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Fuel storage and filtering

biscuitwhistler37

Well-known member
292
858
93
Location
Michigan
Hello all, had an idea for storage and filtering, wanna run it by some of you first before i get too carried away. I plan on cleaning out a 90gal marine gas tank and using it as my own fuel fill station, filling it with wmo and atf, and mixing that mixture 75/25 waste fuel to pump diesel. I have a few fuel/water separators and some in line fuel filters to clean the mix, and clean diesel will be added post filtration. Thinking of filtering waste as it's being pumped into the main holding tank and on its way out. Is this overkill? Is there such a thing as overkill filtering? Any input is appreciated.
 

87cr250r

Well-known member
1,267
1,988
113
Location
Rodeo, Ca
We've been running R99 instead of diesel 2 in my fleet for a year now. It has messed with our sight glasses and centrifuges due to lower density. We have not experienced any microbial issues. Microbes live in water and eat hydrocarbon fuels at the interface of water and fuel. Minimizing the surface area at the bottom of the tank or minimizing water in fuel are key. All fuels are subject to those problem. Biocides work well, too but I often end up swimming in diesel so I do not use biocides in my fleet.
 

msgjd

Well-known member
1,079
3,313
113
Location
upstate ny
you might find you will want to lower the waste oil density with some diesel before running it through the finest final filter .. Will help with flow of course and the low-micron final filter will reduce metal particles as you may know .. Microscopic metal can raise havoc with the IP and injectors in due time, and I sure know of one large regional carrier that ran waste mixes in it's old Mack's from the 1950's- 1980's before it shut down.. The owner said replacing injectors and rebuilding the occasional IP was worth the fuel saved.. And I can tell you his trucks were impressive smoke shows leaving the yard..

I don't run wmo, but i have run wvo for almost 20 years in everything that spends at least 2hrs continuous runtime throughout a day and does not sit for long periods of time .. Well, nowadays that narrows it down to one dozer, an excavator, and maybe 1 or 2 trucks :rolleyes: ... Each has a separate tank for diesel and the wvo mix "just in case" they wind up sitting , and of course run on diesel for several minutes before shutdown.. No such thing as filter overkill when it comes to wmo/watf , and a centrifuge will help you best to remove water and/or AF in your oil, although I myself don't have one.. If your truck's FDC is bypassed or you are running waste in commercial equip, you have to be mindful of the "specific gravity" (density, thickness etc) of your fuel ... A simple hydrometer is used for that , and your "specific gravity" also varies with temperature .. Way back when I started, i was using a wvo/kero/diesel mix and going "by eye" as to density.. Worked fine until colder mornings rolled in, upon which the IP seals on some of the trucks and equip started to leak , my fuel mix was too "heavy" for the cold mornings until the outside temp rose and as the fuel warmed up .. After my earlier lessons learned, my mix is more "scientific" and improved , and I don't run the waste if the ambient temp of the fuel is below 60F .. As they say, "your results may vary"
 
Last edited:

CucVee-E

New member
18
5
3
Location
Pacheco, CA
you might find you will want to lower the waste oil density with some diesel before running it through the finest final filter .. Will help with flow of course and the low-micron final filter will reduce metal particles as you may know .. Microscopic metal can raise havoc with the IP and injectors in due time, and I sure know of one large regional carrier that ran waste mixes in it's old Mack's from the 1950's- 1980's before it shut down.. The owner said replacing injectors and rebuilding the occasional IP was worth the fuel saved.. And I can tell you his trucks were impressive smoke shows leaving the yard..

I don't run wmo, but i have run wvo for almost 20 years in everything that spends at least 2hrs continuous runtime throughout a day and does not sit for long periods of time .. Well, nowadays that narrows it down to one dozer, an excavator, and maybe 1 or 2 trucks :rolleyes: ... Each has a separate tank for diesel and the wvo mix "just in case" they wind up sitting , and of course run on diesel for several minutes before shutdown.. No such thing as filter overkill when it comes to wmo/watf , and a centrifuge will help you best to remove water and/or AF in your oil, although I myself don't have one.. If your truck's FDC is bypassed or you are running waste in commercial equip, you have to be mindful of the "specific gravity" (density, thickness etc) of your fuel ... A simple hydrometer is used for that , and your "specific gravity" also varies with temperature .. Way back when I started, i was using a wvo/kero/diesel mix and going "by eye" as to density.. Worked fine until colder mornings rolled in, upon which the IP seals on some of the trucks and equip started to leak
Looks like I have a lot of homework to understand this fully. I’m trying to keep things as simple as (possible) I can and just keep her as dependable as she’s been for over the last 14 years to make my errands into town, & when I need to go. So far she still starts easily as long as I keep her nose pointing down.
 

biscuitwhistler37

Well-known member
292
858
93
Location
Michigan
you might find you will want to lower the waste oil density with some diesel before running it through the finest final filter .. Will help with flow of course and the low-micron final filter will reduce metal particles as you may know .. Microscopic metal can raise havoc with the IP and injectors in due time, and I sure know of one large regional carrier that ran waste mixes in it's old Mack's from the 1950's- 1980's before it shut down.. The owner said replacing injectors and rebuilding the occasional IP was worth the fuel saved.. And I can tell you his trucks were impressive smoke shows leaving the yard..

I don't run wmo, but i have run wvo for almost 20 years in everything that spends at least 2hrs continuous runtime throughout a day and does not sit for long periods of time .. Well, nowadays that narrows it down to one dozer, an excavator, and maybe 1 or 2 trucks :rolleyes: ... Each has a separate tank for diesel and the wvo mix "just in case" they wind up sitting , and of course run on diesel for several minutes before shutdown.. No such thing as filter overkill when it comes to wmo/watf , and a centrifuge will help you best to remove water and/or AF in your oil, although I myself don't have one.. If your truck's FDC is bypassed or you are running waste in commercial equip, you have to be mindful of the "specific gravity" (density, thickness etc) of your fuel ... A simple hydrometer is used for that , and your "specific gravity" also varies with temperature .. Way back when I started, i was using a wvo/kero/diesel mix and going "by eye" as to density.. Worked fine until colder mornings rolled in, upon which the IP seals on some of the trucks and equip started to leak , my fuel mix was too "heavy" for the cold mornings until the outside temp rose and as the fuel warmed up .. After my earlier lessons learned, my mix is more "scientific" and improved , and I don't run the waste if the ambient temp of the fuel is below 60F .. As they say, "your results may vary"
Yeah.... If I tried wvo right now it'd probably solidify in the lines before it reached the HH, waaay too cold 😆. I'll have to pick up a hydrometer, and I like the idea of an added fuel cell on the truck itself, one for clean winter fuel and one for waste summer smokeshows. Now I just need winter to end....
 
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