ULSD and winter storage

[dwaynec]

I ran over to the fuel doc at our marina yesterday to fill the tanks on our boat. They wouldn't sell me any fuel since it had been stored over the winter. The word they are passing around is that ULSD will "separate" over the winter if it is stored below 38 degrees. They say they have to get the fuel tested and then treat it before they can sell it.

Anybody here heard anything to this "new" twist in diesel fuel?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I ran over to the fuel doc at our marina yesterday to fill the tanks on our boat. They wouldn't sell me any fuel since it had been stored over the winter. The word they are passing around is that ULSD will "separate" over the winter if it is stored below 38 degrees. They say they have to get the fuel tested and then treat it before they can sell it.

Anybody here heard anything to this "new" twist in diesel fuel?

Sounds more like they have some water in the tank and they just have to get somebody to come pump it out before they can sell fuel. If you are the marina, you obiviously blame this on the fuel and not on your old tanks or the fact that somebody forgot to put the lid on the fill pipe.

 

[dwaynec]

Kinda my thought too, but I thought I would ask. Another thought is it is just a ploy to raise the price even higher.

 

[krush]

Diesel fuel "goes bad" just as much as motor oil goes bad...aka it doesn't go bad.

 

[REBrueckner]

Some states don't buy bio diesel over four months from date of manufacture due to possible degradation....I've never heard of ULSD degrading so fast.
That story from the marina operator can't be true...can you imagine not being able to keep any fuel aboard your boat over the winter.....good grief!!!!

 

[dwaynec]

I agree Rob. That is why I think it is a ploy. Normally our marina bases their diesel price on the cost they paid. This fuel was procured last fall when the prices were lower than they are now. So normally I would be able to buy the fuel at last years price. I am thinking that with the increase in price over the last few months that the marina is saying this BS so they can raise the price to the current going rate for "new" fuel.

Probably another way to stick their fingers deeper into my pocket.

 

[Capt K]

The dumba$$es might mixing up the ulsd with the ethanol gasoline which DOES separate. Either way, they are wrong!

I think we are going to see all kinds of issues this year concerning price, availability, and problems (real or perceived).

One of the good things having an old 50' MY (grandfather to the 53), is I can remove the engines, put in two more cabins, and have a B & B!

K

 

[celt]

I have just run into a problem with a NY based gas powered 41' Hat Convertable I was interested in buying. The owner had ethenol fuel mixed with the older fuel in his fiberglass fuel tanks. He had to replace them with aluminum as the ethenol destroyed his tanks. He also had to have the heads reground as well. Unfortunately he didn't do the valve job right e.g. using SS valves, etc so the compression test showed up at least one cupped valve and probably more on the way. According to the surveyor the problem is most accute in NY and CN as they have been using this fuel the longest. Now they are talking about raising the proportion of ethenol in the fuel to 20%

Is there any way of neutralizing the effects of this ill thought out attempt to reduce the use of imported fuel on our older gas engines?

Apparently the ethenol burns at a higher temperature than can be tolerated by these older engines. The irony is that manufacturing the ethenal creates more greenhouse gases than it saves and the diversion of corn to ethenal production is driving food prices up. The chief political value appears to be that it is another subsidy for farmers.

 

[MikeP]

Can't think why SS valves would have an issue in this at all. When you say that it showed at least one "cupped valve" what are you referring to? A "Cupped valve" is a type of valve design as is "Nail Head," "Tulip Valve," etc. But it sounds as if you are referring to it as some sort of failure and I'm not familiar with the term "cupped valve" in that context.

Ethanol as far as a burning mix in the cylinder would not in itself cause high temps in the combustion chamber. However, since it takes more ethanol blend to produce the same power as gasoline, it is possible that the mixture could essentially be too lean, depending on the carb setup, which could cause overheating and subsequent head/valve damage.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Here is the latest article pertaining to some of the problems with ULSD.

http://bulktransporter.com/management/tank-truck/ultra_low_sulfur_diesel_equipment_0903/

Apparently it is proving to be more corrosive than was originally thought. I hope that doesn't cause problems for us.

 

[spartonboat1]

Here is the latest article pertaining to some of the problems with ULSD.

http://bulktransporter.com/management/tank-truck/ultra_low_sulfur_diesel_equipment_0903/

Apparently it is proving to be more corrosive than was originally thought. I hope that doesn't cause problems for us.

Sky, any idea if the N. MI marinas are selling the ULSD yet?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I bought a tank full of ULSD at the White Lake Municipal Marina this spring. It ran nice and clean, but I think my mileage was less than normal. I've been running LSD since then because it has been cheaper.