# Diesel fuel question



## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

I see the Off Road Diesel in my neck of the woods for about 75 to 80 cents less per gallon at the pumps. I use a good additive in my current tractor and am buying a new tractor. Seems from what I read the only real difference is the detergent in the fuel? Not all that sure about it though. Question is......Is It OK to use the OFF ROAD if you use a good additive and keep all the fluids changed and cared for? Thanks in advance for any help..........


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Dutchs,

OFF road diesel has a higher sulfur content than ON road diesel.
The sulfur in off road diesel acts as a lubricant for the injection pump and injectors.
Unless your new tractor uses HEUI injectors (like the newer diesel engines in trucks), OFF road diesel is what you should use.

Lower sulfur content is why it's recommended to use an additive if you're going to use ON road diesel for an engine with an actual injection pump.

HTH,

Mark


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

TraderMark said:


> Dutchs,
> 
> OFF road diesel has a higher sulfur content than ON road diesel.
> The sulfur in off road diesel acts as a lubricant for the injection pump and injectors.
> ...


Thank you Mark. I obviously wasn't sure and feel a lot better using it now. Thanks


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

TAXES have not been paid on off-road fuel (gas or diesel), so it is dyed/colored to identify as such. Intended for farm use, etc., where highways are not used. The coloring is to allow authorities to identify the fuel in case it is used for highway use, which is illegal. To my knowledge, off-road and highway fuels are the same.


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

BigT said:


> TAXES have not been paid on off-road fuel (gas or diesel), so it is dyed/colored to identify as such. Intended for farm use, etc., where highways are not used. The coloring is to allow authorities to identify the fuel in case it is used for highway use, which is illegal. To my knowledge, off-road and highway fuels are the same.


I see.....The stuff we have is Red....I guess that may be the same everywhere? I will strictly use it in my tractor so I am assuming I will be well within regulations. It's really nice that it is so much cheaper.......And my land is all zoned AG as a Mini farm I guess they would classify it as........


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

This is the motor type. 3 Cylinder 160....something Cubic inches and Four stroke, direct injection, turbo-charged and intercooled, diesel.......


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

BigT ... I beg to differ.

The purpose of having the two separate fuels was not so much a tax issue, (though you are correct in that OFF road fuel is not taxed for highway use) as it was a pollution issue. The ON road diesel has a much lower sulfur content to keep it from being as pollutant as the high sulfur OFF road diesel.

If these guys with these new diesels that use HEUI injectors, have a regen cycle and use DEF for the regen were to put OFF road diesel in their tanks what a mess they would have.


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

TraderMark said:


> BigT ... I beg to differ.
> 
> The purpose of having the two separate fuels was not so much a tax issue, (though you are correct in that OFF road fuel is not taxed for highway use) as it was a pollution issue. The ON road diesel has a much lower sulfur content to keep it from being as pollutant as the high sulfur OFF road diesel.
> 
> If these guys with these new diesels that use HEUI injectors, have a regen cycle and use DEF for the regen were to put OFF road diesel in their tanks what a mess they would have.


Help me here. I know very little about diesel. Mine says DIRECT INJECTION. This means I am not using HEUI Right?


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Direct injection simply means there is no precombustion chamber built into the head, the diesel is injected "directly" into the cylinder. Most direct injection diesels will start without the need for or use of glow plugs.

I doubt that your new tractor would have a completely electronic fuel system and use HEUI injectors. I don't think the EPA has cracked down that hard on agricultural emissions yet. 

If you'll tell us what your new tractor is, we can check for sure though.


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

TraderMark said:


> Direct injection simply means there is no precombustion chamber built into the head, the diesel is injected "directly" into the cylinder. Most direct injection diesels will start without the need for or use of glow plugs.
> 
> I doubt that your new tractor would have a completely electronic fuel system and use HEUI injectors. I don't think the EPA has cracked down that hard on agricultural emissions yet.
> 
> If you'll tell us what your new tractor is, we can check for sure though.


Mahindra 2555...


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Best thing to do dutchs is check the operator's manual on the new tractor.
It should tell you what grade fuel you need to use and whether it needs any additives.


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## dutchs (Aug 25, 2016)

TraderMark said:


> Best thing to do dutchs is check the operator's manual on the new tractor.
> It should tell you what grade fuel you need to use and whether it needs any additives.


Haha..,yep. When all else fails follow directions....


