What can I use for diesel fuel in an emergency? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Knightrider966 · #46 06-10-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raslaje

If there are no diesel stations around but I have a few quarts of motor oil in the trunk would that work in an emergency? If near a store would some cooking oil like corn, sunflower or other work? I have about 10 quarts of unopened regular motor oil about 10 years old. Would it make any sense to put some in the trunk for an emergency or just bring to recycling?

I've gone to Home DEpot and bought one 5 gallon bucket of turkey fat fryer oil and it worked great! Made me hungry too!

vstech · #47 06-10-2007, 07:16 PM

Really,
how hard is it to check in and at least thank the posters for the time they spent posting? much less following up with info they gleaned?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin85

I just read through this whole thing to see if the "newbie" would say thanks... or something even close to that, and nothing!

NEW RULE:

If you have under 1,500 posts

and you start a thread asking for help;

and a month later you still don't check in for answers or

say "Thank you for replying" somewhere along the way.......

You should be banned from the Forum for 6 months!!!

( 2-3 gallons of filtered WVO with standard diesel additives for blending have saved me from calling & waiting for help a few times before I fixed my F sender unit....)
I don't think a 5 gallon jug of unopened cooking oil would develop condensation sitting in your trunk.

AA

lonewolftek · #48 06-11-2007, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin85

I just read through this whole thing to see if the "newbie" would say thanks... or something even close to that, and nothing!

NEW RULE:

If you have under 1,500 posts

and you start a thread asking for help;

and a month later you still don't check in for answers or

say "Thank you for replying" somewhere along the way.......

You should be banned from the Forum for 6 months!!!

( 2-3 gallons of filtered WVO with standard diesel additives for blending have saved me from calling & waiting for help a few times before I fixed my F sender unit....)
I don't think a 5 gallon jug of unopened cooking oil would develop condensation sitting in your trunk.

AA

Really? Wow. I'm all for thanking people, but asking to ban them because they don't?

Back on topic, and to add to the list of things you can run your diesel on;

The critical factor in diesels is fuel viscosity. Almost any oil, petroleum or non-petroleum, will work in a pinch, as long as the fuel pump can move it.

I've seen diesels (not MBs) run on rendered fat from slaughterhouses; vegetable oil from restaurants; a mix of gear oil, used ATF and 30W crankcase oil; kerosene, both the heating kind and aviation-grade.

If I lived in an area with oil fields I'd try an old 'recipe' for making lamp oil out of crude.

For emergencies (hurricane|earthquake|flood|etc), your best bet is to have a supply of fuel stashed ahead of time. Five gallons of pump diesel will store for 6 months plain, up to a year with additives. Longer than that and you risk algae and/or water buildup - not saying it can't be kept longer, but more care needs to be taken with it.

vstech · #49 06-11-2007, 09:10 AM

actually, if you have diesel in a full sealed tank, it will store safely for DECADES!
diesel has very few additives, and it is a pretty stable fuel. as long as it was not contaminated, you should have no issues with storage. I myself store 100 or so gallons for summer driving. fuel prices are typically higher in the summer, so I buy up when the price is down in the fall. I have several 30 and 18Gallon plastic storage containers, and a 12V pump.

NC Benz · #50 06-11-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

actually, if you have diesel in a full sealed tank, it will store safely for DECADES!
diesel has very few additives, and it is a pretty stable fuel. as long as it was not contaminated, you should have no issues with storage. I myself store 100 or so gallons for summer driving. fuel prices are typically higher in the summer, so I buy up when the price is down in the fall. I have several 30 and 18Gallon plastic storage containers, and a 12V pump.

Do you accept credit cards? I will be right over neighbor!

Wish I could f ind a few of those 30/18 gal containers!

I assume you are buying winter diesel and using it in summer?

vstech · #51 06-11-2007, 10:04 AM

no, winter diesel is thinner, I buy before they roll out the winter diesel. typically around sept/oct. after school is back in, the prices start to drop. I get my barrels from Choice bottling in Gastonia where I work. they are free! I also got some from a guy that sells them on the side of the road. around 10.00 each. if you need some, I can always get more. just PM me.

lonewolftek · #52 06-11-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

actually, if you have diesel in a full sealed tank, it will store safely for DECADES!

Important keyword here is sealed - and I'd be a bit cautious about decades-old fuel. It does change over time, to the detriment of its use as a fuel and to the motor and fuel system it is put into. It'd be fine for emergency use, but it's also easy to change out your backup supply every 6 months.

Bama1 · #53 06-12-2007, 08:10 AM

In Jamaica we would often have to substitute a mixture of 5Gal Kero plus a quart of motor oil for lubricity...often deliveries were days late or otherwise ran out.

The infrastructure there was/is very antiquated and deep inland rural areas are irregularly supplied. Smart folk stock their own home farm-tank to fuel their generators, tractors, and autos. Gasoline was mostly used in motorbikes since it was 3 times more expensive than Diesel fuel.

Course now they use lots more propane or alcohol from cane and import vehicles from Brazil

flash123 · #54 09-29-2007, 12:17 AM

I have been driving diesel cars and trucks since 1997, all over the country. Much of that times crossing deserts and mountains. I have never had a problem finding fuel. Metropolitan areas can be the toughest. I have been low, but a call to the local Ford or Dodge dealer has been a help.

veg_hed_300d · #55 09-29-2007, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Why not just keep a 2 gallon container of DIESEL in the trunk?? Or, don't run out of fuel in the first place? These cars have a nearly 500 mile range per tank, I'd think you could make it from one diesel pump to another in that distance.

i concur...a 2 gallon jug of diesel would weigh less than 10 quarts of old motor oil...i wouldn't even waste my time putting used motor oil in my benz...

jkoebel · #56 09-29-2007, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Why not just keep a 2 gallon container of DIESEL in the trunk?? Or, don't run out of fuel in the first place? These cars have a nearly 500 mile range per tank, I'd think you could make it from one diesel pump to another in that distance.

500 miles per tank?!?!?!?!?!?!

I'm lucky to get 250 if I drive slower than a molasses flow in the dead of winter.

In an '83 240D.

flash123 · #57 09-29-2007, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoebel

500 miles per tank?!?!?!?!?!?!

I'm lucky to get 250 if I drive slower than a molasses flow in the dead of winter.

In an '83 240D.

First, my comment about never having a problem finding fuel is for those who may not have any experience with diesel cars. Anybody can have a problem finding gas or diesel, but with a little planning it doesn't have to be a problem.

Second, how much do these tanks hold?
I have a 1980 240D, and used to fill when the pointy pointy'ed to "E" I never put more than 12 gallons in. Now it wants 14 gallons when the pointy thing gets to 1/4 tank.

At 60 to 70 MPH I regularly get 35 MPH on the road.

bustedbenz · #58 09-29-2007, 01:43 AM

"At 60 to 70 MPH I regularly get 35 MPH on the road."

So what does this mean, the entire time you're on the road your front wheels go 2x the speed of the back ones?

35MPH will get you killed on the road.

On topic...
My owners manual tells the fuel tank capacity somewhere in there, if you've got one.

Ara T. · #59 09-29-2007, 02:30 AM

240D i believe holds 17 gallons. 300DTurbo 21 gallons.

Adenauer · #60 09-29-2007, 03:57 AM

Here's an alternative that may also appeal to anyone with an apetite for unusual factory accesories.

Oh, and Thank you, again for all the willingness to help me out as a new face.

http://web.mac.com/dakota/Parts/Reserve_files/Safety%20Reserve%20Canister.pdf

Credit given to the source.