DIY Fuel Filter Change

[Bill Sprague]

I changed my fuel filters.  With a tip from Marty, I did it when the fuel tank was slightly below 1/4.  Fuel did not siphon from the tank and not a drop was spilled.  Last time, Marty had to have me stick my finger in the hole while he got the new filter ready.

In the filters was fuel that was pretty dirty.  I emptied the filters into a pan and then poured the fuel into an empty clear plastic Gin bottle.  

What is the easy and correct way to get rid of 3 pints of dirty diesel fuel?

Thanks!

[Dick Simonis]

I changed my fuel filters.  With a tip from Marty, I did it when the fuel tank was slightly below 1/4.  Fuel did not siphon from the tank and not a drop was spilled.  Last time, Marty had to have me stick my finger in the hole while he got the new filter ready.

In the filters was fuel that was pretty dirty.  I emptied the filters into a pan and then poured the fuel into an empty clear plastic Gin bottle.  

What is the easy and correct way to get rid of 3 pints of dirty diesel fuel?

Thanks!

Easy to dispose of, simply put the bottle back into the liquor cabinent and serve to the undesirable guests for their 3rd drink.

[Bill Sprague]

Easy to dispose of, simply put the bottle back into the liquor cabinent and serve to the undesirable guests for their 3rd drink.

So, you're suggesting publicly that we can all hang out at your motorhome for the first two drinks before we have to use our own liquor cabinets?

[Robert Mathis]

I use mine for burning brush in the Fire ring.

[Gerald Farris]

Bill,
Most places that accept used motor oil for recycling will accept small quantities of diesel fuel like you have.

Gerald

[Bill Sprague]

Bill,
Most places that accept used motor oil for recycling will accept small quantities of diesel fuel like you have.

Gerald

Gerald,

Is is inappropriate to mix three pints of diesel with 6 gallons of used motor oil for recycle?  That would be the most convenient.

[Bill Sprague]

I use mine for burning brush in the Fire ring.

I considered buying a cheap, old fashioned "oil lamp" at the hardware store.  The usually have them for power outages.  It would stink too much indoors, but might create a little ambiance on the patio.

[Gerald Farris]

Gerald,

Is is inappropriate to mix three pints of diesel with 6 gallons of used motor oil for recycle?  That would be the most convenient.

 
Bill,
That should work fine. That is the way that we disposed of dirty diesel fuel at the shop (in my other life).

Gerald

 

[Keith Oliver]

The "dirty" fuel in your gin bottle will have settled out the big chunks in a few minutes, so most of it will be as clean as the stuff in your tanks.  pour it carefully in the fill pipe, stopping before the dirt starts to leave the gin bottle.  Now you only have an ounce of dirty fuel to dispose of.  A paper towel will adequately soak it up.

[Robert Mathis]

Keith, I hate to disagree with you, but I would never pour dirty fuel back into my tank, even after the solids had settled. When we change the oil and filters in our boats, we put the little bit of fuel from the old filters into the sme recycle tank as the used oil. A couple of pints of fuel will not hinder the recylcing of the 8 gallons of used motor oil. I keep several 5 gallon buckets at the house that I use for recycling. When they are all full, I take them to the marina or to the auto parts store and dump them. Since I do all of my routine maintainance on several tractors, boats, and other vehicles, there's always plenty of used oil to dilute what small amounts of fuel that come from draining water seperators and changing fuel filters.

[Keith Oliver]

That's why the fuel from the tank goes through filters.  
The stuff you remove during a filter change, so long as you let it settle, will be the same as the rest of the fuel in your tank, after all, that's where it came from.  

[Bill Sprague]

Some of what was in my clear Gin bottle did settle to the bottom.  The remainder remained black.

[Keith Oliver]

Yuck!

[Bill Sprague]

Yuck!

i don't know if was that bad.  At least I know the filters did something to the last 1,000 gallons or so of diesel.