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## z445guy (Mar 10, 2017)

Was doing some research and found that on and off road diesel is basically the same except for off road is dyed red for tax perpose of it being for off road and it's not taxed . All new heavy equipment is using def and some type of regen system or a low emissions engine


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

z445guy,
Better check that research again. :-D

You can go here and scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll find Table 1 listing the sulfur content of low sulfur (on road) and high sulfur (off road) diesel fuel. There IS a difference. 

Running low sulfur fuel in older engines without using a lubricity additive can be detrimental to the injection pump and/or injectors.

Mark


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## DK35vince (Jan 22, 2006)

TraderMark said:


> z445guy,
> Better check that research again. :-D
> 
> You can go here and scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll find Table 1 listing the sulfur content of low sulfur (on road) and high sulfur (off road) diesel fuel. There IS a difference.
> ...


Whats the date on that.
Off road fuel has been low sulfur for several years now to my knowledge, only difference between on and off road is the color.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

DK35vince said:


> Whats the date on that.
> Off road fuel has been low sulfur for several years now to my knowledge, only difference between on and off road is the color.


Seems we are both correct in some parts, DK35vince.

According to this Penn State University Extension article copyrighted 2017, the sulfur content of "off road" diesel is limited to 500ppm which makes it officially "low sulfur". However, "on road" diesel is now limited to 15ppm which makes it "ultra-low sulfur" so there still is a difference between on and off road diesel.

The Penn State article also mentions the need for a lubricity additive in low sulfur diesel.

Mark


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## DK35vince (Jan 22, 2006)

Read this, off road fuel has been 15ppm for several years
On or off road is the same fuel, the red is untaxed fuel.
https://www.pfb.com/information/for-farmers/766-dyed-fuel
http://www.clean-diesel.org/nonroad.html


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

DK35vince said:


> Read this, off road fuel has been 15ppm for several years
> On or off road is the same fuel, the red is untaxed fuel.
> https://www.pfb.com/information/for-farmers/766-dyed-fuel
> http://www.clean-diesel.org/nonroad.html


I stand corrected, then.
Thank you for finding what I wasn't to find yesterday DK35vince. :friends:


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## LD48750 (Jun 25, 2016)

Late to the party b ut I have a deer hunting buddy that drives a fuel tanker.
He has told us that if he is delivering off road, he has to put the dye in it. undyed go to on road pumps and all of it came from the same tank at the tank farm.

I also have seen the fuel oil driver top off his truck with the same fuel he delivered to the cabin for the furnace.


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## z445guy (Mar 10, 2017)

Tradermark that article you said I should read is from 23 years ago ,


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## Fastdiesel4x4 (Feb 18, 2017)

Interesting info... my concerns would be if I had a auxiliary tank of off-road diesel in my truck and had to fill my tank to prevent running out of fuel.... how would it effect my injectors? ? Sounds like it would do then some good if the higher sulfer content acts as a lubricant. ... also would the red dye leave any traces in the fuel system that could be detected as running that fuel illegally? ?


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## LD48750 (Jun 25, 2016)

Fastdiesel4x4 said:


> Interesting info... my concerns would be if I had a auxiliary tank of off-road diesel in my truck and had to fill my tank to prevent running out of fuel.... how would it effect my injectors? ? Sounds like it would do then some good if the higher sulfer content acts as a lubricant. ... also would the red dye leave any traces in the fuel system that could be detected as running that fuel illegally? ?


Yes, It is my understanding that the red die is traceable for many tankfulls after it is used.


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## thepumpguysc (Jan 25, 2015)

Illegal is illegal.. PERIOD.. and a HEFTY FINE to boot.
Once the RED is gone its gone.. don't worry about residuals.. they don't exsist.. just like Big Foot..
NOW I DID SAY, "GONE".. that's not to say if you got pulled over & there was a 1/4" left in the bottom of the aux. tank you wouldn't get fined.. I meant GONE.. as in, run thru the system and gone..


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## Fastdiesel4x4 (Feb 18, 2017)

GONE HUH?!! lol... if I had to use the off-road diesel to prevent running out of fuel...... i mean it's an emergency. .. but it's not something I would do all the time... and also from what I understand it is better for your fuel system... so once the fuel is used its not going to leave any traces behind of die.


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## LD48750 (Jun 25, 2016)

Fastdiesel4x4 said:


> GONE HUH?!! lol... if I had to use the off-road diesel to prevent running out of fuel...... i mean it's an emergency. .. but it's not something I would do all the time... and also from what I understand it is better for your fuel system... so once the fuel is used its not going to leave any traces behind of die.


It will leave no trace if you COMPLETELY empty the tank & rinse it out a couple times.
(and the entire fuel system)
If you run it down to 1/4 or less & add fuel, you'll still have die residue evident.


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