Old diesel fuel - treatable ?

[Rxflyer]

I was wondering, if a diesel-powered boat sat for a year +, in a mid-Southern climate, would the fuel in the tanks be salvagable ? I have visions of algae love-fests going on in those tanks, and wonder if they would look more like a child's poorly-maintained aquarium instead of a repository for a couple of thousand bucks. Seriously, would the fuel need to be polished, or treated with additives, or is it basically a write-off. I'm guessing a case of Racors would be in the equation as well ?

 

[sbw1]

Polish the tanks and change the filters.

 

[fwebster]

A year isn't that long. A lot would depend on whether or not the tanks were full or partially full. Properly treated, year old fuel most likely wouldn't even foul a filter.

That is one of the reasons I only have diesel equipment. Keep the fuel treated and you can let a tractor, truck, backhoe, dozer, etc. sit for a year or more with no ill effects........and I am just down the road from you south of Murfreesboro.

 

[Rxflyer]

I knew I could get the straight scoop here. I'm guessing the operative word is 'treated'. I'll ask if, and with what, he treated his dino-juice. Thanks.

(and I'll reread Frank's excellent piece on diesel fuel...over and over...)

 

[fwebster]

If he didn't and the fuel is a year old, just change the filters and follow the part of the article near the bottom after the question: "I’ve got problems with dirty fuel —Now What Do I Do?"

But, still, a year isn't that long for the fuel. If the tanks were say, half full, then in a year in Tennessee they will have condensed some moisture and they will have some sludge in them so you do need to treat the fuel. Several years ago I bought a backhoe that had been turned on its side in a dirt pit. The owner had 4 others and didn't need it and time slipped by. I bought it from his estate 5 years after it turned over. We dug it out turned it right side up, put a new battery in it and it cranked up after a couple of revolutions. It smoked like crazy until it got hot then I drove it home.The old fuel smelled like a varnish factory on fire, but all I did after 5 years was treat the tank with the chemicals mentioned in the article and changed the filters once. I ran that hoe another 2000 hours, with no fuel problems, before selling it to a grave digger.