Oil & Fuel Anybody Run Tractor on Heating Oil?

[JohninCT]

I usually have 1 to 3 containers of diesel fuel purchased from the gas station for fueling the tractors. I recently purchased a hand fuel pump and hose from tractor supply to install on my heating oil tank. I have a PTO generator and figured that at least I would have a couple hundred gallons of fuel if I needed it for emergency. I was thinking that it could be used all the time for tractor use and then just have the oil man come an refill as needed. Seems to me that this shouldn't be a problem since tractor engines are pretty simple "oil burners" unlike the diesel cars which have all kinds of pollution control equipment. Anybody else fuel their tractors this way?

 

[Willl]

Diesel vs Home Heating Fuel

 

[niemeyjt]

I think the first thing to ask is what viscosity is your heating oil?

Here, most heating oil is 28 second, aka kerosine aka burning oil - and I think it is the same as Diesel no 1 - which can be used in tractors when it is very cold (someone else mentions this in another thread).

Diesel in our tractors is normally 35 second, aka gas oil, or Diesel no 2, or Red Diesel. To confuse, much or Europe uses this as heating oil as well.

Here, if I do order Red Diesel for heating, it can be used in the Tractor as well - but whether it is as 'good' as road diesel for the more modern diesels I do not know - the local farmers with some fairly new tractors do not seem to have problems.

J

 

[JohninCT]

So I look at one of my oil bills and on it is printed the following:

"Dyed unmarked heating oil: Not for use in highway, nonroad, locomotive, or marine engines"

Why don't I believe them? If I examine a sample of what came out of my oil tank side by side with what came from the gas station, it smells the same, appears visually and feel to have the same viscosity but is colored differently.

Is this just some kind of government mandated disclaimer to discourage people from using this oil in engines that they would like to collect taxes on?

 

[Willl]

Is this just some kind of government mandated disclaimer to discourage people from using this oil in engines that they would like to collect taxes on?

Na, couldn't be,,,,,,,

 

[backdoor]

This past winter I asked my home heating oil supplier if I could burn the HHO in my tractor. She said yes, it is the same product. If I was concerned about gelling, I should add about 20 gallons of kerosine per 200 gallons of heating oil, for the tractor or furnace. This product was low sulphur deisel, but I understand that only ultra low sulphur deisel will be available soon, maybe now. No more low sulphur, but it will still be for tractors or furnaces. As the link said, no road taxes for the farm or furnace.

 

[TGF]

it is nearly the same thing and should work fine, just like you can use kerosene (if not for cost). As someone above stated its usually tax implications as to why you are not supposed to do it. For instance I purchased two barrels of disel for my tractor and 1 barrel of gasoline for my ZTR. Much cheaper than buying at the pump, but the fuel is not taxed for driving on the road with it even though it will work.

 

[flyingcow]

You'll be fine. Might want to ask local dealer if there is any extra taxes on it. For instance, if i fill my house with #2 HHO, no sales tax. If the same truck than fills my truck garage with the same HHO, I'll get nailed 5% Maine state sales tax because it's for a "business". Same fuel, doing the dame thing, heating my buildings. Maine is not business friendly. HHO oil/ off road fuel has more BTU's.
Some of it still is not Ultra Low Sulfer, like on road diesel is. I think diesel used to be about 300 parts of sulfer, now the ULS diesel is 15 parts per million. I would not advise using off road in the new emissions diesel pickups. Eventually will screw the emissions systems. Could get very costly

 

[Duffster]

You'll be fine. Might want to ask local dealer if there is any extra taxes on it. For instance, if i fill my house with #2 HHO, no sales tax. If the same truck than fills my truck garage with the same HHO, I'll get nailed 5% Maine state sales tax because it's for a "business". Same fuel, doing the dame thing, heating my buildings. Maine is not business friendly. HHO oil/ off road fuel has more BTU's.
Some of it still is not Ultra Low Sulfer, like on road diesel is. I think diesel used to be about 300 parts of sulfer, now the ULS diesel is 15 parts per million. I would not advise using off road in the new emissions diesel pickups. Eventually will screw the emissions systems. Could get very costly

More BTU's than what?

 

[Willl]

Eventually will screw the emissions systems.

If your saying the dye 'alone' in off road fuel will harm emissions systems, I'd have to disagree.