RED diesel question?

SkyPup · May 20, 2005

( As I stated, the PADD districts were designiated after WWII as a matter of national defense to delegate the distribution of natural resources. I am surprised you are unaware of this fundamental fact about petroleum products. 
And why would 99.999% of the population be aware of this? )

They aren't since the same 99.999% don't know the difference between diesel fuel and home heating oil.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

cowboydoc · May 23, 2005

High sulpher, low sulpher, it doesn't matter. Your tractor will run fine with either. 

Actually it does matter. Many of the newer diesels will not run very well on high sulfur fuel and it will in fact score the injectors. The new ford diesels and some of the newer tractors are all converted to the newer fuel requirements and regulations. The injectors are very, very sensitive and if you use high sulfur fuel you will void your warranty.

Also DO NOT trust your fuel distributor. I recently had a major ordeal with John Deere. Our new tractor it specifically says do not use high sulfur fuel. I told our fuel supplier this and he assured me we only had premium low sulfur fuel. Well after the fifth injector went out Deere tested the fuel and it was found to be high sulfur. Our distributor did his own test and said yes it was high sulfur but it didn't come from them. I must have had fuel from someone else. I assured him the only fuel we had delivered was from his company for the last 3 years. Anyway Deere once again stood beside me and he no longer delivers fuel for us and Deere is going to file a suit against them with me over it. We'll see what happens.

Bottom line don't trust your fuel man and make sure you use the correct diesel for the tractor that you have.

SkyPup · May 24, 2005

Amen to that.

That's just another reason why we only purchase high quality BP Supreme Diesel #2 for our six diesels.

cp1969 · May 25, 2005

But...short of having every load of fuel analyzed for sulfur content, how are you gonna know?

I think you have to trust your fuel supplier somewhat. I buy 90% of my fuel at stations, so there ain't gonna be any red fuel there. The other 10% (the red fuel) I buy at a Co-op, and it makes no difference to me if it's high or low sulfur. I would prefer low, but there is no guarantee that it will be.

cowboydoc · May 26, 2005

It costs $13 for a fuel sample. When we have fuel delivered we usually get between 5,000 and 7,000 gallons. The injectors on the tractor are about $600 each to have one replaced. The ones on the pickups are about $500 to be replaced. Pretty cheap insurance to me. Also be careful on the newer tractors. Some of them cannot handle the high sulfur fuel, especially alot of the overseas tractors that are already using the ULSD fuel.

Dargo · May 26, 2005

Hey Skypup, you know anything about "biodiesel"? My last fuel delivery was 5% soy diesel. I was specifically told by the distributor that they switched to the biodiesel to lower the sulphur content and to maintain quality. My BS meter is hinting that there must be something in there that makes them more money. Any ideas? Not that I can take it back, but I haven't used any of the biodiesel yet. All my neighbors (farmers) say that they can't tell any difference; not even in smell. Thoughts? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

cp1969 · May 26, 2005

Yeah, $13 to check 7,000 gallons is a little more cost effective than $13 to check the ten gallons that I buy.

I would say your advice is good for those who buy in 5,000 to 7,000 gallon quantities, maybe even down to the 500 gallon buyer.

Not many of us do.

You must have quite an operation. 7,200 gallons was the delivery size for truck lines, ready mix plants, and rock quarries when we hauled fuel.

Junkman · May 26, 2005

If it only $13 to do a fuel sampling analysis, then why didn't you do it when they made the delivery? It sure would have saved you a lot of problems....

GerardC · May 28, 2005

If anyone gets caught using red off road diesel in a truck on the highway, it is a $5,000.00 fine. 

If by chance you were to get stopped on your tractor going down the road (to refuel, to a job.. etc.) with off-road fuel in the tank, can you be ticketed and/or fined as if it were a car or truck?

cp1969 · May 30, 2005

No, for the same reason you don't need a license plate or liability insurance to drive a tractor on the road. It isn't considered a 'motor vehicle', for whatever reason.