Particularly when you only use your tractor 3-6 hours a month, I know it's important to keep the fuel tank topped off. But how particular are you about it? If you use a gallon do you immediately top it off? I tend to wait until its 3/4 tank before I bother topping it off, but that means it could sit for a few weeks with 3-5 gallons missing. Should I be more urgent with my topping off fuel?
How crazy are you about topping off your tank?
- Thread starter Evad
- Start date
When your tank is full, there is less chance that it will pick up moisture from the air because of temperature changes. I am not fanatical about it, but I try to keep a full tank at all times unless I know that tomorrow I will be using the tractor again. If I don't see any immediate reason to use the tractor I will fill it, and it will usually take a gallon or more. I usually top off my generators fuel tank every month because it will run for a few hours once we have a power outage, and I don't want to risk getting caught without fuel if we have another 10 - 14 day power outage as a result of a blizzard like we did about 10 years ago. Ten days before power was restored, and 4 days later, the power went out again, this time for just shy of 14 days. That is when I decided that we needed a full-house generator. Hasn't gone out that long ever since, but you never know when the next big outage will come.
I've never ever had troubles with water in diesel in 37 years driving diesel cars and 18 years of tractors and diesel generator. For the Kubota since I'm taking most of its stuff from the underbelly tank on the Isuzu, I'm doing it in 2 gallons amounts. Easier to lift, etc.
Neither have I ever had a problem with water in my cars, and my diesel car ownership dates back to 1966 with a Mercedes diesel that I bought off of the back lot of a Chevrolet dealer that took it in trade. Standard transmission, no power assist anything. The previous owner had it for about 6 months and realized that it just wasn't a good car for him. Back then Mercedes wasn't a luxury brand, but a utilitarian form of reliable transportation, better known as a taxi cab.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
I let my BX23S get down to 1/4 full, then top up with 10 litres so that it's full again. It's stored in a warmish garage when not being used. 920+hrs on the 4 year old...Meanwhile the forklift spends 24/7 out in the cold,has never had water in fuel, that I know about.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
I leave both my Kubota and Ford diesel tractosr stored (inside-unheated) for the 6 months of Winter.
I keep them full over the Winter, but I do not obsess about it during the other 6 months.
I am not nearly as concientious with my stored gasoline automobiles, but I do use Stabil in my 21HP Kawasaki SCAG engine.
Biker1mike
Well-known member
Equipment
B6200, Kubota 2030 Front Blade, King Cutter 60" finishing deck
once more than 30ml has been used, I top it off w an eye dropper, measure it again, and make sure it's in the logbook. carry on.
How big is your eyedropper??? 
Personally, I prefer to use a 1/2 ml syringe. I can get a better measurement of the amount that I am replacing.
Personally, I prefer to use a 1/2 ml syringe. I can get a better measurement of the amount that I am replacing.
Dusty, do you have a diesel generator? Are you happy with it? What brand/model if you don’t mind sharing that info. Thx.
I have a 160-gal storage tank so it’s probably easier for me to keep equipment “topped off” than for many folks.. and I am not a “deny-er” about condensation… but I typically leave my tanks wherever they end up at the end of useage unless/untill they fall below “half” ….then for storage with no anticipated use for awhile… I’ll top them off.
<edit> I also treat my stored fuel with biocide and Stabil (but no anti-gel as it’s not needed here in Cen-Tex)
Over the last 4 years I’ve had zero water detected in my equp‘t filter “gascolators” (water-separator)…. (but I live in a climate typically referred to as relatively-dry… Central Tx “Hill Country”.)
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fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
I do hope that you use a 100ml graduated cylinder to determine the 30ml amount!
Use of a 500ml graduated cylinder would not provide the necessary accuracy!
I keep my tractor tank mostly full. I do use an additive. Most diesels have a way to get rid of water via a water separator. I guess that would be a problem if you never looked at it and had no warning message/light.
I think it's more likely to get water at a fuel dealer.
I think it's more likely to get water at a fuel dealer.
