Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks - The Intelligent Internet

The Intelligent Internet

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=207383
Printed Date: 11 Jul 2025 at 6:58pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: The Intelligent Internet

Posted By: BuckSkin
Subject: The Intelligent Internet
Date Posted: 07 Jul 2025 at 10:28am

I was nosing around looking for something completely unrelated and stumbled upon this:

Question:

Is 4 year old diesel fuel still good?

Answer:

No, diesel should not be used after five years

Does anyone else see anything wrong with that statement ?

Like many things on the internet, one has to wonder if the person answering even read what the questioner asked.

Along that line of discussion though, I did recently drag a five-gallon hydraulic fluid bucket out from under a shelf that had 20-yr-old diesel fuel in it; there was a dated note taped across the spout that said so.

I poked my nose in it and then poured it in on top of 5-gallons of not-so-old fuel and drove the whiz out of it; no..., my hair didn't fall out, nor my teeth, nor did I notice any detrimental effects whatsoever.

And, to put things into perspective, that building where the fuel had been these last twenty years is always either breath-taking hot or bone-chilling cold depending on the time of year.

We are forevermore going after old trucks and equipment that hasn't been driven in thirty or more years and firing them up and running them on whatever old fuel may be in them; if you can get them to turn over, they will fire and run on that old fuel as good as if it were new yesterday and I have never seen nor experienced any negative effects.

Heck, the durn stuff has been down there under the earth for millions of years; surely it will last more than a couple years up here above ground.

Replies:

Posted By: ekjdm14
Date Posted: 07 Jul 2025 at 10:35am

Sadly par for the course of a general internet answer... Also, diesel has got to the point where it can "go off" in 5 years thanks to bio blends. Not 100% sure when that all started or how universal it is to have blended stuff, but prior to that "dry" diesel (not full of water) would pretty much last forever.

I think diesel bug/algae is much more prevalent with the newer stuff, looks like it's trying to turn back into dinosaurs!

-------------
Stuck Farmer

Posted By: BuckSkin
Date Posted: 07 Jul 2025 at 11:17am

I may be wrong/misled; but, I don't think fuel here in Kentucky contains any percent of "bio-fuel" unless so stated on the pump.

Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 07 Jul 2025 at 12:20pm

Many changes in diesel fuel in the last 30 years. I suspect diesel fuel made before they reduced the amount sulfur will last almost for ever. I personal bought a tractor than was put in the barn in 1985. It was run a day or 2 days a year after that to make fire breaks around the CRP ( CRP a USDA land retirement program) acres it had tilled. Being a crawler the steering clutch rusted solid on one side after 10 years. Not touched again until they offered it to me about 2010. Lots of rust in the top 1/4 of the tank. But other than filter plugging from that the old fuel burn well.

From thing here many tractors parked less than 5 years having injection pump problems. Our own Injection pump Ed from this board that repairs injection pumps is recommending you get pumps inspected before you try starting things sitting with the most current fuel. With the price of parts and how many are NLA use old diesel fuel at your own risk.

So I have faith your 20 year old fuel has a much better chance of being Ok than than 3 or 4 year old fuel.