Red Dyed Diesel

[sandman2234]

I remember when they used blue dye for off road, but it didn't last long, just a few years before they realized red dye shows up better! (and typical of our guberment, they passed a law requiring red to be used) Must have been a political move to get rid of blue and take over by the reds?
David from jax

 

[rontaki]

I remember when they used blue dye for off road, but it didn't last long, just a few years before they realized red dye shows up better! (and typical of our guberment, they passed a law requiring red to be used) Must have been a political move to get rid of blue and take over by the reds?
David from jax

Now if they could only dye it red, white and blue!

 

[zzvyb6]

I remember when they used blue dye for off road, but it didn't last long, just a few years before they realized red dye shows up better! (and typical of our guberment, they passed a law requiring red to be used) Must have been a political move to get rid of blue and take over by the reds?
David from jax

Had to stop using blue because Sunoco already was adding blue to their 240 & 260 blends of gasoline. Thus to keep you from putting aircraft strength gas into a diesel tank.

 

[workinonit]

When did they start adding dye? When I was a kid there was no dyed fuel. Maybe it did turn blue at some point but not red. I don't remember red fuel un till much later.

 

[bdhsfz6]

When did they start adding dye? When I was a kid there was no dyed fuel. Maybe it did turn blue at some point but not red. I don't remember red fuel un till much later.

The EPA mandated adding blue dye to diesel in 1991 or 1992 to signify it didn't meet sulfur standards.
It was changed to red dye in 1994 by the IRS to indicate tax exempt fuel.

 

[Rvrrat14]

My bigger concern is the grade/spec of diesel we get. Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good. Yet our manufactures use European pumps/injectors.
Best thing one can do is add lubricity into every fill.

 

[arto98607]

The EPA mandated adding blue dye to diesel in 1991 or 1992 to signify it didn't meet sulfur standards.
It was changed to red dye in 1994 by the IRS to indicate tax exempt fuel.

It indicates road tax exempt - I think there are still bunch of other taxes on it?

My bigger concern is the grade/spec of diesel we get. Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good. Yet our manufactures use European pumps/injectors.
Best thing one can do is add lubricity into every fill.

"Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good."


Could you give us little more information to back that up please?

 

[RayIN]

My bigger concern is the grade/spec of diesel we get. Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good. Yet our manufactures use European pumps/injectors.
Best thing one can do is add lubricity into every fill.

Todays diesel fuel might meet minimum lubricity standards, it's an ongoing debate.
This lubricity study, though quite old, is still valid today.

 

[LouNY]

Yep, almost time to fill my tanks for the year. One truck, one stop for tractor fuel and home heating oil. It's all ultra low sulfur #2. Except for the one tank that gets blended fuel 40-60% #1 plus anti-jell.

 

[sandman2234]

I first saw blue dye diesel in the middle of 1990. I had a tank filled one time for a company I worked for part time during the summer of 1990. I left their employ in Sept 1990, so blue dye must a been a thing during that year.
David from jax

 

[Hay Dude]

My bigger concern is the grade/spec of diesel we get. Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good. Yet our manufactures use European pumps/injectors.
Best thing one can do is add lubricity into every fill.

Everytime I fill my off road diesel tank, I add Hot Shots.
Every one in a while, I’ll add biocide, too.

Injectors are super expensive.

 

[4570Man]

It indicates road tax exempt - I think there are still bunch of other taxes on it?



?

The local supplier charges sales tax on red fuel unless you have an exemption number.

 

[Hay Dude]

The local supplier charges sales tax on red fuel unless you have an exemption number.

In PA there’s no state or federal tax on red fuel.
Otherwise, there’d be no reason to buy it. In PA red dyed fuel is 75 cents/gallon cheaper.

“The federal government instituted the dyed fuel program as an easy way to tell whether untaxed fuel, intended to be used as home heating oil or for other off-road uses, was being used in diesel-powered vehicles. In addition, those dyed fuels are not subject to the federal and state taxes that are due on clear diesel fuel. By dying the non-taxable fuel red, federal and state authorities can immediately see that no tax has been paid on the fuel.”

 

[ultrarunner]

Fuel Quality & Standards:

• Europe: Adheres to strict Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel(ULSD) standards with a maximum of 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. They also require higher cetane ratings (around 51 and higher, with commercial blends often much higher) and maintain better lubricity.
  
  
• United States: ULSD standards are also in place, but some fuels can still have lower cetane ratings (around 40), and American diesel often lacks the necessary lubricity to fully protect engines

 

[4570Man]

In PA there’s no state or federal tax on red fuel.
Otherwise, there’d be no reason to buy it. In PA red dyed fuel is 75 cents/gallon cheaper.

“The federal government instituted the dyed fuel program as an easy way to tell whether untaxed fuel, intended to be used as home heating oil or for other off-road uses, was being used in diesel-powered vehicles. In addition, those dyed fuels are not subject to the federal and state taxes that are due on clear diesel fuel. By dying the non-taxable fuel red, federal and state authorities can immediately see that no tax has been paid on the fuel.”

It’s not that much cheaper here even with a tax number. Really the only reason I even buy it is I like the big pumps. Yesterday I paid $2.75. Tn sales tax is another 9.75 percent. The road station across the road was selling all taxes included for $3.12.

 

[ultrarunner]

California has high road tax which doesn’t apply to red dyed off road.

When I buy the the cost works out to be about the same as reg pump price vs red delivered because my 120 gallon delivery isn’t enough to avoid delivery fee…

 

[workinonit]

The local supplier charges sales tax on red fuel unless you have an exemption number.

This is absolutely not true in SC. I've been buying bulk diesel for 40 years and never paid tax or ask for a tax exempt number even though I had one. Until a few years ago you couldn't get a tax number in SC. It wasn't a thing. You just gave them your farm name.

 

[grsthegreat]

This is absolutely not true in SC. I've been buying bulk diesel for 40 years and never paid tax or ask for a tax exempt number even though I had one. Until a few years ago you couldn't get a tax number in SC. It wasn't a thing. You just gave them your farm name.

Idaho has fuel sales tax on red dyed diesel. Also on fiod, which sucks. They should not be allowed to charge sales tax on food

 

[Rvrrat14]

It indicates road tax exempt - I think there are still bunch of other taxes on it?



"Europe has super clean diesel. In comparison, ours is not so good."


Could you give us little more information to back that up please?

I searched for research and specs on diesel as well as looking up major diesel distributors/refiners pages and read. Feel free to search. I did not keep any info or links. I was then preparing to buy a new diesel truck and the last one fell to the then new ULTRA low sulphur blend. Both trucks used Bosch pumps and injectors. I’m simply sharing my information.

Just like gasoline, each distributor adds it’s own ‘package’, which we know nothing about.

A quick search yielded this……Is Diesel the Same Everywhere? | Hot Shot's Secret

I know someone won’t like Hot Shot, so anyway, the proof is out there. I searched European diesel vs U.S. diesel or something like that. Enjoy.

 

[Hay Dude]

The federal gubmit tax on diesel fuel is 24.4 cents per gallon. So diesel fuel should cost 24.4 cents less in your state. PA then taxes diesel fuel a whopping 64 cents more per gallon to pay for our crappy roads.
So the difference in price between red diesel and clear diesel in PA should be 88.4 cents per gallon.

I wouldn’t think of running clear diesel in a piece of equipment here in PA, unless you like wasting 88.4 cents per gallon. Especially when I use thousands of gallons per year.