Stupid Newbie question #87342: Regular Diesel vs “off-road diesel” vs home heating oil

[KilroyJC]

Just looking to save a buck, just like everybody else.

Not that I am working Hoboken-sized fields, more like between a basketball court and a football field with a 1960’s Case 40HP.

interested in your thoughts & observations.

Thank you!

 

[LouNY]

Same stuff, #2 off road diesel, #2 on road diesel, #2 home heating oil.
In the late fall and winter you can start to get blended or treated diesel on or off road.
Then there is #1 Diesel on or off road, or Kerosene heating oil.

 

[Jstpssng]

Stupid Newbie question #87342​

I'm of the opinion that there are very few stupid questions. If you don't ask, how will you get an answer?

Yours doesn't even come close to stupid.

My father ran heating oil in his tractor for years, he had several above ground tanks (275 and 500 gallon) for the greenhouses and it was easier than running to town for fuel. When he bought his L2800 in 2008 though, the dealer told him not to as it might void the warranty. The biggest potential problem that I can see is that it's run through a filter on the way to the furnace; whereas when he was just siphoning it, the potential was there to pick up contaminants and moisture which can occur, especially in winter.

As an aside; we still have (2) nearly full tanks of heating oil of unknown vintage which I would love to give away. The greenhouse and my mother's house both have brand new furnaces so I don't want to burn it in them; but am considering contacting a free heating oil place to see if they can use it... perhaps even blend it with some fresh oil.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Taxes. And red dye.. 'Bout the only difference.

 

[LouNY]

I'm of the opinion that there are very few stupid questions. If you don't ask, how will you get an answer?

Yours doesn't even come close to stupid.

My father ran heating oil in his tractor for years, he had several above ground tanks (275 and 500 gallon) for the greenhouses and it was easier than running to town for fuel. When he bought his L2800 in 2008 though, the dealer told him not to as it might void the warranty. The biggest potential problem that I can see is that it's run through a filter on the way to the furnace; whereas when he was just siphoning it, the potential was there to pick up contaminants and moisture which can occur, especially in winter.

As an aside; we still have (2) nearly full tanks of heating oil of unknown vintage which I would love to give away. The greenhouse and my mother's house both have brand new furnaces so I don't want to burn it in them; but am considering contacting a free heating oil place to see if they can use it... perhaps even blend it with some fresh oil.

I'd just get a transfer pump and put dual filters on it with the second one a water block filter, then either just recirculate right back into the original tank or an empty one. I wouldn't be the least bit worried about that fuel.
Also as far as running it in your tractor it has hopefully better filters then your furnace did.

 

[WranglerX]

Off road diesel (red) usually does not have the "road" taxes applied to it as on road diesel ... I believe its same #2 diesel with just a red dye added.... Its against the laws to run red diesel on the road and if you get stopped and they dip your tank you can get ticketed....

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Don't forget burnt motor oil.

 

[KilroyJC]

Don't forget burnt motor oil.

So, what about it? (See thread title)

 

[mo1]

Just looking to save a buck, just like everybody else.

Not that I am working Hoboken-sized fields, more like between a basketball court and a football field with a 1960’s Case 40HP.

interested in your thoughts & observations.

Thank you!

Currently, off-road diesel ("red diesel") is simply on-road ultra low sulfur diesel with red dye added and no road taxes collected/paid. Home heating oil (#2 fuel oil) in some places is exactly the same stuff as red diesel. Everybody else I know with tractors, skid loaders, and other off-road equipment only run red diesel in their equipment. I would ask the fuel supplier about the home heating oil to see exactly what it is, if it's simply red diesel you would be fine to use it, if it's something else, it depends on what exactly they say it is. Modern ultra low sulfur diesel actually has to have some lubrication additives in order to not destroy injection pumps, if the home heating oil is ULSD not treated with these, then I would not run it.

 

[s219]

Pro tip: you can avoid asking many stupid questions by using the search function. This one has been discussed many times before.