Fuel -- How old is too old?
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Virginia
Boy, now I know I'm getting old! I wonder when the first time will be that someone says "What happened on 9/11?"
I'm gonna go ahead and use the fuel as you all suggested but I did a little searching and there is MANY references online that say 6-12 months. 2 of those sites are BP and Exxon.
I assume we are all in agreement that dirty fuel is bad. Other than the obvious problems it could cause with the VE pump, what other dangers are there?
I seem to remember reading that due to the high compression, impurites in the fuel can cause combustion chamber problems like hot spots or detonation or something like that. Hopefully, someone alot smarter than me will chime in with the correct details.
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Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Phoenix AZ
Boy, now I know I'm getting old! I wonder when the first time will be that someone says "What happened on 9/11?"
I'm gonna go ahead and use the fuel as you all suggested but I did a little searching and there is MANY references online that say 6-12 months. 2 of those sites are BP and Exxon.
I assume we are all in agreement that dirty fuel is bad. Other than the obvious problems it could cause with the VE pump, what other dangers are there?
I seem to remember reading that due to the high compression, impurites in the fuel can cause combustion chamber problems like hot spots or detonation or something like that. Hopefully, someone alot smarter than me will chime in with the correct details.
I'm gonna go ahead and use the fuel as you all suggested but I did a little searching and there is MANY references online that say 6-12 months. 2 of those sites are BP and Exxon.
I assume we are all in agreement that dirty fuel is bad. Other than the obvious problems it could cause with the VE pump, what other dangers are there?
I seem to remember reading that due to the high compression, impurites in the fuel can cause combustion chamber problems like hot spots or detonation or something like that. Hopefully, someone alot smarter than me will chime in with the correct details.
You have to remember that BP and Exxon want you to burn your old, CHEAPER, fuel and buy some nice expensive, new fuel. I would highly suspect their motives, IMO...Mark
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From: Virginia
Trust me, I ALWAYS suspect their motives. Big business, govt, media, the real reason their doing something is often not the one we hear. That being said, we're not talking about an expired gallon of milk you can pour down the drain. You think they would have people disposing of good fuel? Maybe they would.
Or,
Since they make the stuff and study it to death in their labs under microscopes, they have found that it STARTS breaking down when they say. But maybe it's still usable well into the breaking down process.
I'd like to hear about how the truck runs with the 6 yr old stuff.
Or,
Since they make the stuff and study it to death in their labs under microscopes, they have found that it STARTS breaking down when they say. But maybe it's still usable well into the breaking down process.
I'd like to hear about how the truck runs with the 6 yr old stuff.
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Orange County, California
The '91.5 in my sig had a 1/2 tank of fuel in it when I picked it up in February and had been sitting for almost 5 years. It fired right up and has been running on the same fuel ever since. Besides only moving it around my house when I need to, I drove it to a scrap yard to get rid of the bed shortly after bringing it home. It was a good 15 minute drive both ways. It ran great!
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From: Virginia
The '91.5 in my sig had a 1/2 tank of fuel in it when I picked it up in February and had been sitting for almost 5 years. It fired right up and has been running on the same fuel ever since. Besides only moving it around my house when I need to, I drove it to a scrap yard to get rid of the bed shortly after bringing it home. It was a good 15 minute drive both ways. It ran great!
Our entire fuel line system is metal, right?
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From: Malakoff, TX
I recently pulled the tank on my '98. It was running beautifully. Just got tired of the sending unit ding the bell! Anyway found that the tank was pretty well loaded with the algae, sludge, what ever it is. Spent hours draining all the fuel and cleaning as well as I could with a suction hose. Is there an additive that will kill that gunk out of there? I'm sure it ain't possible I got it all. Boy, should have seen the screens! Truck is running great and the sender is fixed though!
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From: Orange County, California
Never put any additives in it or changed the fuel filter 
. Probably could have for safe measure but I didn't plan on driving it more than that one trip. If for some reason I have to take my '90 down for a good amount of time and drive the '91.5, I would absolutely change the fuel filter and flush the old fuel out (not through the filter or injection pump) and refill with a fresh batch.
. Probably could have for safe measure but I didn't plan on driving it more than that one trip. If for some reason I have to take my '90 down for a good amount of time and drive the '91.5, I would absolutely change the fuel filter and flush the old fuel out (not through the filter or injection pump) and refill with a fresh batch.
