# Diesel/gasoline question



## RUN1251 (Mar 15, 2012)

We have a 300 gallon storage tank that has always held diesel for our tractors. I want to fill it with gasoline. The diesel/gas company told me to just rinse it out with water and let it dry before filling it with gasoline. Do y'all think that is sufficient? Since diesel is oily I think I should use some sort of soap but they said not.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

RUN1251 said:


> The diesel/gas company told me to just rinse it out with water and let it dry before filling it with gasoline.


I would not rinse it at all - what for? Drain all of it out and fill it. There is no need to rinse. We have done this on the farm. I know tons of people that used old oil-fired furnace fuel tanks for gas with no rinsing. No problems.

Worst case scenario is 1 or 2 full gallons is left behind - mixed with 300 gallons of gas = no problem. Diesel doesn't leave varnish like gas does so no worries... even going the other way is fine, too.

You might be surprised to know a lot of intermixing of products happens in pipelines. You have had more diesel in your gas (and vice versa) in the past that you never knew about.

I think that they suggested rinsing it is just ridiculous.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Exactly what LincTex said, and if it had a sediment drain open that to get the last of it outalong with what ever guck is in the bottom. Do these clowns sell tanks too? rinsing with water sounds like a good way to get water in your Gas and rot the bottom out of your tank.:gaah:


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Even if you left 20 gallons of diesel and added 280 gallons of gas it would be fine.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

A little light lubrication for the valves and cylinder walls. Actually seems like a good idea to me. Kinda like a 2 cycle.


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Yep what they said.
DO NOT RINSE


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I'll pile on and agree.

Not mentioned so I'll bring it up. What kind of pump are you using? Be advised that many pumps rated for diesel are not rated for gas. Basically, it may quit working within a year as the internal components get damaged by the gas.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

ZoomZoom said:


> Not mentioned so I'll bring it up. What kind of pump are you using?.


Most 300 gallons I have seen were all gravity drain... up on a stand, with no pump.... 
which is really what we should be doing, since I would not want to depend on electricity (in any form) to get my fuel pumped.


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

Back in the 70's my parents had a tank like this buried...with a hand pump... Today EPA would freak.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

LincTex said:


> Most 300 gallons I have seen were all gravity drain... up on a stand, with no pump....


I think that's a Texas thing (or Western States). 

Most farm tanks around here use either a manual hand crank (barrel pump) or an electric (110V AC or 12V DC) pump. Many of the hand crank pumps are not made for gas.

Oh, and you can obviously switch to a non-powered option using a siphon or the bottom drain.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

ZoomZoom said:


> I think that's a Texas thing (or Western States).


Uh, Nope. It starts at Canada and goes to Mexico, from the Rockies to the Mississippi! (Farming country)



ZoomZoom said:


> Many of the hand crank pumps are not made for gas.


Yes, but... the cheapest Harbor Freight hand crank barrel pump is not rated for gas (flammable liquids), yet I have been using one for gas for four years with no problems and no leaks. Go figure.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

As common as dirt, LOL!!!!


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

LincTex said:


> Most 300 gallons I have seen were all gravity drain... up on a stand, with no pump....
> which is really what we should be doing, since I would not want to depend on electricity (in any form) to get my fuel pumped.


We had something like that in the missile fields. If you needed gas at the site, it was a tank that was gravity fed with a nozzle.

That takes me back!


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Yep, it is a farm country thing. Everyone has them here.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

A bit off topic I know it does not help with your current tank but have you considered switching to propane? Propane stores much longer is better on engine life. We have switched most all of our gas burners to propane


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I'm with everyone else. You should be fine with no rinsing.


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