Diesel fuel question

[ovrszd]

Around here, fuel oil and off road diesel are the same, the guy who fills our tank fills both the heating oil and the off road diesel tanks out of the same tank on the truck. Both are listed as being #2 diesel on the receipt.

Aaron Z

I've never heard of that situation. I was always under the impression the "fuel oil" was #1 diesel? Off road diesel is normally #2 diesel with red dye added.

 

[marchanna]

There are several different fuels of similar characteristics. Diesel #1 and #2, fuel oil #1 and #2 plus several more. All slightly different cuts but all run in a Diesel engine.

 

[LouNY]

I've never heard of that situation. I was always under the impression the "fuel oil" was #1 diesel? Off road diesel is normally #2 diesel with red dye added.

Same here, home heating fuel is dyed #2, most of the fuel delivery companies have a dedicated truck or compartment for highway fuel, only because it takes so little dye to color the fuel.

 

[Spentit]

I知 a DOT truck inspector for NY, I have the dip sticks in my van, but haven稚 found the need to use them yet. Any tank I致e ever looked in that was thought of having dyed fuel did not.

I thought the tank dippers were Feds. When I entered a NH DOT road inspection a gentleman in a non uniform dipped my tanks. When I asked who he was I was told the federal government handled that. Of coarse that was maybe 25 years ago.

 

[Jcoon]

It all depends... lol

 

[Peter 315]

When dyed fuel started any trucks that looked like construction trucks were checked all the time. We had autocars hauling flatbeds always stopped and checked . you dont see it that much anymore . I dont remember the last time I was checked for fuel

 

[buickanddeere]

Around here during Spring summer and fall the home heating fuel and off road fuel are pumped from the same truck tank.

 

[marchanna]

One thing I can tell you, is that here the furnace oil and the winter diesel is distinctly different. I just got a delivery of road diesel today and it has a very mild odour compared to the furnace oil I received with my last delivery. The furnace oil is very pungent and just a few drops will make you stink the rest of the day. Now, I assume the difference in odour is because biodiesel is blended in. The retailer says they don't use any biodiesel, but they are just a Petro-Canada reseller, and according to Petro-Canada's MSDS sheets there is 0-5% biodiesel in the mix (labelled under various Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, aka FAME's).

 

[marchanna]

I did a little reading and apparently they add the odour in addition to the dye.

 

[Copperhead]

I thought the tank dippers were Feds. When I entered a NH DOT road inspection a gentleman in a non uniform dipped my tanks. When I asked who he was I was told the federal government handled that. Of coarse that was maybe 25 years ago.

The red dyed "off road" or heating fuel doesn't have the state fuel tax applied since it is off road use product. So states are the primary testers to make sure folks are not side skirting paying the fuel tax on fuels used on road. And the penalties can be pretty steep. $5000 or more per violation.