Kerosene in the tractor

[cp1969]

I was at the local Kubota dealer and the resident 'old guy' behind the parts counter was telling me that he runs Kerosene all winter long in his tractors to prevent gelling. I thought K1 kerosene was similar to diesel but not the same.

Is it save to run? Its not cheaper around here when compared to off-road diesel, BUT off-road diesel in the Lehigh Valley of PA can't be had unless you buy 200 gallon at a time. Way more than I need.

I would think that just added an additive was the better way to go.

I've explained this so many times that I'm sure most people are going, "Oh, no. Here he goes... again."

Kerosene, Jet-A, and #1 diesel fuel are similar enough that most (notice I did not say all) refineries can create a single product that meets the specifications of all three. That being said, only if you buy the #1 diesel are you getting a product that they will stand behind for use in diesel engines. Similarly, only the product sold as Jet-A will be certified for use in turbine engines. The least demanding spec is that of kerosene and because there isn't a lot at stake in a kerosene heater, you can run just about anything in it and it is not worth the trouble for most refineries to dedicate production facilities and storage space to kerosene. That's why MOST of the time the kerosene you buy is perfectly fine to run in a diesel--because it was made to be sold as any of three different products, two of which have more demanding specs than kerosene.

If you can find #1 diesel, use that, mixed 50/50 with #2 or straight if you live at the poles. It has to meet all the same specs as #2 diesel. The kerosene you can buy PROBABLY meets those specs, but unless you know, why risk it? Plus, from what I've seen, they think kerosene is liquid gold now.

 

[MikeD74T]

The on-road stuff is treated for winter use and I buy it from a high-volume station. I also add some power service in before I fill.

I had a bad experience last winter with fuel from a high volume station that I presumed "winterized" their fuel. Duramax had to be towed once to my shop where I heated my filter & fuel lines & restarted. This after changing a filter in -10F & wind beside the road, then couldn't prime the new filter. Of course this was on the way to work. Weather warmed up & another cold snap 2 weeks later, with a different tank of fuel from the same place again the filter plugged. This time I had a torch to heat the filter & got going again. Talking with a tanker driver delivering to my workplace later I learned that the forecast is used to blend the fuel. If it's going to be warm they add less kero to the diesel. Sometimes the weather man is wrong !!! Because I hadn't had any trouble I'd gotten lax in use of PS even though I had a gallon in the truck. I continue to get fuel there & it's was the only trouble I've had in 6 years. MikeD74T

 

[Willman]

I was at the local Kubota dealer and the resident 'old guy' behind the parts counter was telling me that he runs Kerosene all winter long in his tractors to prevent gelling. I thought K1 kerosene was similar to diesel but not the same.

Is it save to run? Its not cheaper around here when compared to off-road diesel, BUT off-road diesel in the Lehigh Valley of PA can't be had unless you buy 200 gallon at a time. Way more than I need.

I would think that just added an additive was the better way to go.

Im just south of you below Q-Town.
I get my off-road diesel at Garges Oil Co. in Sellersville, they have a separate pump.
I get my 5 gal. or my 30 gal. filled there. no minimum.

 

[shvl73]

I had a bad experience last winter with fuel from a high volume station that I presumed "winterized" their fuel. Duramax had to be towed once to my shop where I heated my filter & fuel lines & restarted. This after changing a filter in -10F & wind beside the road, then couldn't prime the new filter. Of course this was on the way to work. Weather warmed up & another cold snap 2 weeks later, with a different tank of fuel from the same place again the filter plugged. This time I had a torch to heat the filter & got going again. Talking with a tanker driver delivering to my workplace later I learned that the forecast is used to blend the fuel. If it's going to be warm they add less kero to the diesel. Sometimes the weather man is wrong !!! Because I hadn't had any trouble I'd gotten lax in use of PS even though I had a gallon in the truck. I continue to get fuel there & it's was the only trouble I've had in 6 years. MikeD74T

Sounds like a rotten way to spend the morning. I know it can happen. I drove a small truck for 14 years and had a gelling problem twice (two different trucks). Not fun. I've been filling my 5 gallon can at the Irving station 5 miles away since I got the tractor and haven't had a problem yet. On the advice of TBN'rs, I've been using power service for the last two years.

 

[LBrown59]

1*off-road diesel in the Lehigh Valley of PA can't be had
*-unless you buy 200 gallon at a time. Way more than I need.
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1*I doubt if that's actually the case simply because it's unworkable. Think about it for a moment and you'll see why it's unworkable for both the Consumer and the Distributor.
*That's what I thought here too.
But in talking to the 3 distributor here I found out this only applies if you are special ordering and they have to make a special non scheduled trip.
If you just need to top of your tank or even a 30 gallon drum they will do so whenever they are delivering in your area .
There is no minimum Gallonage requirement for this service.

 

[number two]

I deliver petroleum products by tanker truck to gas stations in Michigan. Almost every terminal we load at has two fuel oil tanks, One for #2ULSD and another for #1ULSD. If you want #2 dyed,it comes with dye injected as you load it,same hose as #2 undyed. Same for #1,your choice dyed or undyed,same hose for either product,but a different hose than #2. Want blended fuel? Load some of one,then switch hoses and finish with the appropriate amount of the other. Want kerosene? Load #1 dyed or undyed. Same stuff as #1,but you pay more for it. Go figure! 500ppm low sulpher fuel is difficult to find. Only one terminal we go to occasionally has it,but only in dyed,even though it's still legal for on road use till a few more years in 2006 or older engines. Oh,midgrade is actually 33 or 34% premium mixed with 65 or 66% regular. With it usually being 10 cents more for midgrade and another 10 cents more for premium-you can see premium is the better buy,that same 10 cents gets you twice the premium than the first 10 cents. Hope you all find this of interest. Good Day

 

[LBrown59]

this one is a question of "why bother?"

Kerosene is lighter than #1D, costs more and can cause injector problems.

hardware store by me has a pump to sell the stuff, was there yesterday and its 4.99 a gallon for something that most likely would have negative benefits if used in a diesel engine.
only way I would use the stuff was if I was outta fuel and that was all I had.

Why pay $4.99 for the wrong fuel for your tractor when you can even get on road for almost a $1.50 less?

 

[LBrown59]

I feel the same way. Use fuel that most all others are using, for good reason. At slightly over 100 hours a year, the difference between off-road and on road (cost) is negligable. The on-road stuff is treated for winter use and I buy it from a high-volume station. I also add some power service in before I fill.

Just because one buys at a high volume station don't mean buying the red stuff is from a low volume seller.
Who sells the biggest volume the station or the bulk plant that sells to the station?

 

[LBrown59]

I deliver petroleum products by tanker truck to gas stations in Michigan. Almost every terminal we load at has two fuel oil tanks,
One for #2ULSD and another for #1ULSD.

1*If you want #2 dyed,it comes with dye injected as you load it,same hose as #2 undyed. Same for #1,your choice dyed or undyed,same hose for either product,but a different hose than #2

***********
1*So then what this means is that the red stuff and the clear stuff is all the same thing except for the color. Correct!?
== L B ==

 

[cp1969]

***********
1*So then what this means is that the red stuff and the clear stuff is all the same thing except for the color. Correct!?
== L B ==

Where HE hauls fuel, yes. Not everywhere else.

If you go to the Magellan Pipeline website, then look on their product availability sheet, you will find one terminal (Minneapolis) that still has HIGH sulfur #2 fuel oil. You will also find six others that have 500ppm #2 fuel oil.

I would post a link but can't figure it out right now. Using Ubuntu now and it's Firefox is a little bit different than I am accustomed to.