Diesel vs Domestic Fuel Oil?

[Neeltje]

I'll be relatively brief:

Has anybody used Domestic Fuel Oil (the kind that home furnaces burn) in their diesel engines, and if so, did you have any problems with it?

The reason I ask is that I waited until I was running on "Empty" before finding out that there were no local Marine Diesel pumps on this part of the Saint Johns river, and I'm not sure I can make it to the nearest one downstream without the sails.

I know I'm looking at a $10,000.00 fine for doing so, and I'm more of a conservationist than the EPA ever will be, but I'm in a bind.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

Jacques

[Wotname]

And are there Domestic fuel oil pumps on the river??

Can you transport enough diesel by hand from the nearest truck stop to get you back to the nearest downstream riverside pump?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Neeltje

I'll be relatively brief:

Has anybody used Domestic Fuel Oil (the kind that home furnaces burn) in their diesel engines, and if so, did you have any problems with it?

The reason I ask is that I waited until I was running on "Empty" before finding out that there were no local Marine Diesel pumps on this part of the Saint Johns river, and I'm not sure I can make it to the nearest one downstream without the sails.

I know I'm looking at a $10,000.00 fine for doing so, and I'm more of a conservationist than the EPA ever will be, but I'm in a bind.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

Jacques

Can answer for the US , but here you can use heating diesel known as gas oil or marked gas oil or sometimes 20 seconds diesel as fuel for a Diesel engine , there are issues re fuel tax but technically the engine will run on this fuel , road diesel , ie Derv is a bit more refined

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[DavidLGCrawford]

Its the exact same stuff (at least here in Canada) but heating oil has a dye added to show that the road taxes haven't been paid on it.
We use it in all our diesel equipment here on the farm... it's diesel fuel.
You just can't legally use it on the road since the tax isn't paid.

[darylat8750]

My position has not been cleared by a tax attorney but my boat does not drive on roads so why should we pay road tax?

I use red diesel in my tractor and would never use it on the road. After all they didn't get Al Capone on murder, just tax evasion.

[cofc]

In SC we call it farm diesel and it's what all the marinas sell. Dyed red usually. Are you asking if your motor will run on heating oil (no idea) or if it's legal (certainly)?

[Lepke]

Heating oil was called #1 diesel when sold at marine dealers. When available many diesel stove owners burn #1 because it's hotter and leaves less soot. It will run in your diesel engine.

[dannc]

Per the specifications, in the US at least, home oil and diesel fuel are different with diesel fuel being a better grade. However, that does not mean that the home oil sold to a home owner is NOT diesel. Best I can tell from reading 15+ years of similar questions on a tractor forum I read, is that some fuel distributors deliver diesel fuel for home use. It should be fine to burn diesel fuel in a home furnace but burning home oil in a diesel engine might be problematic. It really depends on the engine.

The only way to know if the home oil is diesel is to ask the distributor.

Some owners will run home oil in their older tractors with no problems. Others will add a fuel additive to lube the fuel oil which seems like a good idea. A problem that might be in home oil stored at home is that it might have water in it so take that into consideration.

I don't know why there would be a fine for using home oil, tax wise, in a boat in the US. The US on road fuel is taxed and using off road, aka un taxed fuel, in an on road vehicle can be a big problem if you are caught. Never heard of that being applicable to a boat.

Later,
Dan

[darylat8750]

I have a friend who swears by Marvel Mystery Oil. He uses a quart for every 50 gallons. YMMV

[Frugal]

I have experimented with odd fuels through my Yanmar two cylinder marine engine. It survived additions of cooking oil ( Palm oil ), jet A1 ( aviation turbine fuel ) and residual diesel fuel ( black jack ). There are negatives in all three alternate fuels but in using them as a minor additive to automotive distillate the motor has survived without any obvious ill effects.
The obvious shortcomings in the alternate fuels are the dissolved protein and carbohydrate portions of the cooking oil. The lack of lubrication for the delivery system, in the jet A1 and the high suphur content and particulate matter in the residual diesel fuel.
This is not a recommendation but it may get you home.
Frugal

[CarinaPDX]

I assume by your question that you have a means of acquiring home heating oil at your location, and nothing else. If you have an older diesel engine then that should work - the old engines ran on practically anything. I doubt that home heating oil meets the standards for newer diesels but would likely work OK.

Back in the '70s I drove a dump truck in the US Army Reserve; there was a plaque that specified the recommended diesel fuel, and allowed for a mixture of lube oil and jet fuel (essentially kerosene) for a limited time in emergencies only. If I am driving a government truck and need to get away from a cloud of bullets you better believe I mix it up and put it in the tank - in your situation there is no way I would do that to my engine.

If I were in your shoes I would be calling the nearby oil distributors - the people who deliver diesel to on-site tanks (think farms, stand-by generators, earth-moving job sites). It might not be all that expensive, and it would eliminate any doubt about the suitability.

Greg

[Neeltje]

Thanks to all for your replies.

I did a little more research on the subject since my initial post, and it would seem that aside from the color and the tax, the major difference between Number 2 Fuel Oil and Marine Diesel is (as some mentioned) the sulfur content (the latter having less).

I also noted that one reply mentioned marinas selling "red fuel", so I took a sample of mine, and lo and behold, what's left of it is redder than a beet!

I know I could get a couple of jerry cans full of marine diesel about 50 miles north of here, but I dread the thought of having to do that every 10 hours, especially since I'll be heading south most of the time.

As suggested, I'll check with a local supplier to see what grade of domestic fuel oil they offer, and take it from there.

Again, thanks!

Jacques

[SailRedemption]

You can run road diesel in your boat. What you can't do is run off-road diesel (red dyed) in your vehicle because it's against the law and you would be essentially evading the road tax. (that dye is very potent, it only takes a little to be traceable)

So run to the nearest fuel station and get a jug or two of truck diesel and keep heading south bud.

- Ronnie...on the geaux

[sailorboy53]

I was told years ago If your in the States #1 Diesel is 60% stove oil 40% furnace oil.#2 Diesel is reversed.Furnace oil has more wax hence the gelling in winter.In Canada the refineries just mix it for the local ambient temps hence no #1 or #2.If you use all of 1 or all the other I think from years of running truck diesels you could cause probs in the engine or fuel system but if you did a 50/50 mix you should be ok.JMHO

Jim

[Cowboy Sailer]

I use the diesel from the local filling station diesel pump. So I pay a little road tax extra. It is pretty small price to pay to get fresh high quality fuel for my boat.