Old Diesel Fuel

[JB]

Over the past couple of years of cruising, I haven't fully used the diesel fuel in my Caliber 47LRC (one off the disadvantages of large tankage and great Caribbean sailing conditions!). Each year until this year, when I put Dulcinea on the hard in Trinidad, I topped off the tanks for the typical 6 month storage period. I didn't top them off this year when she was laid up in June, so, I now have about 130 gallons of diesel, distributed in 3 tanks, that is some combination of 2.5 year old, 1.5 year old and 6 month old fuel.

I have put fuel stabilizer in every year while stored on the hard, and always put biocide in when I refuel. The fuel looks OK, although a bit darker than fresh fuel, and I haven't had any problems with my fuel filters.

I am concerned that old fuel will cause problems somehow, and am planning on having the tanks pumped out and refueling with new, fresh fuel.

I am wondering if this is necessary. I am afraid arranging the fuel pumping on the hard at Powerboats in Chaguaramas, Trinidad may be a challenge, but have been paranoid about bad fuel since picking up a bad batch on the ICW in 1999, which took a few years of hassles to finally sort out.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

[KIMBERLITE]

I would ditch the fuel. Biocide usually leaves a bunch of dead bugs on the bottom of the tank.
if not this would be a good time to have your tank and fuel "polished"
fair winds
eric

[JeanneP]

Here's BP Petroleum's fact sheet on storing diesel fuel.

http://www.bp.com.au/fuelnews/ADF1402.pdf

[Roger Shields]

I have used a flexible tank for 6 seasons now in New England. Though I installed it as a cost saving method during a major rebuild, a major benefit has been the complete absence of condensation and resulting contamination. The only time it is neccessary to fill it is when I want to use it. During storage, no matter how full it is, there is no air space and thus no condensation though I have used a fuel stabilizer.
Just a thought, but when you recycle 150 gl of fuel it is worth more than the cost of a 30 gl flexible tank.

[PaulK]

Too bad you're in the Carribean. If you were in New England, you could use it in your house's furnace. At current prices though, and that much fuel, you might be able to sail up to Boston and sell what you have at a profit.

[fdubois]

Can you give it away to someone to burn in their diesel truck? hate to see all that fuel go to waste. fd