Community Forums

Kahoona · 08-20-2019, 07:51 PM

Please someone set my mind at ease. I must run Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel or the Vengeful gods of catalytic converters will smite me in the wallet! QA lable on the car pumps tells me that it is what I am buying. None of the truck pumps do. One I used today even had a yellow handle instead of green. Are these safe???

kenwyatt · 08-20-2019, 08:09 PM

Yellow means diesel. All over the road diesel sold at truck stops and filling stations meet the legal low sulfur spec. Only diesel that doesn’t as far as I know is farm diesel and that has red die in it and is clearly marked on the pump

spdracr39 · 08-20-2019, 08:14 PM

In my area Green is diesel and yellow is E85 Ethanol. Don't go by the color of the pump handle !!!!

DG N. AL · 08-20-2019, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenwyatt

All over the road diesel sold at truck stops and filling stations meet the legal low sulfur spec. Only diesel that doesn’t as far as I know is farm diesel and that has red die in it and is clearly marked on the pump

Farm diesel comes from the same tank as road diesel. The only difference is the red dye and no road tax.

Tajfish · 08-20-2019, 08:49 PM

X2 on read pump label, not the handle color.
Don’t get caught with red diesel in your rv tank :(

Offramp · 08-20-2019, 09:39 PM

Pulled into a shell filling station yesterday to a pump with a yellow pump handle. Didn’t think anything about the nozzle color but when I looked at the pump for the fuel grade switch, noticed only one selection and that was E85 “fuel”.
Green nozzles at general filling stations here in Michigan usually indicates Diesel.

Old-Biscuit · 08-20-2019, 11:21 PM

There are NO standards on color of nozzle and what comes out.

PAY Attention to the Pump and which goes to which hose/nozzle

Diesel fuel of maximum sulfur level of 15 ppm referred to as “ultra low sulfur diesel” (ULSD), was legislated by EPA

All highway diesel must be ULSD as of 12/1/2010

awol50 · 08-21-2019, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tajfish

X2 on read pump label, not the handle color.
Don’t get caught with red diesel in your rv tank :(

How you going to be caught? Have some lazyass bureaucrat crawl in your fuel tank with a flashlight.

geordi · 08-21-2019, 05:29 PM

No - there have been fuel inspection checkpoints where they will require every diesel vehicle to pull over and have their fuel tank dipped with a test strip.

This happens more in heavy farm country than on the highway, but it CAN happen. Don't run red fuel, it just isn't worth the risk.

All diesel fuel in the USA is the same grade, and ALL of it is ULSD 40 cetane rotgut.

Most diesel now has about 10% biodiesel in it - this is a GOOD thing as it adds to the lubricity of the fuel and increases the cetane rating, making the engine run better. Every engine can handle up to 15% biodiesel, the manufacturers are only issuing concerns about high concentrations. The 10-15% is being required by the states and done at the refinery level so it will not cause problems.

As has been said before, NEVER TRUST THE HANDLE COLOR. Always check the pump before taking on a drop! Gasoline or E85 handles might fit... But your engine will certainly not like what comes from those, no matter what the handle color was.

Old-Biscuit · 08-21-2019, 07:13 PM

YEP^^^^^^^^

Quote:

Originally Posted by awol50

How you going to be caught? Have some lazyass bureaucrat crawl in your fuel tank with a flashlight.

Red dye stays around for long time.even after running non-dyed fuel thru tank/system
Special paste on dip stick and it WILL show that NON-Highway diesel was used (RED Dye)
Highway taxes were not paid.......so owners gets hefty Fine of $10/gallon OR $1000 per incident (whichever is HIGHEST)

Run by the IRS!
You do NOT want to have them buggering you up...........

Kahoona · 08-21-2019, 08:11 PM

I remember back when times were hard and many of us heated with Kerosene. The trucks kept filling with the cheaper Kero (no road tax) and many stores got in trouble. They had to erect barriers around the pumps and a lot of folks came in and filled many many cans to take home and fill trucks.

Bahamaniac · 08-21-2019, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Offramp

Pulled into a shell filling station yesterday to a pump with a yellow pump handle. Didn’t think anything about the nozzle color but when I looked at the pump for the fuel grade switch, noticed only one selection and that was E85 “fuel”.
Green nozzles at general filling stations here in Michigan usually indicates Diesel.

That is standard here. Green handle is diesel and yellow handle is E85. Does the vehicle run ok after putting in E85 instead of diesel? I would not think it would run.

Hikerdogs · 08-21-2019, 11:44 PM

Actually fuel inspection check points are quite common in the Midwest as well. Several times a summer we're traveling along state highways and see a sign "fuel checkpoint ahead". State Troopers are motioning trucks to pull off to the side of the road. It takes the inspector all of about 20 seconds to insert a test strip in the trucks tank and know whether they're using off road diesel.

In most states the fine is $10.00 per gallon, or $1,000.00 per violation.

DryCreek · 08-22-2019, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahoona

I remember back when times were hard and many of us heated with Kerosene. The trucks kept filling with the cheaper Kero (no road tax) and many stores got in trouble. They had to erect barriers around the pumps and a lot of folks came in and filled many many cans to take home and fill trucks.

We heat our barn (when weaning calves) with kerosene. For the last several years we found that around here you can only buy dyed K1. It gives off a faint odor, and the wick is red after only one use.