I have access to about 200 gallons of diesel but it's been sitting since maybe '99. Too old to use? If I use it, how should I filter it?
I've used some old fuel before. What you need to do is pull a sample of it and put it in a jar. Smell it, if it smells good, like diesel should smell, then you might be in good shape. Old diesel that is bad smells funky, not varnishy like gas, but almost like it looses it's smell somewhat. Hard to describe. Look at it in the jar and make sure there is nothing floating in it and it's clear with a blue tint still. Filter it by using either a hand or electric pump that has a fuel filter installed. I would NOT put it into the truck without filtering the fuel through the tank pump.
I was thinking to drain it from the bottom in case there is water in it - it would be down there and come out first, no?
I have no idea of the reservoir it's being stored in. If it's full, I bet there is no water in it. If it's a large tank and it's half or less, there could be water and black algea. Try draining the bottom if there is a bottom drain plug and see what you get.
It's in the alum side tanks on an old freightliner. They're both full. BTW, I took the truck to the desert/dunes for a bit tonight, and the suspension is great. It's no race truck ,but it comfortably rolls over the whoops, better than anything else I've had. The power on the big dunes is a blast. Eats 'em up.