My generator came from a company in GA that builds them and is unbranded. It is a 4-cylinder Lister Petter engine, and I don't remember the name of the builder of the generator that they marry up to the engine. The control box is made by a company in China. If I remember correctly, it was Powerhouse Diesel Generator. It is an 1800 RPM 15,000 kW and runs my whole house. It must be about 10 years old and I bought it before the government instituted a lot of emission requirements. I have it installed in my garage bolted down to the concrete floor, and it is piped to the outside with 2" black iron pipes and has a very large hospital quiet muffler. It has both glow plugs and an intake manifold heater, so it starts quickly no matter how cold the garage is. I have the house's electrical wiring running through an AUSCO automatic switch that turns the generator on when the power goes off and will shut down the generator 5 minutes after the power is restored. All totaled with myself doing the installation it cost me about $10, 000 at the time.
I Don't
Never have and never will follow the belief of having the tank full at all time.
Why?
For me these two rules more important:
1) fresh fuel is more important. Would rather have 1/10 filled tank with fuel that less than a month old than a full tank of fuel that is a year old. Keep the fuel turning over regularly and not sitting long periods has served me well over the decades.
then
2) having the right fuel for the season. Summers here often 90f or more and winters -30f or less. So rather have 1/10 winter fuel in a specific machine tank of fuel when temps -30f rather a full tank of summer fuel that gets gelled.
of course for me a full tank for less condensation / mould potential is nice but not primary concern.
I would rather have fresh/seasonally appropriate fuel than a full tank of old/wrong season diesel in my tanks.
If I have to buy Mn. sourced fuels (high bio diesel) I sometimes add an additive if its going to sit more than a few weeks. So I tend to buy my gas in Mn. (about 20% cheaper in Mn. than Mb.) but my diesel from Mb. sources as it contains no bio stuff.
Never have and never will follow the belief of having the tank full at all time.
Why?
For me these two rules more important:
1) fresh fuel is more important. Would rather have 1/10 filled tank with fuel that less than a month old than a full tank of fuel that is a year old. Keep the fuel turning over regularly and not sitting long periods has served me well over the decades.
then
2) having the right fuel for the season. Summers here often 90f or more and winters -30f or less. So rather have 1/10 winter fuel in a specific machine tank of fuel when temps -30f rather a full tank of summer fuel that gets gelled.
of course for me a full tank for less condensation / mould potential is nice but not primary concern.
I would rather have fresh/seasonally appropriate fuel than a full tank of old/wrong season diesel in my tanks.
If I have to buy Mn. sourced fuels (high bio diesel) I sometimes add an additive if its going to sit more than a few weeks. So I tend to buy my gas in Mn. (about 20% cheaper in Mn. than Mb.) but my diesel from Mb. sources as it contains no bio stuff.
I top off prior to use, ckeck oil, coolant and hydraulic fluid, start the engine, top off while the engine warms up. I check the tires every couple of weeks. I've got my lug bolts and FEL bolts marked, so a quick visual will let me know if anything moved.
That's great you haven't had a problem, but the evidence is that people are having problems. How many Ford, GM, or even RAM Bosch CP4.2 high pressure fuel pumps blew up and ruined the entire fuel system on diesel trucks? Tons, to the point that GM quit using that pump after 6 model years, RAM quit after just two model years, and Ford has made numerous modifications to the pump and their water separator although they still use it. Even on our Kubota's there is some evidence in the form of the much larger water separator and WIF warning light now found on the newest tractors. Previously, Kubota used a small water separator which relied on the user looking through the clear filter housing at a float and a red line to determine water in fuel.
johnjk
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
I usually top off when I hit 1/2 tank in either machine. Not too concerned about the summer months, but I do top the tank when I park the B1700 for the winter. I did notice I have some water in the fuel bowl when I did my end of season prep last weekend. Drained it out and it refilled with fresh fuel. No water yet and no water in the B3200 which gets filled from the same storage tank. I need to get a filter/ water separator on that storage tank this fall. That being said, all transfer cans, storage container and tractor fuel tanks are topped off for winter.
If you have warm humid days and cold near freezing nights you have a greater potential for condensation in your tank. Bottom line it's up to you if you choose to take care of your tools or not.
a kind of related question the manual says to clean the fuel filter with kerosene is that just lamp kerosene? I am an hour or so away from my 100hr service
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.