Kerosene

[barbqranch]

I have a TCD 29 with 1400 hours. I also have a kerosene tank w/ about 50 gallons that is left over from our Monitor heater that croaked after 40 years and was replaced w/ propane.

Can I use it in the tractor, either straight or as a diesel mix without damage?

Thanks.

 

[jaydee325]

No, not straight.

Your manual will give you a mixture for low temperature operation, but most cold areas will have a winter blend diesel, so not really required.

Figure something else to do with the kerosine.

 

[LouNY]

Kerosene is the same as #1 fuel oil. Yes it can be blended with #2 especially in cold weather.
Fuel economy will go down and power will be slightly less. You can use a small blend in warm weather
when not doing heavy work (hard).

 

[ruffdog]

For a winter blend, contractors here will end up with a 50/50 or 60/40 blend to keep from gelling in very cold weather. If you run a high blend, I would suggest using an additive to add lubricity to the fuel as kerosene is lacking it.

 

[Williy]

10% mix will not hurt your diesel.
you can run 50/50 but you need to
add some lubrication as kerosene
does not have any

willy

 

[RalphVa]

Stock up on summer diesel and then blend it 50/50 in the winter. In summer, blend in 10%.

 

[bmaverick]

I have a TCD 29 with 1400 hours. I also have a kerosene tank w/ about 50 gallons that is left over from our Monitor heater that croaked after 40 years and was replaced w/ propane.

Can I use it in the tractor, either straight or as a diesel mix without damage?

Thanks.

The good new is, the fuel system is IDI. So bio-fuels can be used.

The TCD29 has limited emission crap, so a safe blend up to 20% with regular diesel should work just fine.

My question for you is, how old is the K1? I hope it's not 40 years old like the heater.

My diesel can run on peanut oil, canola oil, heating oil, and transmission fluid at certain mixtures to the diesel. This is only used in temps above 50F. The other thing to note is having the largest fitting fuel filter on the machine. Ideally a fuel bowl that is nearly clear to see what's going on in the system.

I also run Seafoam thru the fuel system and clean the fuel tank at the end of Fall in prepping for winter use. A clean dry tank will keep the water and bacteria nasties away.

 

[California]

Add some 2-cycle oil to restore the lubricity that real diesel has. And competent filtering.

This assumes an engine with no emissions devices.

As bmaverick said, a simple diesel will run on anything that can be ignited with compression ignition.

 

[jeff9366]

Your tractor predates Tier IV emission technology, so you should be OK blending 5% kerosene with diesel in the warm months, 10% during cold months, IF THE KEROSENE IS FRESH AND CLEAN.

The North Coast of Calfornia has temperate winters. Some of the recommendations posted here are from much colder areas.

 

[California]

I have run up to 20% Tiki Torch Fuel (tinted kerosene) obtained free from the re-use table at county's Hazardous Waste disposal/re-use facility. I add 2-cycle oil (also free) at 50:1 and Power Service Silver cetane improver. This runs fine in my 40yo Yanmars. Can smell like an outboard motor.

Yeah I'm cheap. I also believe in re-use of anything legal to sell, in preference to the county sending those jugs to be buried in the desert.

Come to think of it, long ago I bought a few gallon jugs of kerosene heater fuel, discounted to $1 at Home Depot in a seasonal closeout. Also run with 2-cycle oil and Power Service Silver.

No problems noted.

But I think these 70's designed Yanmars were made to run on whatever fuel was available in remote areas. The manual says when there is more than a tablespoon of debris or water per gallon of fuel then change the filter element more often, as needed. I can't imagine commercial fuel that bad.