Oil & Fuel Which diesel fuel to use?

   / Which diesel fuel to use? #1  

buck1

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
72
Location
North Alabama
Tractor
L3710DT, 4wd, R4's
I've searched the archives and only saw a few posts on this. If this is a repeat because I missed something..sorry. Anyway I was wondering...should I be using the "road" diesel or the "off road" diesel. The person who sells it here says that they're the same except the one dyed red (so that troopers can fine you if you're caught using it on the road) has no road taxes on it. I read in the posts I mentioned that the red could be high sulfur or low sulfur and I really didn't get a feel for the best to use. The fuel dealer said he didn't know anything about sulfur content and it's not posted on the pump. Should I stay away from the off-road "red" altogether? The 25 cents a gallon is a good savings on the red but if the sulfur is damaging tractor parts that can add up too. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #2  
Your grand L can use either fuel. Off road fuel is permitted to contain higher sulphur levels, but many people assert (and I tend to agree with them), that the economics of refinement, distribution, storage etc. result in off-road and on-road being exactly the same except for taxation and dye. The fact that off road fuel is PERMITTED to have higher sulphur, doesn't mean that it actually does.

In your case, it's moot. The grand L can accept low or high sulphur - doesn't matter.

Personally, I go for the cheap stuff 55 gal at a time.
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #3  
Let me smell my hands since I just filled up and the pumps were set on "superfill" and went all over the place. What a mess!

Only one kind sold here, the on-road stuff. I need to ask around and see if there is a tax break I am missing.

GS
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #4  
If I am not mistaken, the higher sulfer is better as the sulpher acts as a lubricant for the injector and fuel pumps. In any case it will not damage your tractor, the lower sulpher has to do with emmisions concerns, not functionality of the fuel.
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #5  
I was over at my son in laws house. who has a small Kobota. and he just refueled with a high sulfer diesel. Well, while it was Idleing you could hear the engine smooth out when the high sulfer worked its way to the injectors. I also heard that some of the extra sulfer ends up in the oil and forms a sulferic acid.
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #6  
buck1,

Everything that I have read says go for the off road. The tax savings and higher lubricity of the off road diesel seems like a win win situation.

Some states such as SC allow you to recover the taxes you pay if you use taxed fuel in a tractor. They don't make it easy though. :(

Don
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #7  
Buck,
Use off road. Absolutely no difference in the two at all. It used to be there was a difference but not anymore. It's kind of like those rural stories that just get repeated over and over until you think they're the truth.

With regard to them producing acid in the oil that is absolutely true. That's why if you run a diesel you need to run a good diesel oil. I like Shell Rotella as it is specially formulated for the diesels. The acid will ruin a set of injectors in a heartbeat.
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #8  
There is a tax break when you itemize on schedule A, for use of on road (since we went to e-fileing I can't open the book and point to it in the forms) but our accountant found it for us. Basically you report how many gallons, you then get so many cents per gallon back on the federal tax. Here in NY I am sure the gouvernour got his share, how to get it back? Don't know.
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #9  
Richard,

I found it interesting that at the suppliers they list the off road as high sulfur fuel.

I bought 55 gal for about $52.00. Much cheaper than at the service station. :)

Don
 
   / Which diesel fuel to use? #10  
I suppose it's possible that the fuel is different in your area. Either way the high sulfur fuel is much better for your tractor.
 
 
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