kerosene as diesel fuel?

[miles2go]

New owner of L3400 HST 4WD.

I note that the fuel requirements are #1 or #2 diesel. Is #1 diesel the same as kerosene?

We use kerosene for supplemental heat and it would be handy to have a single storage tank for heater and tractor. Are there any downsides to this approach? Thanks!

 

[simonmeridew]

Hi Miles
you would get an exhaustive answer if you look and search in the "Olls, fuel and lubricants" forum under the general forum section of this forum. The short answer to your question is: "It may depend..." as there are regional differences on fuel formulations, and what they are called. In northeast Vermont, No 1 fuel oil is also known as Kerosene, sold to people with outdoor storage tanks for their heating fuel, usually mobile homes. This is NOT quite the same thing as "K-1" kerosene, which apparently is more highly refined and purified, in order to burn cleaner in the Kerosun and other supplimental heaters. There is quite a significant premium price differential between these two kerosenes.
No. 2 fuel oil would often be the same thing as diesel fuel, being dyed red for off road use only. This may or may not be "cut" with kerosene by the distributor or dealer to prevent gelling in our cold climate.
Kerosene reportedly has minimal lubricating properties which diesel engines need for proper operating life. Yes, it will run on it, but maybe not as good for engine as no. 2 fuel.
Bottom line: regional differences may cause fuel differences.
simonmeridew

 

[SteveInMD]

I have a friend who used to work in a refinery lab. He says basically kerosene is the same as diesel, but kerosene has gone through additional refining steps to clean it up more, so that you can use it for indoor heat. The down side of using kerosene for fuel is that it's more expensive.

I'd guess kerosene has very low sulfur content. Some people say sulfur is a lubricant for the fuel system. Others say it isn't, and it's only in fuel as a annoying contaminant that's hard to remove. I believe that latter.

 

[RalphVa]

Kerosene is basically the same as #1 diesel fuel. Think they blend the virgin distilled stuff with the cracked stuff to make the spec differences between kerosene and #1 diesel. Think there's only a pour point spec and maybe another that are different.

Vermonters have blended 1/3 to 1/2 kerosene into #2 diesel for years in the winter time to solve gelling problems.

If you want to blend kerosene into your #2 diesel, just make sure it is #2 and not blended back already with kerosene. You'd have to talk to your #2 supplier to find that out.

On my last 5 gallon can of #2 diesel bought here in Virginia, I put a gallon of kerosene into my fuel tank at one point, at the start of winter. I also use Power Service, too.

Ralph

 

[MadReferee]

Kero is regularly used here in the northeast to cut #2 diesel. Just about every station that sells diesel cuts their underground inventory with kero just before the winter blend becomes available. The usual cut ratio is 60% diesel to 40% kero. When I had my station, I did this every november.

 

[HOGAN]

I think kerosene has a higher cetane rating than #2 diesel, isn't that why they mix it in the winter with diesel, for hotter burn for better cold weather performance up north????? I believe it has less lubricating quality????

J.M.H.

 

[redharley]

Like one of the poster's before mentioned luberacation can be a problem with fuel injection pumps and injectors with straight #1kero.It's ok to use it say 60%-40% but I would not use it straight all of the time.Once in a while if you are close to running out of fuel would be ok.

 

[cp1969]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
I think kerosene has a higher cetane rating than #2 diesel, isn't that why they mix it in the winter with diesel, for hotter burn for better cold weather performance up north????? I believe it has less lubricating quality????

J.M.H. )</font>

Kerosene, aka K-1, has no need of a cetane rating and carries none. It's virtual twin, #1 Diesel, does but it's cetane rating is not necessarily any higher than #2 and can be lower. It is blended with #2 for the purpose of lowering the cloud point, nothing more.

People use the term kerosene almost interchangeably with #1 diesel. They are very close to being the same thing (they have overlapping specifications) but not not EXACTLY the same thing, especially since low/high sulfur and on/off road distinctions were added. Since there is no on-road application for kerosene, it is very unlikely that gas stations use it to blend with their #2 diesel--it would be illegal because it meets neither the sulfur or tax requirements. Stations use #1D to blend and it DOES have lubricity requirements so you don't really need to add anything to make up for lost lubricity. However, a lot of people do anyway.

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Since there is no on-road application for kerosene, it is very unlikely that gas stations use it to blend with their #2 diesel--it would be illegal because it meets neither the sulfur or tax requirements. )</font>

That sir, is/was not true. When I had my station in 1996-1998 I know what I got and know what was paid for. The invoice said Kerosene. The tax issues, if any, were not my concern, it was the distributors and the name brand (Citgo in my case).

 

[Charolais]

I remember many years ago that true Kerosene would be used as diesel fuel but regular motor/engine oil would be added to it. That was back in the days that service stations didn't carry diesel fuel. If a truck driver ran out of fuel he'd use the Kerosene/ engine oil mixture to get it back running and to a truck stop. Those were the days before diesel engine farm tractors were in my area and we cured tobacco with Kerosene. note: in 1955 we paid 6 cent per gal. for Kerosene. I guess I'm old now. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif