Oil & Fuel Tractor Use of Red Dyed Fuel on Public Roads

[aczlan]

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?
I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

Not in the US, Off Road Diesel is the same fuel, but it has red dye in it.

Aaron Z

 

[crashz]

No harm, same fuel. The dye just indicates that road tax is not paid on that fuel.

I drove an old diesel pick-up when I was in college. Got pulled over and the office "stuck" the tank to check for dyed fuel. I was surprised, but not offended. The truck looked like the type that would be running off-road fuel!

 

[Oldoak]

Oh, we have a lot of that around here too, PILOON. But it's mostly local yocolls who couldn't make it into the PA State Police Academy that are hired by small communities looking to boost their revenues by collecting traffic fines.

 

[grasschopper]

Only known couple times a tractor was stop in my area,both times didn't show triangle sign on the rear.

Since we all know you can't see a tractor without one.

 

[Lowrider2120]

Many years ago on the Eastern Shore of MD I was at a farmer coop filing a 100 gallon pick up bed tank with dyed fuel for my tractors/mowers. As I was leaving a "local yokel" with the blue flashing lights pulled me over and insisted that he needed to check my truck tank. Sure I said. He did and found my F-250 had gasoline in the truck tank. Of course he didn't say a word...just walked away...too embarrassed to speak I guess. The guys at the coop saw what happened and the next time I was in there we all had a good laugh and they told me that wasn't the first time that had happened. Apparently he was told to watch the dyed pump and catch people filling their vehicles.

I also had my diesel F-250 checked at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by a transit cop...who was also disappointed there wasn't a hint of dye in the tank.

THAT BS is one of many reasons I don't live in MD anymore.

 

[crazyal]

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?

I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

Most will tell you no but yes, there can be a difference. Off road diesel will have an additive to prevent gelling in the winter while heating oil doesn't. Also heating oil doesn't need to have any additives for lubrication. With states clamping down on emissions my fuel dealer told me states don't want homeowners burning additives for no reason. Is it true? I have no idea. But since the price was within a penny of each other and the guy swapped hoses when he finished filling up my heating oil tanks so he could fill up my equipment because it was in two separate tanks on his truck I don't know why he would lie. In winter they always have heating oil on the truck but alternate between off road diesel and kerosine in the other tank on the truck. States that heating with oil isn't as prevalent as in New England it could be different.

 

[jemroller]

Actually there is a difference in the fuel, at least here in Tennessee. Off-road diesel can have more sulfur content than on-road diesel. It specifically states on the pump that off-road diesel doesn't meet DOT or EPA emission standards for road use. Can't understand how road diesel could be cheaper anywhere with the highway fuel tax added, but maybe your state tax is low.

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?

I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

 

[PILOON]

From all my internet perusing I gather that off road, on road and heating oil is all the same.
The only major difference is the taxes.

OK, on taxes, as more and more electric cars use the road where will the taxes for road maintenance come from?
different electricity's?
As far as I know electricity is all 110/220 VAC with no car special configuration.
I presume that every single taxpayer will ultimately be surtaxed to maintain the highway infrastructure weather or not he even owns a car.
Some serious re thinking is needed here B4 electric cars overcome gassers.

Same goes for bicycles. They don't need to stop, can turn any which way all in the guile of ecology.
But I must stop and burn more fuel as I accelerate even though there is no merging traffic under penalty of a trafic violation ($$$'S)
Seems to me that to protect ecology (save fuel) I should be allowed to slowly run that stop without penalty.
But that is simple logic. Leo's don't subscribe to logic, LOL.

 

[smstonypoint]

....

OK, on taxes, as more and more electric cars use the road where will the taxes for road maintenance come from?.......

Apparently various states are requiring that owners of electric cars to pay a fee for road usage -- Updated: 17 States Now Charge Fees for Electric Vehicles | Greentech Media.

Steve

 

[aczlan]

Actually there is a difference in the fuel, at least here in Tennessee. Off-road diesel can have more sulfur content than on-road diesel. It specifically states on the pump that off-road diesel doesn't meet DOT or EPA emission standards for road use. Can't understand how road diesel could be cheaper anywhere with the highway fuel tax added, but maybe your state tax is low.

Are you sure that those aren't old stickers?
The EPA would seem to disagree with your assessment, they say that all fuel (on and off road) should be ULSD at this point:

From 2007 to 2014, low sulfur diesel fuel (specified at 500 ppm) and ULSD fuel was phased in for nonroad, locomotive, and marine (NRLM) diesel fuel.
After 2014, EPA’s diesel standards require that:
All nonroad, locomotive, and marine (NRLM) diesel fuel must be ULSD; and
All NRLM engines and equipment must use this fuel (with some exceptions for older locomotive and marine engines).

Aaron Z