Community Forums

baddwalk · 04-04-2005, 11:50 PM

Can anyone please explain to me what the difference is in DF2 versus red dye diesel? Where I live, the price of diesel just hit $2.89 per gallon. There is a Texaco station in town that sells red dye diesel and it is alot cheaper. Will red dye diesel hurt my truck? Any help on this subject is greatly appreciated.

baddwalk · 04-04-2005, 11:50 PM

Can anyone please explain to me what the difference is in DF2 versus red dye diesel? Where I live, the price of diesel just hit $2.89 per gallon. There is a Texaco station in town that sells red dye diesel and it is alot cheaper. Will red dye diesel hurt my truck? Any help on this subject is greatly appreciated.

Gearhead Jo · 04-05-2005, 02:03 AM

Baddwalk, the red dye diesel is meant to be off road fuel such as construction equipment that dosen't drive down the road. Its cheaper because it dosen't have as many taxes on it. If you get caught using off road diesel by any DOT entity, I'm sure it will be a heavy fine. You could probably get away with it but for my money I wouldn't use it.

Gearhead Jo · 04-05-2005, 02:07 AM

P.S. Baddwalk, No the red dye won't hurt anything. Its exactly the same as other diesel fuel, but its dyed so DOT can tell its off road fuel. Good Luck.

jdoc · 04-05-2005, 03:08 AM

baddwalk, gearhead is right it is also used in farm equipment. Here in Texas if you get caught there will be a hefty fine including the addition of the taxes that were not paid. It can possibly lead to a lot of money. Before we got our motorhome I was pulled over by a state vehicle and they wanted to check my fuel. I was clean, and I knew it. They wanted to check my aux. tank, but it was empty at the time. It would have checked clean also. I know some farmers that use the red diesel in their trucks and a couple of them have been caught. It cost them a lot of money plus the fact they are then watched and checked again on occasion.

RustyJC · 04-05-2005, 03:29 AM

The primary difference in price between on-road and off-road ("red") diesel is the addition of federal and state taxes to on-road diesel. These taxes are levied to build and maintain the roadways that we RVers use.

Quite apart from the expensive possibility of being caught with off-road diesel in one's tanks, the fact of the matter is that those who use off-road diesel on the public highways are guilty of tax evasion. Their actions mean that (1.) funds are not available for road construction and maintenance and (2.) those of us who are honest and use on-road diesel are left to make up the tax burden of the dishonest individuals who have evaded their taxes.

Rusty

JimmyDee · 04-05-2005, 03:47 AM

I've been told "red dye diesel" on the road = $10,000 fine. I'll stay with the regular stuff.
Jim

CD · 04-05-2005, 05:53 AM

The way it works here in Wa. (what I understand) is you don't pay road taxes ($.28 gal.) on red diesel but you pay sales tax ($.086 on the dollar). With diesel prices approching $3 there's not much saving. I am finding I can save money by going to a station that doesn't sell red diesel. Cennix is the only place in this area that sells red diesel. So don't get caught with red in your truck tank. It isn,t worth it.

R.G.Wise · 04-05-2005, 03:10 PM

I have both off road equipt, and class 8 trucks, beside my TV. The red dye also is a higher sulfur diesel, like ALL diesel use to be before EPA standards changed (forget what year). When it first switched, a lot of road vehicles has injector seals, and pump seal problems, due to lack of sulfur. For awhile at first both fuels were the same, except for the dye. The feds have come to my shop and checked my bulk tanks and big trucks, but never asked to check my diesel pickups.

baddwalk · 04-05-2005, 11:04 PM

Thank you for the responses. I have no intention of doing anything that is illeagal, so I will not put the stuff in my pickup. I did not have a clue as to the difference in fuels or why the price difference. I am glad I asked the question though. I have a few friends that have been wondering the same thing so now I can pass along the information. Again, thanks.

Muncie_6spd · 04-06-2005, 10:55 AM

Here's another reason to avoid the red dye. If I understand it correctly, Ford will void the vehicle engine warranty if they find red dye in the fuel system of any Powerstroke Diesel they service under warranty. I also believe the red dye stays in the fuel system for quite a long time even if you switch back to fuel without the dye in it. I'm not sure if GM and Dodge have the same policy but I wouldn't doubt it.

Mike