Advice for diesel long term storage

relumalutan

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Location
Michigan
TDI
06 Jetta TDI Special Edition
Went a month ago back in the old country for two weeks to visit my family (Romania). Bought a 06 Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD facelift from UK and did the LHD conversion. Very impressive midsize SUV, BMW engine, AWD, 5 speed stick shift, huge amounts of torque, great MPGs. I would buy it in heartbeat if it would be sold in US.
When I've returned to US two weeks ago, I left it to some relatives to drive it, but they are to old to drive anymore. I'm not planning to go back for at least a year and a half. Can anyone give me some tips for some additive that needs to be added to the fuel tank, since the car is basically parked in a garage and nobody will touch it for the next 16 moths? I'm concerned the diesel will go bad.
Thank you.
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
Fill the diesel tank totally FULL and topped off all the way to liquid at the top of the filler neck. Dump in some of your favorite commercially available diesel additive prior to filling it up to take care of any dissolved water in the fuel. Get fuel from a busy, high turnover station along major routes that gets lots of diesel truck traffic to avoid getting watery fuel. Go where the big rigs go.

My favorite additives in the USA are Howes Lubricator Diesel Treat and PowerService Diesel Fuel Supplement (white bottle). I don't know what additives are available over there but I mentioned Howes and PowerService because those are my favorites and they are known to work.

Good luck.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
You could add some biocide/algaecide, but honestly, it should be fine for 16 months. I assume the fuel quality is decent over there. If not, the biocide is a good idea.
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
You could add some biocide/algaecide, but honestly, it should be fine for 16 months. I assume the fuel quality is decent over there. If not, the biocide is a good idea.
I forgot to mention using a biocide, and it IS a good idea.

I mentioned filling the tank totally FULL and topped off all the way to liquid at the top of the filler neck to prevent any possibility of accumulating water from condensation. The microbial critters that like to grow in diesel fuel is anaerobic bacteria and needs only water and and food (diesel fuel) to grow. No oxygen is required (anaerobic). Once a bacteria colony gets started, it will grow up to the limits of available water in the fuel. No water in fuel means no bacteria growth. A biocide is a good idea because all diesel fuel contains a few PPM of dissolved water.

Good luck.
 
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