What exactly is it??

Someone told me it is regular diesel that has ATF fluid mixed in? Thus giving it a red color. Who uses it?

Sounds strange to me, but don't know for sure.

 

I Texas red means it is for farm use only and is taxed differently

 

as far as I know, anywhere in the US, red dyed diesel = "off-road only"

intended to be used in heavy equipment and farm vehicles. has a higher sulfur content (more emissions), and is not taxed

the EPA puts red dye in it (NOT atf) to be able to tell the difference between when/if they check your tank. using it on road can carry some hefty fines.

all that aside, it doesnt hurt your truck to run it. probably has a better lubricity (is that a word ) but can cost ya if you get caught

 

Red diesel is for off-road use only as road-tax is not added to the price.
It is a special dye that is added at the distribution point.
In some areas it may have a higher sulphur content.

 

Its just red dye it has a little highewr sulfur content but it runs rine in trucks we sometimes in pinch will run it in the trucks but dont like to use to much. The reason its not taxed is becuase its mostly for farm use.

 

CAUTION......CAUTION.........
DO NOT RUN "RED" IN NEWER TRUCKS!!!!
Injectors dont like it.

 

It doesn't make any difference whatsoever, in most areas of the country it is exactly the same except for the dye. You have to look hard to find it with higher sulfur.

I work for the state, we can run red legally on our onroad trucks. Newer PSDs, CTDs and Duramaxs have no problem with offroad fuel.

 

RED = don't put it in your "on road" fuel tank unless a) you work for the state and are permitted to do so legally or b) you have a really really fat wallet and don't mind paying fines and possibly losing your truck and more.
The heating oil I have delivered to the house is nothing more than died diesel fuel and says right on the receipt, PENALTY FOR ON ROAD USE.
Someone a while back was talking about dumping auto trans fluid in the tank to help lube the inj pump. That also can be mistaken for dyed off road fuel.

 

Farm use diesel is not refined as stuff you buy on the street...If you run it, you'll be changing your fuel filter alot more frequently...and some people run dual fuel filter setups...Ever notice how farm equipment throws black-soot looking exhaust?

 

Red diesel is permitted by law to be 'high' sulfur, but that doesn't mean it is. Some places just dye to low sulfur. What it means is that when you run red diesel, you may not know what you're getting as far as sulfur content. Talk to your fuel supplier.

I don't know of any component in the fuel injection system that would be offended by high sulfur fuel. However, if you're using C1-4 oil (as you should be) it is intended to be used with low sulfur fuel. It may not be able to deal with the added sulfur and you could end up with a lot more sulfuric acid in your crankcase than you'd like.

 

cp has it exactly right. When fuel first started being dyed and the sulfur regulated offroad fuel was allowed higher sulfur. As things have evolved the refiners have eliminated carrying another grade with it's associated tanks, etc to simplify things. Nowadays you would be hard pressed to find high sulfur even though it is allowed. My farm fuel comes from the same refiners tank as the onroad stuff, the dye isn't added till it's on the delivery truck.

 

When I lived in MT, the red dye patrol made regular stops at horse shows and dipped the tanks of all the diesel pickups. Those that had red dye, were ticketed and some were impounded (based on previous tickets). That state continually runs a tv ad showing a guy fueling with red, then the cop stopping him down the road, doing the road-side test and handing him a ticket. It's an expensive lesson for cheating on state and federal taxes. They make it known that the IRS would be informed. It was the IRS that made it mandatory for the "red-dye" to distinguish btw farm fuels and road fuels. They say it takes five full tanks of LSD to flush the red-dye from your fuel system. The 12 valve trucks are not affected by the use of high-sulphur fuels, while the newer 24's are.

See Note #2: http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuel...esel_Spec.shtm

 

Same thing here in Texas. They check pretty regular at cattle auctions and horse shows.

John (DH)

 

OK well nevermind then I was told not to run "red" in the newer trucks cause the injectors and the pumps dont like them. But i guess I was wrong.

 

I've never seen them check fuel at any of the shows I've ever been to. Must not be a south Texas thing.