Diesel Fuel...Marine vs

Warren Milberg · Sep 9, 2006

For jviss

I think the comment about "old" fuel at marina fuel docks assumes that some marinas, like mine, are mostly sailboat marinas and just don't sell a lot of diesel -- and so what they have tends to be "older" than diesel being sold from other, busier, marinas that sell a lot of fuel on a daily basis. Obviously, the key is knowing something about your source of fuel. And I agree that the age of the fuel, or how much of it you keep in your tank, has absolutely NOTHING to do with algae or other bugs forming in your tank. If you keep the water out of your tank -- by whatever means -- you keep the bugs out, too. It's that simple.IMHO, water mostly tends to get into your fuel tank not from the fuel you buy, but by rainwater slipping past the "O" ring around your deck fill cap. It's easy to forget about this item in your maintenance plan, but the cost of doing so can be pretty high.

RAD · Sep 9, 2006

That O ring

At the deck fill just wasn't part of my maintenance plan untill reading something on these forums and someone talked about checking that, the knowlege you get from these posts are great

Terry Cox · Sep 9, 2006

Tom, about the only thing I know about diesel ...

fuel and furnaces that use it is that according to our Wallas dealer it will not ignite bio diesel, so I do not use it.Terry

Fred Ficarra · Sep 9, 2006

Terry, Scan Marine said that?

I'll give 'em a call too. Wonder why these heaters won't lite it? Most Bio diesel available now is only 20% bio. Hmmmmm.

Terry Cox · Sep 9, 2006

Fred, yes. Carl could not explain why, just that..

it has been a problem with bio. Whether it is the type of igniter they use or what, but perhaps a fix is on the way. He could or would not say.Terry

Tony · Sep 9, 2006

Red Diesel

Someone said they were useing "red marine diesel" For the U.S. I do not know, but red diesel in the U.K. and Canada is regular clear diesel that has the red dye in it so the tax folks can trace it if it is used in anything but agricultural tractors or a few other applications that are exempt from the normal taxes that make the reg. diesel more expensive than the dyed.Once you have put red diesel in a tank the only way you can get rid of it is to empty and clean the tank out. Maybe you should check the regulations before you tell to many people you are useing the coloured diesel.

jung · Sep 9, 2006

Flash point?

Could it be the added bio-oil increase the flash point to the point that the funance ignition can't start the fire?

tom · Sep 11, 2006

Old Fuel

Recently I bought diesel at a marina I had over 1/2 tank but topped it off as I was motoring a couple of hundred miles. While drinking a beer after the fillup I talked to another boater on the dock. He didn't know that I'd just bought diesel and he warned me toto buy any. He had watched them cleaning the tank before I arrived and said that he couldn't believe the gunk that had just came out of the tank. This fuel clogged my filters and I had to change them.On the other hand the fuel that I had bought at Panama City marina was excellent. PC marina does a lot of business.I believe that the reason that I haven't found any water in my fuel is that my filler cap is mounted vertically and this prevents rainwater from getting into my fuel tank. I don't believe that condensation is a problem for diesel because diesel has a low vapor pressure. Gasoline expands and contracts much more than diesel. This is probably how the habit of keeping full tanks got started. I have literally crushed gasoline cans by tightening the cap and closing the vent on a hot day and then letting the can get cold. But air itself doesn't expand and contract very much with temperature changes. Water vapor in air is only a small fraction of the total volume of the air. It would be very hard to get temperature swings large enough to cause significant condensation especially if the boat is in the water..

jviss · Sep 11, 2006

What does Exxon say?

"How long can I store diesel fuel?If you keep it clean, cool and dry, diesel fuel can be stored 6 months to 1 year without significant quality degradation. Storage for longer periods can be accomplished through use of periodic filtrations and addition of fuel stabilizers and biocides."from http://www.exxon.com/USA-English/GFM/Products_Services/Fuels/Diesel_Fuels_FAQ.asp

Fred Ficarra · Sep 11, 2006

jviss, good scoop. I thought Exxon was too busy

counting its money! I read last week that for the previous year, their profit was something like $1144.00 per SECOND. That's PROFIT, after all those tax write-offs. And before this years price gouging. An all time American Record by far. And that's only Exxon-Mobil. Imagine what the rest of the vultures brought in. Sure glad we own sailboats.

Warren Milberg · Sep 11, 2006

Labels on Pump

A number of posters below wondered how you would know which diesel you are getting when the switch to ULSD occurs. Sellers are supposed to have labels affixed to their pumps indicating which sulfur level they are dispensing. See link for examples.

Bill Roosa · Sep 11, 2006

don't buy fuel after the delivery truck

makes a drop off. Wait at least 3-4 hours for the sedement to settle out before taking any fuel from that tank. Also buy your fuel around 9:00 in the morning if you can as it has had all night to cool down and "get denser". yea it is only about a 1/2 gallon expansion for 20 gallon of fuel but over time it adds up.

Herb Parsons · Sep 11, 2006

Vultures

What a bunch of hooey. The government makes more money off them than they do themselves. Only the jealous call others who are making BELOW MARKET PROFITS "vultures".I thought the name-calling and class-baiting was to be restricted to the politics forum. It's a shame that some don't want to be there, so they bring their trash-talking here.

Mark juetten · Sep 11, 2006

Topping Off Fuel Tanks

Our marina discourages topping off fuel tanks for the winter because of liability for expansion spills. I'm concerned that I have about 28 Gallons in a 35 Gal. tank which might lead to condensation problems over the winter. Thoughts? False worries or is marina covering their behind needlessly?

Miles · Sep 11, 2006

The theory about condensation in diesel tanks...

is that since a significant amout of diesel bypasses the injectors and is returned to the tank (picking up engine heat along the way) the diesel in the tank can become pretty warm during long periods of motoring. When it cools the water vapor in the air can condense on the tank walls and fall to the bottom of the tank.Obvious solution is to never motor

Bill Roosa · Sep 11, 2006

Air in the tank

How much air do you think circulates into the fuel tank. Certainly when it warms up fuel fumes come out and when it cools air is sucked in. I hardly think this amount of air would carry much moisture. I know in the aviation industry a fuel tank can gather quite a lot of moisture over only a few days but that tank is exposed to sunlight and the night sky. I can testify that keeping those tanks full eliminates the problem of water condensation. A boat tank is completely sheltered and does not go through those kinds of temp extremes however. And it has diesel in it which is much less volatile.I have never topped off my tank in the winter and have never found water in it come spring time.TRITIUM

abe · Sep 11, 2006

Fred. before attacking the oil companies so quick.

take a look at who makes the most money at the pumps.......state, city, and federal government who did nothing to produce the product.

abe · Sep 11, 2006

I always top off my tank and I buy from a local

gas station that is new and I know has alot of vollume. If I have to put alot of fuel I will stop by the marine station....but if it is less than five gallons or so....I top off from the local station. In CA we do not have to worry about expansion from extreme wheather condition.abe

Diesel Fuel...Marine vs

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