preventing rust in diesel tank

taem · Jul 24, 2016

This year I've been using a pickup mounted diesel tank to fuel my tractors when working away from our main hayfields. Second hand, so lots of rust when I bought it, which came out ok with hotwater pressure wash and then drying with methanol before refilling. Had to do it because a new filter completely plugged in short order. OK, so it's fine now, but will be stored over the winter empty. Here's the question: what to use to prevent rust from forming from condensation? Just some diesel in the bottom, or some additive? Maybe spray it inside with some fogging oil before putting it up? Any suggestions gratefully accepted. Thank you

John730D · Jul 24, 2016

STA-BIL makes a marine grade fuel stabilizer. Called STA-BIL 360. It is supposed to give off vapors to coat the inside of the tank to prevent rusting. I use it for winter storage in all my metal fuel tanks gas and diesel. I haven't had any rust problems.

ohiojim · Jul 24, 2016

store it full and problem solved

Duane WI · Jul 24, 2016

After it is empty put a quart of engine oil in and slosh it around to coat all the internal surfaces. Drain out the excess. Sloshing it around may be more like laying on each side and waiting for the oil to settle out.

Steve in VA · Jul 24, 2016

Agree w ohiojim.

wisbaker · Jul 24, 2016

I think I would just store it full with the appropriate conditioners and algaecides in it. You could try coating the inside of the tank as other have suggested but I'm thinking eventually all the oil you spray or slosh around on in the tank will flow to the bottom. If you could fill and keep nitrogen in the tank it will stop the rust (no oxygen=no rust) but doing that would be complex, expensive and probably overkill. If you drain it completely dry, coat it with an oil, and purge it with some gas that's dry (like nitrogen). This should eliminate water in the tank or water vapor that's in the air iside the tank from condensing and store it some where dry that doesn't have a lot of temperature changes that in itself is reasonably dry you should be okay.

taem · Jul 26, 2016

Thanks for your suggestions. don't want to store full since its then too heavy to get in or out of shed, but will try someof the ideas.

BarnyardEngineering · Jul 26, 2016

The tank was probably used for gasoline before you bought it, and left empty for several years, which is why the rust formed.

Diesel is a very light oil in and of itself, and doesn't readily evaporate like gas does. The coating of diesel on the inside of the tank now should be enough to prevent rust for way longer than the few months you want to store it.

Deutz Lover · Jul 26, 2016

Besides coating the inside of the tank the only other way I know is to put flat solvent proof bag containing silica gel or molecular sieve on the bottom of the tank. Diesel,gas, and oil have a lower density and float on top of water. Moisture is going to condense in any large container and without some means of drying displacing air entering the tank moisture is going to happen. A one way pvc air trap with desiccant in it might also work. It is probably more effort than most people want, but would save time and money later on from repair cost.

Precautions should be made to make sure the desiccant does not get loose into the fuel. Some desiccants turn to mush when they get wet. I would avoid these. I have not fully researched this, but have thought about it for a long time.

preventing rust in diesel tank

taem

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John730D

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ohiojim

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Duane WI

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Steve in VA

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wisbaker

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taem

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BarnyardEngineering

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Deutz Lover

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