Do you use home heating or pump at the diesel

[RPW]

I got setup a couple of years ago at the local fuel distribution plant to get off road diesel. I take my 55 gallon drum in about twice a year. In Texas that is about the only way to get it. And you have to be registered with the State.

 

[Katahdin]

I get my tractor fuel from the diesel pump now. But it does tick me off that I have to pay all the taxes for off road use.

There was a fuel station nearby that sold "off road diesel," sadly they went out of business a couple years ago.

Report the off-road fuel use when you do your state and federal taxes and get a tax credit for what you paid at the pump.

 

[Oldpath05]

I guess I'll consider myself lucky-ish, the store where I get my diesel is just up the road 4 or 5 miles, and that store was rebuilt 2 years ago, and when they rebuilt, they started selling ORF and it's $4.00/gal., $.35/gal. cheaper than the highway diesel, and I still add the Diesel Fuel Supplement. I seam to be using my tractor more then ever this year, I put in 6 gal. 2 weeks ago, and last weekend, it was back on empty, it might be from all this extra plowing of snow I'm doing caused by global warming.
Sometimes I wonder if it would be cheaper to go back to gasoline powered tractors, gas $3.50/gal. vs. $4.00/gal. and then figure in all the extra high price maintenance, oil filters seam to be higher, fuel filters that have to be change more often, gas engines start easier in cold weather, and if my diesel tractor wouldn't tomorrow, I don't have a clue where to look, cant check the sparkplugs.

 

[Mighty Dodge]

I usually get "off road" at the local BP station. However they do have a sign on the pump stating it is not a BP product and they don't guarantee it. I believe they get it from one of the local heating oil suppliers. Not sure if I'll keep buying it though, had my fuel lines freeze up twice this winter. I do drain my tank and water separator regularly.

John

 

[brewdog]

Report the off-road fuel use when you do your state and federal taxes and get a tax credit for what you paid at the pump.

Katahdin, Thanks for the heads up on that. I plan on doing that! Thanks !

 

[Oldpath05]

So far this year, I've gone through 18 gals. of ORF, not sure where the store up the road gets it, but the gas pumps says Sunoco, and so far I've no problem with freezing fuel lines or water that I know of, and here in Maine where I live, it's been below 0 several times. I plug in my block heater for about an hour, and the tractor starts right up just like summer time, I plug it in every time it's 20 degrees or colder for at least 1 hr. I never drain my tank since I had my tractor, 6 years now, I don't eve know if I have a water separator, but I change the fuel filter when I change oil, maybe I have water in my fuel and don't know it, or maybe that fuel additive works.

 

[Oldpath05]

I never heard of this tax credit before, I guess I better keep my receipts from now on, and since I do a lot of wondering, I wonder if it matters if I live in Maine or not, and I wonder how many gallons of fuel do I have to buy before it's worth my time of day?

 

[TerryR]

For Federal tax, check out Form 4136 and associated instructions. It looks to me like you can only claim the credit if you are farming or using it in your business, but the instructions are somewhat complicated.

Terry

 

[toomanymachines]

diesel in Manitoba Canada is about 1.45 per litre.. 3.8 litres in a US gallon. so we are a lot more costly for our diesel. considering you diesel has to be imported,

Our diesel has biodiesel in it. Higher percentage in the summer and lower in the winter. I froze some summer diesel down to minus 30, and nothing separated out.
I have a diesel landcrusier that will run summer diesel down to minus 30 before it starts to gel in that vehicle. My Volvo with a cummins does not like summer fuel at all.

 

[Oldpath05]

diesel in Manitoba Canada is about 1.45 per litre.. 3.8 litres in a US gallon. so we are a lot more costly for our diesel. considering you diesel has to be imported,

Our diesel has biodiesel in it. Higher percentage in the summer and lower in the winter. I froze some summer diesel down to minus 30, and nothing separated out.
I have a diesel landcrusier that will run summer diesel down to minus 30 before it starts to gel in that vehicle. My Volvo with a cummins does not like summer fuel at all.

I spent an hour trying to figure out what the cost per U.S. gallons vs. $1.45 liter, then I ask my wife how to figure it, don't like doing that. Near as I can tell, your paying around $4.90/gal for diesel, and here it's $4.35/gal. I know I'm not good at math, but I think your paying more. I thought with all the tar sand oil in Canada, fuel should be cheaper. Maybe IF we build the Key Stone pipe line, we can then pump the tar sand down here to the oil refineries, then make another pipe line to pump the oil back up to Canada then you can buy it for $2.00/gal.

The coldest I had this winter was around -15 degrees, the coldest that I can remember over the years was -22. You should try that Diesel Fuel Supplement with Cetane Boost, that's what I use, and so far no freezing and no making jelly, tractor starts every time with block heater plugged in for 1 hour. I have started it before down in the single numbers, don't like doing that, I thought it turned over hard, come to find out I had the wrong cord plugged in, and a couple times, the short cord on the block was not plugged in.