Diesel Fuel

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Scott

Winter storage is coming fast…1988 Catalina 27 with an M-18… Last year I only used a quarter of a tank of diesel fuel. Prior to going on the hard for the winter I topped off the tank and added diesel stabilizer. This year I used about the same amount of fuel. My question is….how long will the fuel remain good? And should I add stabilizer again this year?
 
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Allen

Add Stabilizer

Scott, Great question. The answer is yes. Definitely add more stabilizer, but be aware that a portion of the fuel in your tank is over a year old & could be prone to causing problems. The stabilizer will definitely mitigate that risk, but if you can, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a few extra primary & secondary filters on board should they clog next year from old fuel. Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to run down the tanks next year, if you can, to update the fuel in your tanks. Good Luck, Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
 
Jun 5, 2004
72
Catalina 27 Stone Harbor NJ
Old diesel

I was concerned about old diesel in my tank, too. After burning only 1/4 to 1/3 of a tank each year, it leaves old fuel in the tank. Even with stabilizer, I became concerned about stale fuel causing problems. In my case, I decided to drain the tank by siphoning it into jerry cans, and disposing (properly) of the old fuel. I then added new fuel to the tank. Other than the old fuel being darker than new, I had no particular problems with it, but just felt better getting rid of it. After adding the new fuel, I did notice that the engine (M-18, 1984) was a bit faster to start. Randy
 
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