Off Road Diesel?

Runs With Scissors

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
Jan 25, 2023
1,827
1,920
113
Michigan
I use exclusively off road stuff in my tractor, mostly because my local place has it, is pretty busy, and .Gov gets enough of my money.


Back in the mid to late 90's when I worked for Chrysler Pentastar Aviation, "someone" kept filling up using JP-4 (jet fuel) from the planes into the Dodge Rams we had cause they were too lazy to go through the BS to do the paperwork required to go "out in town" to fill up.

Well, we started going through injector pumps faster than windshield washer solvent.

The engineers at Chrysler figured out what we were doing and "The Man" basically said "If we catch you using JP-4, your fired!"

They stopped.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

RBsingl

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota F 2690 72" rear discharge deck, Deere 955
Jul 1, 2022
408
425
63
Central IL
The lubricity of JP-4 was only slightly superior to sandpaper 😂 It isn't surprising the injection pumps didn't like it!

Rodger
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

The Evil Twin

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501, LA526,
Jul 19, 2022
2,392
2,313
113
Virginia
I use exclusively off road stuff in my tractor, mostly because my local place has it, is pretty busy, and .Gov gets enough of my money.


Back in the mid to late 90's when I worked for Chrysler Pentastar Aviation, "someone" kept filling up using JP-4 (jet fuel) from the planes into the Dodge Rams we had cause they were too lazy to go through the BS to do the paperwork required to go "out in town" to fill up.

Well, we started going through injector pumps faster than windshield washer solvent.

The engineers at Chrysler figured out what we were doing and "The Man" basically said "If we catch you using JP-4, your fired!"

They stopped.
If only they added a quart of 2 stroke oil to each tank. Or even Marvel Mystery Oil 😄
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

6869704x4

Well-known member

Equipment
L45TLB, 49 8N, 57 641, RTV-X1120D, Z422
Jun 29, 2011
240
269
63
SE, NM
Back in my single bar hopping days there was a drunk guy bragging that he put jet fuel in his mustang and it made much more power. Must have been that "high octane" jet fuel. That was back when the USAF was still running JP4.
 

BX23S-1

Active member
May 29, 2017
535
197
43
No where Special
There is a high volume farm delivery company in the area and when they are delivering fuel to one of my farmer neighbors, they top off the fuel tank for my 40KW standby generator. I use that tank to fuel the Kubota F2690 and Deere 955.

Red dye is only a problem if:
1. You get caught running it on the road. I remember being at a farm auction 15 years ago and a couple of state enforcement agents were checking pickup truck fuel tanks. Not sure if they need a warrant for that but if so they must have had a mass bench warrant. There were a lot of hefty fines as a result. Note that the red dye is a heavy dose and just a few gallons in a large tank will result in a "positive" result on a dip stick. At the time, they were also writing tickets for HD pickups running light pickup/passenger car plates so some people attended a very expensive auction.

2. You buy off road diesel from a station that doesn't sell much making it more likely to be contaminated. When I used to buy it from a station, I used one 10 miles away that provided fuel to the county and townships for their maintenance equipment so they sold a lot instead of having fuel siting in a tank. But filling up a bunch of 5 gallon containers was a pain so using the generator tank with an electric transfer pump is much more convenient and a little cheaper since I get a bulk rate even though my purchases are fairly small.

Rodger
Your state enforcement agents where you live, need to leave people alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Butch

Active member

Equipment
Kubota 2410, RC60-24B, FL1000- kubota hydrolic front snow blade- plug aerator
Sep 10, 2009
633
82
28
74
Rising Sun, MD
As said above there is no difference other than dye between on road and off road diesel. With that being said unless it's available close to you it's probably not worth seeking out off road diesel if you use it it fairly small quantities. It think around here you maybe save 1 a gallon at the most so it's not really worth driving all over to get it to me. If your using your tractor for commercial purposes at quantity it might be worth buying a tank and getting off road diesel delivered which probably saves you a little money and hassle.
That's what I did. got a 275 gal Hanby oil tank and a fuel transfer pump from Northern Tool several years ago... Saved my back and a few bucks also.
 

G.rid

Member

Equipment
L48 tlb, ssqa forks, manual thumb for hoe
Aug 19, 2016
207
17
18
Oxford, NS, Canada
Now one more ? Bh77 backhoe I'm tall guy and I'm cramed up while using the backhoe is there anything that a can do or change operating seat to a different one
If you can't move it back, add spacers and go up. I added 1-1/2" square tube under my seat. It doesn't sound like much but it made a big difference when using my heal on the HST pedal.
 

cthomas

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610 HSDC
Jan 1, 2017
863
572
93
La Farge Wi
Yep, on-road and off-road ULSD fuel is the same except for the red dye. And it takes about 100 fill ups(completely) to flush the red dye away. If you get caught its is a $10k fine, they go back 5 years and you are required to pay tax on all the diesel you purchased. and if your truck was deleted(emissions) you get sixty days to undelete it or they will seize it(to crush). Moral of the story don't pass an off-duty officer(I believe it was state patrol) and blow black smoke at 'em. This did not happen to me but I got to reinstall the exhaust/EGR systems and reflash the ECM. I just get on-road diesel(55 drum) so if my truck needs some fuel I'm okay. The local fuel station I don't trust(water/gas in the diesel pumps). So I drive 20 miles to go to the localish truck stop.