On road diesel vs off road NO 2 red

[LouNY]

I would point out that oil burning furnaces and boilers had many problems when low sulfur fuels were introduced. These problems initially appeared in Alaska as winter arrived there first during the mandated change in fuel requirements.

The greatly reduced lubricity caused the pump on the oil burner to seize. These pumps had to be re designed
to deal with the new fuel. The new design pumps runs reliably on ultra low sulfur fuels.

Dave M7040

My tractors and my heating system have all been using the same fuel all my life.
My oil boiler has pumped in excess of 30,000 gallons without being replaced, filters annually and the little screen around the pump a couple of times.
The farm tractors and heating oil tanks are filled from the same truck and the same compartment all the time and have been.
The higher sulfur fuel did have better lubricity and would not have hurt a common rail pump, if it had a dpf that's different.
We started getting bulk diesel fuel in the late 60's prior to that it was just heating oil for the houses, and some of those
with exposed tanks got kerosene.

 

[tibadoe]

Now that's some special knowledge to have. Do you know this from having witnessed which stations have water added to their delivers? I aggree about above ground/low volume turn over tanks but people also pick up water from underground tanks. It's those underground tanks that make me ask how you know which does and which does not contain water. BTW,did you by chance deliver for Sunbelt before retiring?

Just part of the job. Had to stick each tank and document the water level -- if any. Yes - in ground tanks have water also. Can enter from a crack or rotted tank side, bad fill cap seals or poor drainage at fill caps, and of course from the terminal itself.

But all in all, dyed and clear diesel is the same. Just more stores will order the winter blend additives when needed if they order during the needed time frame.

 

[Industrial Toys]

All Diesel and heating oil are the same here. Furnace and Of-Road come out of the same compartment on truck. Just dye in the Road stuff and all are sold with different taxes. I have heard that generator service non-dyed could be taxed differently again.

Diesel has been here since 1972. Much of it sat in 1000 liter tanks for years. I never had issues. Just once when I switched pumps on a tank and the suction pipe was too long sucking (water and dirt) right off the bottom of a tank floor. I have a goldenrod filter on the pump.

Only trouble I ever had with algae was on a JD 770 tractor. I don't treat bulk for algae or water. Never have.

 

[daybreak1998]

It all depends on the location of the diesel.
Any location which does not have volume turnover can have water issues. Regular diesel or off-road. You can have a algae issue too. Say you fill up a 55 gallon drum, and its sits around a year or 2, and you then go to use it. You could have water and algae.

On the farm storage tanks get bulk filled. Regular and off-road are exactly the same. Red Dye just shows it is NON-Taxed. I add a winter gel additive when I get a fill up later in the fall to make it through til spring. My 500 gallon tank gets filled about 4-5 times a year. I am lucky to have access to Southern States Premium Diesel 50 cetane.

 

[paulfun9]

I like the idea of adding red dye, to teach a lesson

 

[Popgadget]

At the risk of being redundant, if you order low sulfur heating oil, and add your own BioBor, Lubricity and cold flow rather than relying on the fuel supplier, you will have clean, proper fuel with no waxing or algae and proper lubricity for your fuel pump.

I’m referring to bulk tank deliveries, if you are driving to a filling station and filling cans, you are probably best off with regular on road fuel.
Depending on your state, you can usually get a refund on the road tax if you use enough fuel and document your off road use to make it worthwhile.

 

[Cranblue]

Just filled up the tank for the first time and used on road diesel. I will continue to do so unless I find a local dealer that sells somewhat high volume fresh fuel, no water, and changes out their filters when needed. I don't mind paying a few cents more to know I'm not getting any water. I just retired from driving fuel trucks and I know which retail stores in my area have water and which don't. Most places have smaller above ground tanks which heat & cool daily which adds more condensation. They are not high volume sellers so they only fill tanks a few times a year. I stay away from these places.

I'm not saying this is what everyone should do. This is just what I do and it works for me in my small part of the world.

Your part of the world seems like mine !!! I’ll pay extra for road knowing contamination is out of it I don’t burn large amount with one tractor.

 

[WranglerX]

Locally the only thing different between on road and off road is about 65¢ a gallon road tax that is not on off-road...

Dale

 

[Cranblue]

Now that's some special knowledge to have. Do you know this from having witnessed which stations have water added to their delivers? I aggree about above ground/low volume turn over tanks but people also pick up water from underground tanks. It's those underground tanks that make me ask how you know which does and which does not contain water. BTW,did you by chance deliver for Sunbelt before retiring?

Do we know all stations filter both exactly the same ??? Types of filters all the same or up to station ??? Change intervals of filters is there a guide line or up to fuel station ???

 

[Cranblue]

Just filled up the tank for the first time and used on road diesel. I will continue to do so unless I find a local dealer that sells somewhat high volume fresh fuel, no water, and changes out their filters when needed. I don't mind paying a few cents more to know I'm not getting any water. I just retired from driving fuel trucks and I know which retail stores in my area have water and which don't. Most places have smaller above ground tanks which heat & cool daily which adds more condensation. They are not high volume sellers so they only fill tanks a few times a year. I stay away from these places.

I'm not saying this is what everyone should do. This is just what I do and it works for me in my small part of the world.

The down time I lost getting water in off road diesel road diesel was a no brainer !!! Bob Cat EX 85 newer machines are super sensitive to containment's lost a day of work drained whole system 2 filters just a mess !!! This was in-ground tank my Kubota the water separator handled it fairly well changed few times fairly quick interval one fuel filter !! Since road put back in haven’t touched water separator on L4701 estimate 150- 200 hrs. I’m sure it depends on where you get fuel off road I was getting was at a BP but there service intervals on filters could be horrible they do have some volume it’s little hard to find in western NC.