Whats the best way to get diesel cleaned out of a tank?

[timspawn]

I just bought a 50 gallon transfer tank that has a little bit of diesel still in it. I need to use it to haul some gasoline a short distance. What is the best way to get the diesel fuel cleaned out so I don't contaminate the gasoline?

[Screwbolts]

How much is "a Little" the fuel companies do not use separate tanks to haul diesel and gas, they just refill with what is need to deliver next. You will never notice "a little diesel" in gas.

[starmac]

Pump it out, into a proper container. If the pump reaches the bottom there should not be enough diesel left to hurt anything.

[Baja_Traveler]

Exactly what Screwbolts said...

[timspawn]

It's only a couple of gallons max. I have a diesel tank I can pump it into. This tank is not "approved" for gasoline. Is there a real safety concern if I use it for gas? It will only make a small road trip with gas in it and then will stay in one place and be filled with plastic gas cans when needed. I have already checked on the pump that came with it and it is suitable to use with gas.

[oneokie]

A little diesel in gasoline makes for a good upper cylinder lubricant.

[blademasterii]

A match. :D

[kodiak1]

X2 what oneokie said. Done that lots of times and 2 gallons in 50 won't hurt anything in a gas engine.

Ken.

[William Yanda]

After filling with gasoline you definitely will not need to add top oil!

[John Allen]

I agree, I have done this many times with no harm.

[paul h]

It's only a couple of gallons max. I have a diesel tank I can pump it into. This tank is not "approved" for gasoline. Is there a real safety concern if I use it for gas? It will only make a small road trip with gas in it and then will stay in one place and be filled with plastic gas cans when needed. I have already checked on the pump that came with it and it is suitable to use with gas.

The big concern with gasoline is that filling the tank will create static electricity if it's not properly grounded and bonded. With portable tanks you put them on the ground and it's not an issue. With a tank in the bed of the truck, and I know you're not going to be picking up a filled 50 gal tank, there is a very real risk of a fire simply from the act of filling the tank. So I'd venture to say the primary issue is the grounding and bonding, but a secondary concern would be any gaskets in the tank not being compatable with gasoline.

[randyrat]

Siphon it out..What ever tank your going siphon it into needs to be lower than the diesel (dig a hole in the ground if you need to place the small tank in it). I've run a gallon a diesel to 50 gas with no problems. Upper cylinder lube and valve guide lube, Woa should run like a champ after that.

[Sweetpea]

Shoot...

I used to run a 10% diesel mix in my '68D200...

Friggin thing ran like a violated ape...

[timspawn]

Thank you gentlemen.

[freebullet]

Gas builds pressure in containers. That may be an issue aswell if warm or hot.

[MaryB]

Chains from the tank to the ground will help with static build up. I would replace the cap with a pressure release style.

[Echo]

There's the story of the USAF that relates. Seems that there were a couple of B-25's that had to be moved from here to there. Colonel was to fly one, and a lower-ranking (CRS) oficer was to fly the other. A bowser came up to fill the firsrt (Colonel's) B-25, and pumped - JP-1 - for a while before they realized their mistake. The Colonel was irate, and had them drain the JP-1, and refill with avgas, and had another bowser fill the second B-25 with avgas. He took the second one, fearing there might still be some JP-1 in the tanks, not waiting for the Captain (whatever) to finish his fill, so the Captain took off several minutes after the Colonel - and beat the O-6 to the destination! JP-1 was mainly pure kerosene, and did the number on the R-2600's.
I used to put a squirt of diesel in my cars, for that reason... No more, of course...