Oil & Fuel #2 heating oil, Road diesel, or K1 kerosene

[brad_oatley]

I can get all 3 nearby and don't care about the cost. Which one is best for winter use in a TC35D. In CT we get below zero half a dozen times a winter but single digits and teens are pretty common. I've never used additives either.

 

[bandit67]

Well, your motor will burn all 3, but I'd stick with the road diesel, if off-road diesel isn't easy to find anymore. I used to be able to get the red diesel up in Litchfield, but I'm sure most stations now sell only the road diesel. Diesel has better lubricity properties than kerosene, that's why I'd stay away from it. Not sure how home heating oil compares - you may want to call a heating oil distributor and ask.

For piece of mind, I put in anti-gel additives in the winter, and my winters are a bit milder than Conn. winters. The anti-gel additives, like Stanadyne or Power Service also help increase lubricity, which is always a plus with a diesel engine.

 

[SacandagaBrad]

The #2 heating oil and road diesel are essentially the same as I understand it, until winter hits. Around here (we go down to -30 a few times in an average winter) our road diesel is treated for winter use from around late October thru the winter and that is all I have ever used in my TC24. I've never had a problem with gelling down to -25. The heating oil would require you to treat it to keep it from gelling. A lot of folks around use the kerosene for heating fuel if their tank is outside because it gels at much lower temps, but I would stay away from it for tractor use for the reasons mentioned by Bandit. As long as your local road diesel is treated, I would stick with that.

Brad

 

[RickB]

Off road diesel and #2 home heating oil are identical products. No differences. On road fuel doesn't have the dye, but does have extra tax. Doesn't help it run better. If you cut offroad diesel or #2 heating oil about 40 percent with kerosene, you will have NO problems with jelling and maintain lubricity. I live in Dutchess County NY have used this winter mix for many, many years without problems to minus 20 or better F. I will not tolerate fuel problems in severe cold. My diesel tractors get fresh fuel filters between Halloween and Thanksgiving every year if they need to run in cold weather.

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Off road diesel and #2 home heating oil are identical products. No differences. )</font>

Not true.

It really depends on the supplier/distributor. I buy my off road from a heating oil distributor. His off road is premium diesel with the dye. He has it trucked in special and it is good to something like -25 F for winter blend. He does it this way because his commercial customers demand it. The blend is different than the #2 heating oil.

In some areas of the country the only difference between on road and off road diesel is the coloring placed in the fuel at the tank rack.

Home heating oil here in the Boston region is definitely different than on or off road diesel. I am not exactly sure of the blending but it is different. I think the biggest difference is the cetane rating.

When I had my gas station every year around November 1 the remaining oil in the underground on road diesel tank would get cut with kerosene. This made it winter blend until the next delivery of blended fuel.

The above may vary depending on the region of the country in which you reside.

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> Off road diesel and #2 home heating oil are identical products. No differences. </font>
That is exactly the same thing that our supplier told us.

 

[SteveInMD]

Off road fuels can have much higher sulfur content than highway fuel by law. High sulfur fuel can be hard on the fuel injection system.

 

[RickB]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> Off road fuels can have much higher sulfur content than highway fuel by law</font> )</font>
That part is true, though as a practical matter there is little high sulfur fuel of any type around. In point of fact, high sulfur fuels have better lubricity than low sulfur fuels. High sulfur fuels are not detrimental to fuel systems;they are simply less environmentally friendly.

 

[DieselMonk]

I think it depends on where you live. In some states / provinces are no difference. Here in N.S. is a difference in the fuel. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Highway diesel has more cetane (min. 45), is blended with kerosene for the winter.
Offroad diesel, boat diesel, or home heating fuel are the same fuel here. It is dyed, has only 40 cetane, has a high sulphur content and has not that much on lubricants /additves than highway diesel. In the winter it is also mixed with kerosene so the fuel will not gel in an outside tank.
Now what is the actual difference? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif If you drive offroad diesel / home heating oil in your tractor in the winter it will smoke more, it is a little harder to start and has a little less power (even with diesel fuel conditioner). /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I tried that in my old MF 165 with a perkins diesel and in my new TC55DA. I am not sure yet what kind of fuel pump NH is using on their diesel engines (for using bioD or straight veggie oil), but sooner or later I'll find out. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Enjoy!

 

[johnday]

Brad; I've been running diesels longer than I care to remember. I'd crack the cover of your owners manual and see what it says. What I do however, is use FleetGaurd fuel conditioner in the truck and tractor both, I don't rely on conditioned fuel from the pump. Last year, in March I beleive, the station I usually buy diesel, apparently changed the blend. We got a very cold snap, and the fuel in the truck gelled up. [I'd forgotten to add conditioner. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif] Anyway, I went down to the local TA and got some MeltDown, cranked the engine a bit to get the meltdown up in the system, let it sit overnight, and was good to go.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I hate it when that happens!!!