Oil & Fuel Farm Diesel

schmeal · Sep 28, 2005

I had someone (mechanic) tell me that Farm Diesel (non-tax diesel is what it is called in LA) is better to run in tractors than regular diesel... especially in older tractors, like what I have (Ford 1700)...

I was just curious if anyone has thoughts about this?

Gatorboy · Sep 28, 2005

( Farm Diesel (non-tax diesel is what it is called in LA) is better to run in tractors than regular diesel... especially in older tractors ... )

This is true. Off-Road diesel is more lubricant. From what I understand, the process to remove the sulfur takes away the lubricancy (is this a word?) of the fuel.

SteveInMD · Sep 28, 2005

I've seen many threads related to this. Some say the sulfur is a lubricant, others say it isn't. I don't know who to believe. I use highway diesel with a diesel treatment added. It claims to increase centane and lubricity, act as a biocide, anti-gel, and stabilizer. I always feel like I'm buying snake oil when I buy it. Who knows maybe snake oil is good for fuel injectors!

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

( lubricancy (is this a word?) )

Dunno.. but 'lubricity' is.

As for dyed vs non dyed.. can't say what your area has. i've heard in many areas there is no difference except for dye.

If there is doubt.. add power service.. it has lubricant in it.. etc.

I use it every load of fuel I get.

Soundguy

schmeal · Sep 28, 2005

We do have the dyed, and it is cheaper (due to it being tax free). North LA is pretty rual, so I was able to find it, (even with shortages after the hurricanes), but the tractor seems to rough a little "rougher" (sounding) since then.

Of course there was the fact that I ran it out of gas... yes, yes, I know, I had been told 100 times not to let it run out, and it actually had some in the tank, obviouly not enough... I bleed the lines like the manual said and eventually got it started... (newbie here with diseal engines), so I was wonder if maybe there is still a little air in the line? Would it start if there was?

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

If you did let the pump starve, but blead it enough to start up, it should have eventually caught on all cyls. However.. after a fuel outtage.. if I heard funny rough engine noises.. I'd crack each line at the injector to ENSURE that diesel was getting to each cyl.

Might even run the 'double dose' of power service thru that tank of fuel after sucking the bottom.

Good luck

Soundguy

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

( I know, I had been told 100 times not to let it run out )

Oh yeah.. forgot to add: Don't feel too bad about running out of fuel. Eventually, I'd have to say that 99% of tractors owners will do it at least once. I figure it is a right of passage to bleed a diesel pump/line at least once.

I'm just lucky that my NH7610s is easy to do... just a few petcocks and water traps and filters with bleeders on them.. no lines to crack. I had a plugged up fuel petcock on mine... still had 5g or so of diesel in her... I 'learned' to pull and blowing my lines out, install new fuel valve and orings, and bleed lines laying out in a field in 100' weather. All I can say is that the diesel pouring all over me and dripping all over me kept MOST of the ants off me. Had i been at my shop that would have been anhour job.. max.. in the field with a couple wrenches and a rag stuffed up in the tank to curtail the flow.. it took me almost 4 hours all said and done... like I said.. learning experience.

Oh yeah... after a while you even get used to the taste of diesel /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif... considering nothing you do will kill the taste for a day or so.. nor take the smell off ya!

Soundguy

Gatorboy · Sep 28, 2005

( Some say the sulfur is a lubricant, others say it isn't. I don't know who to believe. ) 

From what I understand, the sulfur is not the lubricant -- the process to remove the sulfur is was makes causes the road diesel to have less 'lubricity'.

BadDog · Sep 28, 2005

I run dyed diesel in both my tractor and my truck. Both are about 2 years old, and I switched from pump diesel about 18 months ago. To me, there is absolutely no difference in how either of them run when compared to pump diesel.

I do use a diesel winter/performance (antigel + detergent + cetane) additive in my farm tank, which is just a 275 gallon home heating oil tank with a Northern 120V pump on it.

All the research I've done tells me there is very little difference between dyed diesel, pump diesel, and home heating oil. The only measurable difference seems to be in color of the dye, and the sulfur content, which is measured in parts per million, and is lowest in home heating oil (least sulfur), followed closely by pump diesel, and then followed closely by dyed diesel (most sulfur). The difference in sulfur content is very small, and in some regions, the difference is nonexistant.

Google 'sulfur diesel dyed' to learn more.

EastTexFrank · Sep 29, 2005

I know that in our area, from our supplier, that there is no difference between off-road and pump diesel. In fact, until just recently, our farm diesel wasn't dyed.

I don't know about the sulphur and lubricity thing. I always thought that it was a "contaminant" whose concentration in the final product depended on the oil feed stock at the refinery until the EPA mandated maximums to reduce air polution. I stand to be corrected on that one though. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif