Oil & Fuel Home heating fuel in a tractor??

Junkman · Dec 16, 2003

( If I ever tapped the heating tank just to save a few cents and our heat went off because we ran out of fuel because the auto-delivery based on degrees days couldn't factor in tractor useage...well, I guess my wife might not take to kindly to that.

Besides, the gas station is kind of close to the 'Bota dealer and I don't mind stopping in to browse around while getting fuel. )

Considering that your tractors (BX-2200) fuel tank only holds 5.5 gallons and I doubt that you would be filling it every week, I don't think that you would be using enough to make the difference in fuel delivery based on degree days. Degree days don't take into account temperature changes made by the home owner inside of the home and that is why people run out of fuel..... they jack up the inside temperature higher than average for a couple of days and that throws the entire system out of kilter. My tank is large enough that I don't worry about running out... Just have the heating oil dealer fill a couple of 5 gallon cans for you when he delivers to the house....

5030 · Dec 20, 2003

It didn't fail because of the fuel, It failed because you have the wrong brand !!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

RalphVa · Dec 21, 2003

I was a chemical engineer and worked in the lubricating oil process area; so, I'm not a real expert in heating oil vs. diesel but had access to specs for both.

As I recall, the main difference in the 2 was the pour point spec. Think it was lower for diesel. Still, Vermonters generally put 1/3 to 1/2 kerosene (#1 diesel) in their tanks in the winter.

I once started my old 1973 220D in -20 weather at our Vermont house. It started instantly (with one of those add-on heaters) after glowing for a minute but stalled a couple miles down the road. Knew what it was: wax buildup in the fuel filter. I waited 2 or 3 minutes, as the filter on a Benz is where it ought to be, attached to the engine. It started right up but stalled 2 or 3 more miles down the road. Same wait, same result, but it kept going then. The fuel filter was warm enough to keep the wax dissolved.

In 2004, I hear that diesel is supposed to be low sulfur, very low: enough so they can put cat converters on the cars. Not sure what will happen to home heating oil or off-road diesel. Think off-road will be the same, just no tax and maybe that dye in it.

Oh, and you folks putting ATF in your diesel are doing a No No. ATF is just 10 weight oil without additives. It's highly refined oil, but still oil, just heavier than diesel.

The only thing I've put in my Benzes has been Chevron Red Line when the engine pings. Only been twice in 180,000 miles now on the 240D. I'm waiting for Benz to sell another stick shift diesel to replace it. Otherwise, it's like new (almost), like my 5665 Gravely.

Ralph

5030 · Dec 21, 2003

Ralph:

Catalytic converters already exist on pickup trucks (diesel) and now all class 8 road tractors have converters in their exhaust systems. Donaldson makes them and incorporates them into the muffler assembly.

tc35dforme · Dec 21, 2003

Wrong brand of relay ???? You know I never thought of that !!

And I always thought Bosch made a decent product /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Junkman · Dec 21, 2003

(
...................Oh, and you folks putting ATF in your diesel are doing a No No. ATF is just 10 weight oil without additives. It's highly refined oil, but still oil, just heavier than diesel.

The only thing I've put in my Benzes has been Chevron Red Line when the engine pings. Only been twice in 180,000 miles now on the 240D. I'm waiting for Benz to sell another stick shift diesel to replace it. Otherwise, it's like new (almost), like my 5665 Gravely.

Ralph )

I have owned Benz diesels since 1967 and for as many years as I can remember Benz had recommended using a qt of Dextron ATF in the fuel to keep the injectors clean. I had used it in all of them until I got the 350 SDL in 1987 when they advised against the ATF because of the particle trap that they were using to lower emissions. That design was the worse thing that Benz did for their diesels. Every 75 K the trap would come apart and take out the turbo with it. The only reason I didn't mind was it had a lifetime warranty on the trap and any damage that was done. Then Benz "redesigned" the trap and was replacing the old design with the new and canceled the "lifetime" warranty. When they did that to my car, I decided that it was time to give up on Benz diesels and they had also stopped importing them. I had heard that the "lifetime" warranty was forced on them by the EPA, but never got the details.
I am also old enough to remember when Caterpillar advised owners to use only home heating oil and not #1 diesel.....

5030 · Dec 22, 2003

Junkman:

That's because the old aftercooled caterpillars had quite a bit of initial compression.

My all time favorite Caterpillar is the 1693TA. Bosch injected, aftercooled inline 6. They came anywhere from 310 hp to anything you wanted to twist the pump to. Cat quit selling them for on road trucks about 20 years ago because the drivelines couldn't take the torque rise.

Cummins (drat) also builds a really powerful inline 6. The KTA motor can be set in the excess of 600 horse and over 1900 pounds feet of torque. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Both the KTA and the 1693 saw a lot of use in off highway equipment like pans and loaders.

Both engines prefer No.2 or heating oil. No. 1 is too hot.

5030 · Dec 22, 2003

tc35Dforme:

Bosch make lousy windshield wipers too. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

ejb · Dec 22, 2003

>>If I ever tapped the heating tank just to save a few cents and our heat went off because we ran out of fuel because the auto-delivery based on degrees days couldn't factor in tractor useage...well, I guess my wife might not take to kindly to that.

