White diesel, goes off in storage.

[GRW]

What isn't broadcast, is that even so-called regular diesel (i.e. not bio-diesel) is allowed to and does contain a significant percentage (I believe 10-15%) biodiesel now.
So the engines are getting more and more fussy and pernickety, and the fuel quality is decreasing.
A recipe for increasing problems (especially on long-term unused/stored fuel) for all.

 

[indy4x]

@GRW isn't pump diesel b7 so 7% bio?

 

[indy4x]

I ran 100% bio for 3 years in both a Frontera 2.8TD (Isuzu lump) with the Bosch mechanical pump and at the same time a Freelander 1 with the 2l Perkins, must have been lucky as no algae issues

Was going through about 200l a month tho

 

[GRW]

@GRW isn't pump diesel b7 so 7% bio?

Not really sure so you may well be right.
I was told that they permit Red Diesel / Gas Oil to contain quite a bit more Bio than pump stuff

 

[jerrytug]

I officially asked Cowes fuel barge what's in their diesel re FAME or whatever.. got a vague response, will post it in a minute.

 

[8ob]

An oil guy told me that all diesel comes out of the refinery as white diesel, this is your basic bargain basement derv that you see in places like Morrisons and the like, its also the same gear that red dye is added to for commercial/ag use. The good gear is the same bargain basement fuel but blended with additives/refinements.

Bob

 

[m_c]

An oil guy told me that all diesel comes out of the refinery as white diesel, this is your basic bargain basement derv that you see in places like Morrisons and the like, its also the same gear that red dye is added to for commercial/ag use. The good gear is the same bargain basement fuel but blended with additives/refinements.

Bob

It pretty much is.
Any fuel within the same area likely all comes out the same refinery. Fuel companies don't ship fuel the length of the country from their own refinery (in fact I'm not sure if any of the big fuel companies still own any of their own refineries..), they ship from the local refinery.
Some brands the tanker driver adds the required additives when they fill the tanker, others do it in their own holding tanks. Some (supermarkets mostly) just don't add any additives, as it's extra cost.

 

[GRW]

Yep. I worked for a fuel distributor for a while many moons ago.
There weren't Refineries for all the Brands in Milford Haven - so "Rival" brand fuel tankers were all drawing fuel from the same racks (say from the Esso Refinery).

I know that (back when there was 4-Star & 2-Star Petrol) that the Refinery our firm contracted with only produced 4-Star.... so when Garages ordered x-amount of 4S & 2S for sale.... what they unknowingly got... was all 4S, but the so-called "2S" was cheaper.... and all their customers buying 2S were getting 4S for the 2S price.

 

[Blobber]

We use red diesel in various machines that tend to get laid up over winter, ages ago someone told me red goes of quicker than white and how he was only going to use white from now on which got me looking into all the additives and snake oil stuff, needless to say I never got around to trying/using any of it!

Dont think I will worry now as the impression seems to be red is as good as white!

 

[tom2207]

On large standby generating sets with huge storage tanks I always try to have a fuel conditioning set-up which continually removes a very small volume of diesel cleans, filters and conditions it and returns it to the tank. Seem to work. Normally provided as part of the generator package. Probably a bit too expensive for small tanks but well worth it on larger installations. Had one job where the whole bulk storage tank had to be pumped out and cleaned due to the formation of algae. Very expensive at the time.

Usually termed as '' fuel polishing '' very common on bigger boats.

 

[jerrytug]

No, its currently a MAXIMUM of 7% bio element and in routine testing last year for one of the major car companies, they found the average bio element was actually 2.7% in standard pump diesel in random samples from all all around the country and this is for a couple of reasons, first the bio diesel is expensive and as the price goes up the quantities added to pump diesel goes down, and as the bio element is always in short supply they only buy a certain amount as it has to be used almost immediately as it has a very short shelf life.

'Short shelf life' that doesn't sound good for storing diesel.

 

[Matrixx]

Its the Biodiesel that causes water to be absorbed by the diesel, we came across 65,000 litres of diesel that had been stored since the second world war (German embassy), and it was still usable.

we use these guys for any fuel issues.

Fuel Conditioning Archives

Browse Through The Range Of Specialised Fuel Conditioning Products From IPU Group That Are Designed To Protect Diesel From Becoming Contaminated.

www.ipu.co.uk

 

[jerrytug]

Its the Biodiesel that causes water to be absorbed by the diesel, we came across 65,000 litres of diesel that had been stored since the second world war (German embassy), and it was still usable.

we use these guys for any fuel issues.

Fuel Conditioning Archives

Browse Through The Range Of Specialised Fuel Conditioning Products From IPU Group That Are Designed To Protect Diesel From Becoming Contaminated.

www.ipu.co.uk

Totally agree, it basically used to last for ever.
edit, I could do with randomly coming across 65,000 litres at some point I bet there is a story behind that!

 

[Danez]

Mine was a 1998 Peugeot 306 d turbo with a boosh injection pump

‘Twas a good car. Bloody algae!!

I'm currently driving a 97 d turbo but it has the lucas fuel pump, will be looking to fit a bosch one if I get the time! Want to be apocalypse ready and avoid the fuel wars...

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I'm currently driving a 97 d turbo but it has the lucas fuel pump, will be looking to fit a bosch one if I get the time! Want to be apocalypse ready and avoid the fuel wars...

Heads up on the Lucas pump.
The seals do not like bio fuels.

 

[mtt.tr]

In my youth I used to run my car on waste veg oil (it was free!!)

After a few months Car started playing up, algee destroyed the injector pump….. car was scrap

Normally a result of poor quality oil as the pumps lack lubricaction.

My friends has 150k miles in his Landrover since driving it on veg oil

 

[dobbslc]

I'm currently driving a 97 d turbo but it has the lucas fuel pump, will be looking to fit a bosch one if I get the time! Want to be apocalypse ready and avoid the fuel wars...

Same here, I'm even thinking of getting a couple of spare ECU'S (not that my Surf has much in the way of electronic cobblers) and storing them in a lead lined box safe from the Russian H bombs...

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Totally agree, it basically used to last for ever.
edit, I could do with randomly coming across 65,000 litres at some point I bet there is a story behind that!

Just look at the civil defence net work of tanks, pipes and underground stowage bunkers built in WW2.
Still good.

The fuel was kept in circulation, no atmospheric air was allowed in to the tank. Until it was pumped into the end user bunkers.

Faslane tanks are impressive, as I was told the ones in Scapa Flow.

In Wiltshire, Little Cheval, is a house with the Ave Gas pipe line 18” below his garden. No digging.

All there is to show is a little yellow grave stone type marker.
Else were you will see these little grave stones markers, showing pipes cables and a host more. All connected with Cold War Civil defence.

 

[colnerov]

 

[addjunkie]

Diesel bug ! common when diesel is stored for too long

In metal diesel tanks, you sometimes get a bit of condensation dropping, but also a bit of water drop out from the diesel. The diesel bug you speak of it caused by the sulphate reducing bacteria in the water growing which causes a black sludge. Was very common. In yacht tanks and such if laid up over winter. You can get additives basically a biocide to kill it.

I have a 3000 ltr red tank here and add a drop of biocide now and again as it was a bit black when I first arrived and dont use too much.