Here I am

Checked for Off-Road Diesel Today

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff

Record Setting Dodge

New Ford vs New Dodge

and it scared the crap out of me! Last night, I thought long and hard about going and buying a tank full of off -road fuel. I had a 610 mile trip to make today, and the thought of cheap fuel kinda tickled me. Anyway, time got away from me last night I and didn't buy the fuel. I hit the "Flying Hook" this morning leaving town and made it way down the road when I came to a license and insurance card check. No big deal, until "The Man" said, "Is this a diesel? Pull over there and let's have a look at that fuel"! The car I parked next to had "Revenue Enforcement" decals on the doors. DOH!! Another man ran a long, white tube thru the filler neck and into the tank. When he pulled it out of the neck, he put the cap back on and waved me out. Boys, I was THIS CLOSE to getting busted! I won't think about off-road fuel again.



ronco



P. S. I have never been checked before today, and haven't heard of anyone being checked. I was on the South Side of Andulusia when I was checked!
 
Procrastination usually bites me in the rear. It could have saved me this time,'cept it was you!Congrats on the clean bill of health.
 
Did they ask for permission? Or give you a choice to refuse to be tested for off road fuel? Just curious. It would be my luck that the first time I did run off road fuel I would be caught!!



Craig
 
With European diesel fuel prices being more than three times more expensive than in the USA, the temptation to use Red diesel (which has significantly reduced taxes) is much higher..... Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the red dye used to differentiate between regular and red diesel would leave some sort of footprint or residue in the fuel tank? So that even if you've just filled up with regular (full price) diesel and you've been stopped for a roadside check, when they dip the fuel tank, the Revenue Protection guys can detect minute traces of red diesel from before and there is no argument?



 
PPM

Red dyed fuel hangs around a longtime. The minimum PPM concentration is around 12-15 PPM. However they can detect it down to 1-2 PPM , this is very little and hard to detect with the naked eye. I am not sure what the minimum concentration for a ticket is and will check with the IRS man on his next visit. I am under the idea that ANY trace of red dye would be a ticket. I know of one guy who had to get a certificate from a jobber stating that he got dyed fuel by accident.
 
Re: Re: Checked for Off-Road Diesel Today

Originally posted by Steve G

Originally posted by ronco

No big deal, until "The Man" said, "Is this a diesel?



He had to ask???:rolleyes:

You should have just told him NO, "here's your sign":D



Steve



Pretty good Steve! " 'Tis better to be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt" So, I kepy my smart mouth shut and didn't have any problems!



csevers- I don't think I had a choice. Pull over, or bend over!



JohnMcIntyre- I have read other posts here that say you have to run maybe 4-5 tanks of fuel after the off-road stuff to eliminate the red dye.



Another thought. If I would have had an auxilliary tank in the bed that was not obvious (tool and fuel), I could have off-road in it and run a separate fuel line to the pumps with a valve to keep the off-road out of the original tank, the "revenuers" would not see red on the test stick when checking the factory tank.
 
It's just not worth taking the chance. A friend on mine here in MA had the Dept of Revenue walk into his office and say that they were there to check the fuel he uses in the trucks. He had one truck that was only used on site and a bunch of off road equipment. All the other trucks had clear fuel but this one. They hit him with a $25,000. 00 fine for 85 gallons of red fuel in a truck that was registerd. Now to me common sence says that since the truck had no lights, bad tires and pretty well beat that it was used only on site. DOR says it has a plate on it--too bad. So far he has spent 10000 apealing the fine.
 
Camara, I would think on a technicality, that since the vehicles were on private property and not public roads, they couldn't do anything about the fuel. I hope your friend comes out ahead!



ronco
 
I would think that they couldn't even come on his property to dip without a warrant.

If he gave them permission there goes that alibi...
 
think twice about running your aux. tank directly to your fuel pumps... . the return line from the injection pump still goes back to the main tank, therefore you'd still be getting red fuel into the stock tank... I think.



Josh
 
I firmly believe that I am overtaxed, over regulated and overburdened by the government and I work and vote to reduce that burden. I also pay what I owe. I find this ongoing conversation about dyed fuel interesting, would you discuss ways to cheat on your income taxes on a forum like this? It is tax time as we speak, do you guys agonize over cheating on your taxes? Because that's what you do when you buy dyed fuel. Just my take and no one has to listen to me but I find this constant whining about should I or shouldn't I run it tiring. If you do you are a tax cheat, period. If you can't afford to put fuel in your truck maybe you should get a second job, would you like fries with that? JTMcC
 
Ronco.

Glad you posted this. We also have the "revenue enforcement" guy in east central Alabama. About once a week he has a semi. pulled over. I have never seen him "stick" a pick-up.

I don't know what color my tank is on the inside but I'll bet it ain't RED. Although I'm guilty for thinking about running it.



-Snowracer69, Good point on the return line.

Tim
 
Last edited:
This is a potentially expensive game. I'd bet a person would have to run a huge amount of red fuel to make up for getting caught even once. To me it's not worth it however if you really feel the need to do this get the transfer valve from an old chevy that came with dual tanks (mid 80's I believe) that will switch the feed *and* return line from tank to tank. This will not address the issue of tailpipe testing though. I believe that the red dye can be detected in the soot on the tailpipe for some time after it is used also.



Mike
 
"
I agree with JT. It is just not worth it. I personally don't do it becaure I don't need the aggrevation. I do know people that do use red fuel. When the stuff hits the fan they will learn. And remember once they authorities find one thing they will return and if they look hard enough they can fin a bunch of things. In this case "DON'T DO IT!"
"I firmly believe that I am overtaxed, over regulated and overburdened by the government and I work and vote to reduce that burden. I also pay what I owe.







CJ
 
Originally posted by illflem

I would think that they couldn't even come on his property to dip without a warrant.

If he gave them permission there goes that alibi...



The revenuers hang out at the local refinery. A driver was telling me that as they were fueling up their trailers, the IRS was taking samples of the rigs tanks.

I said "That's private property, why dont the plant manager tell them to do it on the public street. "

He said the mamager dont want to *F* with these guys. :rolleyes:

Eric
 
My brother in law and I got stopped in our dumps one day here in PA. He was first. They wanted to stick his tank. He told them "you arent putting anything in my tank. If you want to check my fuel, take off the cap and look in with a flashlight. Its good fuel, you can see the bottom of the tank. Dont go sticking something in my tank that I dont know where it has been. " I thought we were headed to jail, after a little "discussion", they peeked in with their lights, and off we went. :rolleyes: I personally dont have the cahunas to do that. I think he got away with one that day.
 
Terminals

We have the IRS man show every month for sampleing of our red fuel sold. We have to give them free reign, they can go anywhere in the terminal. However any samples taken of our fuel taken by them, we will take one of the same and keep it for thirty days. Our IRS guy is a pretty nice guy, no personel grudges and very open about his job.
 
Back
Top