Thread Starter
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From: Virginia
I recently pulled the tank on my '98. It was running beautifully. Just got tired of the sending unit ding the bell! Anyway found that the tank was pretty well loaded with the algae, sludge, what ever it is. Spent hours draining all the fuel and cleaning as well as I could with a suction hose. Is there an additive that will kill that gunk out of there? I'm sure it ain't possible I got it all. Boy, should have seen the screens! Truck is running great and the sender is fixed though!
When I had my boat, I used to put something called Bio-Jr in the tank because it was recommended by everyone I talked to. The engine started on a bump every single time.
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From: Longview, Tx
I grew up in Temple, Tx & Waco is about 45 miles north. It was 1993 if I remember correctly.
/end thread-jack
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From: KENTUCKY
When I was dealing with a bad organism infestation in my 3-tanked 1985 F-350, big globs of gook clogging filters and screens and shutting me down almost daily, I did a ton of research, reading, and experimenting.
Then I bought a genuine New Zealand De-Bug magnetic fuel-filter and it worked so good on my problem that I bought three more of them.
Those who never used one cry "snake oil", but the proof is in the pudding --- THEY WORK.
Since installing the De-Bug, I have not had another shut-down.
I got the second largest unit.
Most of the so-called bio-cides are nothing more than paint-thinner and do little to solve a genuine infestation.
Then I bought a genuine New Zealand De-Bug magnetic fuel-filter and it worked so good on my problem that I bought three more of them.
Those who never used one cry "snake oil", but the proof is in the pudding --- THEY WORK.
Since installing the De-Bug, I have not had another shut-down.
I got the second largest unit.
Most of the so-called bio-cides are nothing more than paint-thinner and do little to solve a genuine infestation.
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From: The Dalles, OR.
I recently found 10 gallons of diesel in cans in the back of my shed that was probably from 1998 and it smelled like turpentine so I mixed it 50/50 with vegetable oil and added a double shot of Power Service and my Jeep Liberty CRD LOVED it! As for preserving diesel and cleaning old tank sludge I have always used Startron Diesel treatment/tank cleaner. The stuff works wonders! Oh and it's not paint thinner it's actually an enzyme that eats the bacteria. If you have an older 2 stroke boat with the built in tanks you've got to use their tank cleaner then religiously use the additive. I've had gas sit in my tank for a year and a half and it would start right up when it was 38degrees outside.
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There is a sludge of living organisms that thrive in DARKNESS and in the layer of water that is in ALL fuel-tanks, EVEN YOURS. 
Most call it algae, but it is not algae; this stuff thrives in darkness; whereas, algae MUST have sunlight to exist.
The older the tank, the higher the population of this crud, sometimes so high as to create a floating "mat" that floats on top of the water and below the diesel.
Many is the redneck that has ran their tank down low, stopped at their favorite fuel-stop, poked the fast-delivery nozzle in the neck, and stirred all this crap up.
Then, on leaving the fuel-stop, sometimes while still in the parking-lot, a wad of this gook gets sucked into the fuel-line and clogs things up.
Then, they jump on here and
bemoan to everyone, warning them to be sure and never buy fuel from station X, when they had been hauling the problem around with them for years.
Most call it algae, but it is not algae; this stuff thrives in darkness; whereas, algae MUST have sunlight to exist.
The older the tank, the higher the population of this crud, sometimes so high as to create a floating "mat" that floats on top of the water and below the diesel.
Many is the redneck that has ran their tank down low, stopped at their favorite fuel-stop, poked the fast-delivery nozzle in the neck, and stirred all this crap up.
Then, on leaving the fuel-stop, sometimes while still in the parking-lot, a wad of this gook gets sucked into the fuel-line and clogs things up.
Then, they jump on here and
bemoan to everyone, warning them to be sure and never buy fuel from station X, when they had been hauling the problem around with them for years. I don't care who you are that's funny right there!
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From: Phoenix AZ
When I was younger, we had 2 or 3 sand storms a year, but they seemed to go away for years. They have made a return in the last couple of years. An old timer once told me the diesel can be burned indefinately. I have 10 gallons in jerry cans, that have been in there since 2005, when I installed the auxiliary tank. I'll put it in the tank tomorrow and we'll see how six year old diesel runs. At least it was a LOT cheaper...
...Mark
...Mark Mark