Old diesel

MarkJ

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I was clearing out the garage this morning and found a can of diesel I’d forgotten I had. I reckon it’s from December 2016, so just over two years old.

Anybody know whether I can or can’t use it? And if I can use it now, how much longer might it be viable?

Thanks!
 
I have started old tractors with diesel in the tank far older than that (15+) , the biggest risk is algae contamination , if its not got that and well sealed so little water contamination then should not be a problem . Like any such advice its up to you what you risk :)
 
Take a careful look for diesel bug. When I had it in my boat tanks it formed at the bottom of the tanks where some water had collected. I believe it forms first on the interface between the water and the fuel.
 
RV2MAX said:
I have started old tractors with diesel in the tank far older than that (15+) , the biggest risk is algae contamination , if its not got that and well sealed so little water contamination then should not be a problem . Like any such advice its up to you what you risk :)
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Thank you!
 
I would say go for it (y). My tractor runs on diesel that my father bought several years before his death 20 years ago. Having said that it is of course red diesel and I don't know whether diesel specifications have changed over the years in a similar way that petrol has.
 
Undertaker said:
I would say go for it (y). My tractor runs on diesel that my father bought several years before his death 20 years ago. Having said that it is of course red diesel and I don't know whether diesel specifications have changed over the years in a similar way that petrol has.
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It has changed considerably over the years. In the EU, diesel road fuel is specified by EN 590, which has been revised over the years. A quick web search reveals the following 'headline changes' in this standard:
  • EN 590:1993—The first EU diesel fuel specification. It established a sulfur limit of 0.2% and a cetane number of 49 in onroad and nonroad diesel fuels. Sometimes referred to as Euro 1 diesel fuel.
  • EN 590:1996—This standard reflected a new sulfur limit of 500 ppm. Cetane number remained at 49. Sometimes referred to as Euro 2 diesel fuel.
  • EN 590:1999—This standard reflected the sulfur (350 ppm) and cetane number (51) specifications by Directive 98/70/EC (so called Euro 3 diesel).
  • EN 590:2004—Sulfur limits of 50 ppm (so called Euro 4) and 10 ppm (Euro 5) as regulated by Directive 2003/17/EC. FAME content of 5%.
  • EN 590:2009—FAME content of 7% as regulated by Directive 2009/30/EC. This directive also adopts mandatory biofuel requirements for refiners and introduces a 10 ppm S limit in nonroad fuels effective 2011.
FAME is "fatty acid methyl ester" -- i.e. "biodiesel". This is hygroscopic (it attracts water from its surroundings) and has lower lubricity than mineral diesel. So, while 20-year-old red diesel contains no biodiesel and so is less likely to degrade, diesel from a couple of years ago is a different matter. Also, the way that refiners remove sulphur from mineral diesel also tends to reduce lubricants from the fuel, so modern diesel has lower lubricity than its 20-year-old equivalent.

I assume that the issue is disposal of the old diesel rather than saving less than fifteen quid (i.e. the cost of ten litres of fuel). I'm not an expert and so I can't guarantee that it's safe to do this, but I'd probably visually check for contamination before adding a little (say a couple of litres) to a nearly full tank and repeating this until all the old fuel is gone. However, there is a risk in doing this, so YMMV. HTH, Geoff
 
GeoffL said:
It has changed considerably over the years. In the EU, diesel road fuel is specified by EN 590, which has been revised over the years. A quick web search reveals the following 'headline changes' in this standard:
  • EN 590:1993—The first EU diesel fuel specification. It established a sulfur limit of 0.2% and a cetane number of 49 in onroad and nonroad diesel fuels. Sometimes referred to as Euro 1 diesel fuel.
  • EN 590:1996—This standard reflected a new sulfur limit of 500 ppm. Cetane number remained at 49. Sometimes referred to as Euro 2 diesel fuel.
  • EN 590:1999—This standard reflected the sulfur (350 ppm) and cetane number (51) specifications by Directive 98/70/EC (so called Euro 3 diesel).
  • EN 590:2004—Sulfur limits of 50 ppm (so called Euro 4) and 10 ppm (Euro 5) as regulated by Directive 2003/17/EC. FAME content of 5%.
  • EN 590:2009—FAME content of 7% as regulated by Directive 2009/30/EC. This directive also adopts mandatory biofuel requirements for refiners and introduces a 10 ppm S limit in nonroad fuels effective 2011.
FAME is "fatty acid methyl ester" -- i.e. "biodiesel". This is hygroscopic (it attracts water from its surroundings) and has lower lubricity than mineral diesel. So, while 20-year-old red diesel contains no biodiesel and so is less likely to degrade, diesel from a couple of years ago is a different matter. Also, the way that refiners remove sulphur from mineral diesel also tends to reduce lubricants from the fuel, so modern diesel has lower lubricity than its 20-year-old equivalent.

I assume that the issue is disposal of the old diesel rather than saving less than fifteen quid (i.e. the cost of ten litres of fuel). I'm not an expert and so I can't guarantee that it's safe to do this, but I'd probably visually check for contamination before adding a little (say a couple of litres) to a nearly full tank and repeating this until all the old fuel is gone. However, there is a risk in doing this, so YMMV. HTH, Geoff
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Thanks for that Geoff, very informative. I perhaps need to take care when the old stuff runs out, it'll either make the old girl frisky or the engine will give in due to reduced lubtication;). Sorry if I've hijacked the post somewhat.
 
I lent my car a Citroen C3 hdi to a friend he returned it back with a full tank I travelled 3 miles broke down had it recovered to garage where they said it was the injectors .They found the diesel had emulsified .The injector tips had blown apart and bent trying to inject the water that was suspended in the diesel these injectors were about 3 months old .Result £700 bill.I was not happy questioned friend he had 2- 25 ltr drums in his shed for some time so used those needless to say he was on had times reason he borrowed the car so cost down to me.The garage gave me the diesel back from car it was opaque made a point no old fuel or lend vehicles.
 
I restored an old tractor in 2013 filled it with diesel but added some millers max power diesel additive, and as it isnt used much and seems to be running for ever on the same tank of fuel it is still on the same fuel that I put in in 2013 and still starts first time
C857EB71-A7A1-4752-9557-B20B0126C8A2.jpeg
 
That's a very fine looking implematic you have there. Don't suppose you would consider a straight swap for a tired 63 Nuffield 460?:D
 
Undertaker said:
That's a very fine looking implematic you have there. Don't suppose you would consider a straight swap for a tired 63 Nuffield 460?:D
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When I bought it it had been stood outside under a tree for 15 years, I put a battery on it just to see if it would turn over which it did and after about 12 turns it fired up and drove superb so just serviced it and ran it for a few months including a 30 mile tractor run before starting the restoration it was then serviced again, but didn’t do anything else to the engine just cosmetic work and brakes and a little work inside the gear box to get the hydraulics working again,
 
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