill/waste management or whatever your county has.

In my county, the main landfill as well as all of the little satellite dupster/recycle stations have a used motor oil disposal tank. And at least the ones in our county let you put diesel fuel in with the oil (since it is in fact oil). I talked with them about this a few years ago, and apparently they have a contract with some outfit out of maryland who comes and picks it all up and it is ultimately used in oil burning furnaces - like some others have suggested here.

SO, if that is true, then really most garages or auto parts stores that collect used motor oil, MAY also accept diesel fuel, as that would easily mix in with their waste oil.

if either of the above options are a possibility where you live, and they balk at the quantity you have, just take it in 5 gallon increments each week.

final suggestion, would be to check with your county to see when they hold hazardous waste pickups - that is how I ultimately got rid of some old gasoline. Gas is much much harder to get rid of than oil.

[Old Time Hunter]

Pour a gallon or so of Howe's Motor Elixer(think they still call it that) into it. Poured that stuff, four gallons, into a 250 gallon home heating oil tank that was left for at least ten years, after draining the water off the bottom used the stuff in my truck until it was gone. No issues.

[Chuck 100 yd]

flashpan , I see that stuff quite often. It looks like clear Jello.
May be paraffin coming out of the fuel due to age but I have seen it in old gasoline carburetors many times also.?????

[1894c]

put it on Ebay--people will buy anything...

[sore shoulder]

Pour a gallon or so of Howe's Motor Elixer(think they still call it that) into it. Poured that stuff, four gallons, into a 250 gallon home heating oil tank that was left for at least ten years, after draining the water off the bottom used the stuff in my truck until it was gone. No issues.

What type of injection system/year and make of truck? IOW are the injectors mechanical, HEUI (Hydraulically-actuated Electronic Unit Injection) or common rail...it makes a difference on how forgiving it is.

OP this is important for you also. If it was an older mechanical Cummins or International then I can see it working fine. I wouldn't run that through a HEUI unless it was the last fuel on earth, and I would be hesitant to run it through a common rail. Also be prepared to do an early fuel filter change regardless.

[Sixgun]

I had the same issue about 5 years ago when I got rid of my oil burner in the house, but about 100+ gallons.

I use it for starting a fire in the wood stove which in this mild weather is about 3X a day. I fill up used 1 quart plastic oil containers and puch out a 1/16" hole in the cap---just squeeze that baby.

I use it for starting fires outside and is especially usefull when the stuff you want to burn is wet.

Works like a champ for killing weeds.

Works great as a parts cleaner. You can be liberal with it and when done, just pour the rest in a weedy area. The ground does not need to be soaked, just the leaves. This will protect your well.

Or you can do what the inner city people in Philadelphia do with their used car oil---pour in down the sewer. -------------------Sixgun

[getitdone1]

Some farmers would pay you an X amount for it for starting brush fires. As when they bulldoze down a fencerow and need to burn it. I've used it often to start a fire in our trash burner back on the farm in Indiana.

Don