Please need your opinion on dyed diesel usage

BigMike

Member
Hey folks,
That's again Mike with an '08 2500. Since winter, it works fine, and you folks have greatly helped me to figure out what the problem was. Now, wanted to check on something with you and ask your professional oppinion. So, I recently found out that when I go out of the city, I may use that dyed diesel, which is way less expensive than the regular. And you know, it's summer already and I usually go outdoors whenever I've got free time. A friend of mine told that I may save on this hobby by buying less expensive diesel. And considering that my truck is 5.9 Cummins, I may hardly call it fuel effecient.
So, I studied the case online and I'm aware of the fines and stuff (here's where I read about the fines, by the way http://offroadguides.com/what-is-the-fine-for-running-off-road-diesel.html). Anyways, has any of you folks got any experience in using this sort of diesel? Doesn't it hurt the engine? And I was wondering, whether the engine runs different with it?
Your help is appreciated!
 

JasonG

Well-known member
The engine will run the same.
I'm don't think I would run it in a common rail though. I'm not sure It has the cetane the the hpfp needs.

The issue is the red dye stays in the tank and filters for quite a while. My buddy got fined at a weigh station, long story.
 

BigMike

Member
Hey, thanks for replying, man. If that dye just changes the color of filters it runs through that's fine, but if it makes a film there it's no good.
 

JasonG

Well-known member
What happened was a guy gave him some fuel from his dyed equipment tank.
Several tanks later he was spot checked in a weigh station.
Swab came up pink so they checked his filter. Cartridge type was pink as well.
 

rzucker

Well-known member
Hey, thanks for replying, man. If that dye just changes the color of filters it runs through that's fine, but if it makes a film there it's no good.
Most dyed fuel today is Ultra Low Sulfur, the dye is added to non-taxable offroad fuel. Here in Wa. State it's bad juju to have it in any vehicle that has or requires license plates. 3 times the Commercial Vehicle enforcement guys have checked my 1 tons. They will use any reason they can find to stop you and then run a swab.
 

DMiller

Well-known member
Can state for a fact the same diesel from the same truck is put in either dyed fuel(no road tax) tanks and clear fuel(taxed) as the guys that deliver mine and when I delivered fuel do it the same way. Truck has clear fuel in it, they pump or drain a load of fuel into a no tax tank and then add 4 oz/100 gal red dye to that tank. In that way no dyed fuel residue ever gets transferred into a clear fuel tank. As to quality it is all the same fuel, same cetane same ULS content just one has dye and will contaminate internal surfaces so that mechanics and DOT personnel can tell it has been run in a road taxed engine/machine.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Staff member
The only difference in the off-road fuel and on-road fuel I buy is the dye. Used to be off-road had a higher sulfur content which gave better "milage" in the equipment, now it's all low-sulfur.
 
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