On the otherhand, it would be might nice to have a 250 gallon diesel tank out in the shop...maybe you could convince your wife that having it would allow you to have more fuel on hand in case the furnace ever runs low /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. On more than one occaisson I have drawn from my 250 disel tank to re-fill the house before the oil guy could come...

Lem · Dec 8, 2019

Only the Dye is the difference. Run it in my Bolens. It is a light diesel and the man that delivers it said it would even work in a Monitor Heater.
Get caught with it in a road truck or something the Feds will stick it to you because you paid no Fed. Taxes on it.

moship · Dec 8, 2019

Lem said:
Only the Dye is the difference. Run it in my Bolens. It is a light diesel and the man that delivers it said it would even work in a Monitor Heater.
Get caught with it in a road truck or something the Feds will stick it to you because you paid no Fed. Taxes on it.

Way to go Lem!

You replied to a nearly 16 year old post. You couldn't wait a few days to make it an even 16?

It will take some effort to beat this.

Paystar · Dec 8, 2019

Just in case something changed in 16 years......yes fuel is still all the same except for the die and the winter addidtives, LOL.

I'm guilty too.....I never look at the dates on threads. If they come up as unread when i log on I read them.

Lem · Dec 9, 2019

ejb said:
>>If I ever tapped the heating tank just to save a few cents and our heat went off because we ran out of fuel because the auto-delivery based on degrees days couldn't factor in tractor useage...well, I guess my wife might not take to kindly to that.

On the otherhand, it would be might nice to have a 250 gallon diesel tank out in the shop...maybe you could convince your wife that having it would allow you to have more fuel on hand in case the furnace ever runs low /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. On more than one occaisson I have drawn from my 250 disel tank to re-fill the house before the oil guy could come...

My dad has over 400 gals and he had to go to the retirement home to live so I had a nice pump and I got about 15 gals. of the fuel oil that ran his furnace so It works fine and easy to get to and extract. Gave my neighbor some for his 70 hp John Deere. Dyed though. Farm Use only.

Looking4new · Dec 9, 2019

Around here #1 diesel is what we heat the house with AND I run the tractor on it. I have seen no problems what so ever with it and will continue to do so until I use more than 100 gallons/year, at which time I will get a tank strictly for the tractor. That tank will have #1 in it also.

fried1765 · Dec 9, 2019

Looking4new said:
Around here #1 diesel is what we heat the house with AND I run the tractor on it. I have seen no problems what so ever with it and will continue to do so until I use more than 100 gallons/year, at which time I will get a tank strictly for the tractor. That tank will have #1 in it also.

I am sure #1 will work just fine in Northern Ontario all year long.

Paystar · Dec 9, 2019

fried1765 said:
I am sure #1 will work just fine in Northern Ontario all year long.

Yep, my fuel supplier here in Northern Ontario told me there is no longer summer and winter fuel (with Petro Canada anyway) He said they are putting the additives in all year round now.

I always fill my bulk tanks in the summer anyway and put a bottle of Howes in them. Never ever had a winter issue with fuel.

Rock Crawler · Dec 9, 2019

We buy our fuel at Roberts Ag Oil in Beaver Pa., they have a single underground storage tank for both off-road diesel and home heating. What changes is how they ring you out in the office.... AKA taxation applied to the product. So if you say that you are buying off road fuel, you get taxed higher than if you say you are buying heating oil. As you can guess, I buy a lot of home heating oil.... and yet I heat on natural gas wells that are on my property

BX23S-1 · Dec 9, 2019

Rock Crawler said:
We buy our fuel at Roberts Ag Oil in Beaver Pa., they have a single underground storage tank for both off-road diesel and home heating. What changes is how they ring you out in the office.... AKA taxation applied to the product. So if you say that you are buying off road fuel, you get taxed higher than if you say you are buying heating oil. As you can guess, I buy a lot of home heating oil.... and yet I heat on natural gas wells that are on my property

Correct... It is dyed red to indicate that it is not legal to burn in a diesel vehicle because the red dye indicates that there were no road taxes paid with it.

Which one is more expensive to buy in your PA area RC (?)

Rock Crawler · Dec 9, 2019

PaPow said:
Correct... It is dyed red to indicate that it is not legal to burn in a diesel vehicle because the red dye indicates that there were no road taxes paid with it.

Which one is more expensive to buy in your PA area RC (?)

Off road diesel has some form of additional taxation attached to it that makes it around $0.57 more per gallon than if you say it's for heating.

BX23S-1 · Dec 9, 2019

Rock Crawler said:
Off road diesel has some form of additional taxation attached to it that makes it around $0.57 more per gallon than if you say it's for heating.

yeah, seems the case up here north of you in ny. I try to buy from cheapest sources when i can, but its pretty close in price everywhere you go around my area.
And i`m surely not going to step over a dime to pick up a penny.

I use to come across the border into PA to get whatever i needed, but lately, PA`s prices have jumped way high, more than NY diesel fuel prices now.

PS... hows your ole black lab doin, keepin things in check for yah...??? lol