How long can diesel fuel be kept for?

[trackshead]

Hey Guys,

I have a Jerry can full of diesel from my last trip to NT. Its been sitting in the shed since August last yr. Can it still be used or am I best just to dump it?

Most of things I read say it can be only kept a few month before it starts to separating.

Cheers for the help 

[duggie]

With the price of fuel today, One can't afford to "dump it". Over a period of time, add a little to your tank, 4 to 5 litres each fill up, or just bite the bullet and add the 20 litres a couple of hundred k's before your next service. Let the old fuel filter catch any sediment before the new one is fitted.

[Tjupurula]

Hi Trackshead
When ever I go to Kununurra I fill my 6 x 200 litre drums, and that always keeps well.  I recently used some that I had kept for nearly 18 months, and there was no problem.  I did tip the drum and rroll it a few times, but found no problems with it.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Estelle]

I'm fairly sure this was dealt with several months back (maybe 9 months) so you should be able to get some info from the previous thread. I think there were many informed responses.

[duggie]

Personally, I would just use it. I was over cautious with my first answere.

[trackshead]

I had a look on the forum already and did not come with much at all.. I'm going to transfer the fuel from one Jerry to another using a filter to remove any water or anything else that is in there. Then make my mind up about it. Traveling 1800k back to the family next week, cannot afford the car to go south on me.. 

thanks for the reply.

[apsilon]

I'd just use it and fill the tank with fresh at the same time. I've got a drum of diesel that sits at work for the gennie. It must be about 2 years old by now and works fine and that gennie is business critical, I wouldn't take any risks with it.

[Estelle]

My apologies Trackshead, I can't find it either. Going crazy. Could have been another forum such as the Pajero one. Sorry.

We had a similar situation. We poured some diesel 'additive' into the tank, added half the jerrycan contents and topped the tank with fresh diesel. Also added some diesel 'additive' to the remainder in the jerrycan.

Next refill emptied the jerrycan into the tank and topped with with fresh diesel.

No problems at all.

[trackshead]

My apologies Trackshead, I can't find it either. Going crazy. Could have been another forum such as the Pajero one. Sorry.

We had a similar situation. We poured some diesel 'additive' into the tank, added half the jerrycan contents and topped the tank with fresh diesel. Also added some diesel 'additive' to the remainder in the jerrycan.

Next refill emptied the jerrycan into the tank and topped with with fresh diesel.

No problems at all.

All good mate. Adding some additive is not a bad idea. think i'll head down that path this weekend. Give it a few days before we leave

[olddigger]

When ever I go to Kununurra I fill my 6 x 200 litre drums

Whew, I hope you've got a good limit on the old plastic card!
Cheers, Tony

[Tjupurula]

When ever I go to Kununurra I fill my 6 x 200 litre drums

Whew, I hope you've got a good limit on the old plastic card!
Cheers, Tony

The fuel in Kununurra is less than two dollars a litre, which is considerably cheaper than the $2.60 that it costs here.  By the time I have done the shopping, which is also expensive here, got the fuel, and done a few other things, it normally works out that I end up saving a considerable amount of money.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Wortho]

Heres what BP have to say about Diesel 'shelf life'

http://www.opecsystems.com/files/pdfs/ADF1402m.pdf

So the bottom line is it depends on the temperature during storage and a bunch of other factors.