I just bought a 1999 Dodge pickup w/Cummins diesel and have been reading about the fact that there is not enough lubrication in the ULSD and that can cause problems with the VP44 injector pump to the tune of $1500. So many people add 2-cycle engine oil to the fuel at a ratio of 128:1 or 200:1. Its also worse when people add the anti-gel as that reduces the lubricity of the fuel also. So two (2) questions: 1) Would it be a good idea to add the 2-cycle oil to diesel fuel for the Bobcat? If I buy regular ULSD? 2) Does off road diesel have the same problem? Is it also ULSD? I thought the only difference between normal diesel and off road diesel was that it was dyed and you paid less in taxes? But maybe I am not correct in my thinking. 3) What about home heating oil?
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In our area the stations with only one off road pump change the blend of #1 and #2 fuel in the spring and again in the fall. Others have two pumps and you can do what ever you want. We used to use heating oil in the old cat machines #2 in the summer and 50 50 in the winter with no trouble but those were different engines. Off road here was higher sulpher than road fuel last time I checked but laws are changing. If you follow what the local loggers or commercial guys are doing you can't go too far wrong.
The only difference nowadays between highway and offroad diesel is the dye and the tax difference. Nowadays all highway diesel and most offroad diesel is ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Because the sulfur is removed to less than 15ppm, additives are supposed to be added at the refinery to make up for loss of lubricity from the sulfur. However testing has indicated that the amount varies and can be insufficient for older diesel engines.
Home heating oil can come in #1 (kerosene), #2, #4, and #6. Number 4 and 6 is for commerical heating units and is too viscous to use in an engine. #1 is the most prevalent heating oil because it is less viscous and has antigelling properties. However #1 has less BTUs than #2. My understanding is that home heating oil also does not receive the lubrication additives at the refinery that engine diesel does to replace the sulfur, so you would need to add a lubricant.
There are lots of lubricants that can be used, but the best is soy biodiesel. 2-cycle TCW-3 can work well on older diesel engines (prior to 2007). It is also helpful to add this to ULSD diesel as well since indirect injected engines relied on the sulfur for pump lubrication as you indicated, and the refinery doesn't add much.
There are some pretty good discussions about this on another equipment website I frequent but out of respect for this site will not link to it unless the admins/moderators approve.
Home heating oil can come in #1 (kerosene), #2, #4, and #6. Number 4 and 6 is for commerical heating units and is too viscous to use in an engine. #1 is the most prevalent heating oil because it is less viscous and has antigelling properties. However #1 has less BTUs than #2. My understanding is that home heating oil also does not receive the lubrication additives at the refinery that engine diesel does to replace the sulfur, so you would need to add a lubricant.
There are lots of lubricants that can be used, but the best is soy biodiesel. 2-cycle TCW-3 can work well on older diesel engines (prior to 2007). It is also helpful to add this to ULSD diesel as well since indirect injected engines relied on the sulfur for pump lubrication as you indicated, and the refinery doesn't add much.
There are some pretty good discussions about this on another equipment website I frequent but out of respect for this site will not link to it unless the admins/moderators approve.
I certainly don't know all that much about it but I do know #1 fuel oil is not kerosene. Last time I noticed kero for sale it was about 7 bucks a gallon.
OK, I was not thinking of using offroad diesel n my truck, only my Bobcat. My truck has passenger plates so I doubt it would ever be checked. I have read on this forum to use offroad diesel in a Bobcat as you will get more horsepower. I doubt its the dye that does it, so maybe the extra horsepower is due to less taxes? Possibly the replies came from out of the USA?
A heating oil & fuel dealer said as of July 2012, everything including home heating oil will be ULS.
lfutrell
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A while back I read on the web somewhere that a normal 100hp motor would have about 5 more horsepower with off road fuel vs on road fuel. I don't know this to be true I am just passing along something i read.
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