Fuel for Cummins 12 valve

[Solar1]

Hi folks,
Forgive me if this question has come up before but I need ask.

I have read that the Cummins 12 valve can run kerosene or home heating oils in a pinch without any major issues. Obviously, the normal Diesel #2 low sulfur fuel is best, but my question is this;
Can I run the Cummins on home heating oil if I mix it with #2 diesel without injection pump or injector issues/damage?

I ask because a friend has offered me several hundred gallons of home heating fuel.
I also have a Cummins generator (diesel) so this is valuable to me if I can run it without problems. I have read that home heating oil is almost identical to #2 diesel.

Anyone have any good experience regarding fuels?

 

[Cummins12V98]

Home heating oil is Diesel #2 with red dye. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

"There are two significant distinctions between these types of oils. No. 2 oil is stained with a reddish dye and No. 2 diesel has road taxes tacked onto its price. Diesel fuel is structurally comparable to oils commonly used in heating buildings, which includes No. 2 oil."

 

[BigPapa]

What model Cummins is in your generator?

Yes, your 2nd Gen 12 valve will run just as well on the heating oil or off-road diesel as the fuel you get at the station. However, it is died red so that if you run it in your truck, it is easily detected by the revenuers and you’ll get fined. From what I understand, the red dye hangs around a long time.

 

[Solar1]

Thanks BigPapa, Yes, I'm fully aware of the red dye in off road and some heating oil. I actually ran it once in my truck when I did a fill-up from an unfamiliar station.
I asked the station manager if there was a procedure for such mistakes (fill out a form and pay the tax...etc,) but he said no, "just have the officer call here"...yeah, right.

I was just wanting to confirm here what I have read elsewhere regarding weather it was ok to run heating oil in the Cummins. I'm pretty sure I also read in my owners manual that it could be run on kerosene, although the kerosene did not have the same lubricity that #2 diesel had.

Knock on wood, Ive never been pulled over and had my fuel sampled by the troopers.
Does anyone know about the dye....Is the red color diluted much if you only add say maybe 5 gallons of off road (red) to a 35 gallon tank fill-up of on road diesel?

I have heard a few stories from the local boys with the aux. off road fuel tank (with filler nozzle/pump) that they were pulled over and checked. I don't have an aux tank sitting in the bed, so the chances are quite slim I imagine.

I just figured I would add a few gallons here and there to my tank (mix it with the on road fuel) to use it up...My friend claimed he was going to burn it to get rid of it, a little at a time. Since I have the diesel generator,(off road fuel) I figured I can run it in that too. It is also a Cummins, a 4A2 diesel engine.(ONAN legacy???) It would be a shame to waste it in a bonfire.

 

[BigPapa]

From the Dodge Ram Tech website:

 

[gcorron]

You're OK with #2 heating oil. Other fuels do not normally get the MPG you are used to. There were a lot of threads on here where guys would mix used motor oil, peanut oil, and other things with it, but they were not very efficient. In short, the mechanical diesel will burn a lot of different mixes without issues. Not sure about the lubricity of peanut oil or #1 Kero though. If you had to burn those long term, I think I'd look for additives. Amsoil sells a lot of them.

Your plan is pretty good though, and should save you some change right here at Christmas!

George

 

[DavidC]

Isn't home heating oil red ?. If so and you get caught using it on the road it can get very costly.

 

[JR]

Isn't home heating oil red ?. If so and you get caught using it on the road it can get very costly.

It is.

 

[BigPapa]

Isn't home heating oil red ?. If so and you get caught using it on the road it can get very costly.

It is.

Already been covered above...

 

[Solar1]

I do have a stationary diesel powered (Cummins) generator.
I wanted to know if the engine(s) would be happy with it purely from a technical standpoint. The generator has a mechanical injection pump as well.
Im fully aware of the legal ramifications of running it in my Cummins, but thanks for your concerns.

 

[JR]

There are no ramifications. Home heating oil, off road #2, whatever you want to call it, is suitable to run in any engine up to current tier IV with common rail injection. It's all the same minus the harmless dye installed for taxation purposes.

 

[GAmes]

There are no ramifications. Home heating oil, off road #2, whatever you want to call it, is suitable to run in any engine up to current tier IV with common rail injection. It's all the same minus the harmless dye installed for taxation purposes.

Not always. For sure a lubricity agent needs to be added.

https://sciencing.com/about-6726131-diesel-vs--home-heating-oil.html

 

[JR]

Gary, that might be right under certain circumstances but would be the exception not the norm. If they're blending #1 or a variant into heating oil it's because it's too cold for winterized#2. A good indication is what is the diesel fuel being sold as in a particular region. If winterized #2 is sustainable for vehicles and equipment it should be for heating oil as well. winterized#2 is more economical than #1 or a blend, which requires more storage and transportation logistics.

 

[GAmes]

I read it the exact opposite. " in some cases, can be interchanged." means to me that when it can be used as diesel is the exception to the norm. I agree what you are saying about diesel is true, but my perception is home heating oil is not nearly the constant that diesel is.

 

[JR]

The place where I buy off road fuel from has one underground tank for off road and heating oil. I've been filling my aux tanks while the fuel truck was right next to me filling his compartments for delivery.

At any rate, you are correct to point out my error, it was too broad of a generalization. I should have breen more specific, "in my area".

 

[Ozymandias]

The 12v can run it because of the engine oil lubed P-Pump.
Almost every liquid that burns can he used with this setup.

And red isn't only red, there is also a chemical marker that stays present in your fuel system even diluted 1:1000 and a test stripe will show its presence.

 

[GAmes]

The 12v can run it because of the engine oil lubed P-Pump.
Almost every liquid that burns can he used with this setup.

Only the bottom half is oil lubed. The part that meters and pressurizes the fuel is fuel lubed, just like any other injection pump. IOW, any diesel engine can burn almost every liquid that burns.

 

[Ozymandias]

Only the bottom half is oil lubed. The part that meters and pressurizes the fuel is fuel lubed, just like any other injection pump. IOW, any diesel engine can burn almost every liquid that burns.

Jep but thats the place that matters, the P-Pump is nearly indestructible. Even Diesel diluted with Gasoline or B100 goes through without doin any harm to it. Even old motoroil is usable with it. We loved that pump for its reliability back in the days, almost every big Diesel engine in europe was fitted with it, i was amazed to see this pump in the RAM platform.