KEROSENE K1 added to NO #2 FUEL

[radar doctor]

A Friend Said He Was Using This Mixture Above 50 /50..... what Say You Expert Tdr Members? ???the Friend Uses This In His Mercedes Diesel... i Guess The K1 Is A Bit Cheaper... doc

 

[Nate]

I know it's quite common to mix K1 with #2 in the winter time, as it helps keep the #2 from gelling up.



K1 is normally more expensive than #2 though. I found this via Google http://www.luckeyfarmers.com/price_at_the_pump.htm

 

[cruiser_2]

Diesel #2 is basically Kerosene (K-1). They blend addatives with the K1 to increase the cetane rating on the kerosene, which in turn raises the temperature that kerosene will gel. K-1 and Jet A fuel are one in the same the difference comes in the handling of the 2 different fuels.

Kerosene has a much lower temperature at which it gels ( hence they can use it up to 50,000 ft) after that there is Jet B which is used by the military and is essentially a 50/50 blend of K-1 Kerosene, and Gasoline which allows it to be used at even higher altitudes and has much better performance in turbine engines.



Clear Kerosene (K-1) produces less BTU's of heat than #2 Diesel. Therefore the performance is reduced so a mixture of kerosene and #2 diesel is less effective than plain Diesel #2. Diesel #1 or winterized #2 is usually a blend of K-1 and #2 diesel, along with some other addatives to prevent gelling. That is why fuel mileage usually drops some during the winter months. I usually find it changes fuel mileage by 0. 5 to 0. 75 mpg during the winter months.



aI had to learn all this stuff in Aviation Mechanics School. This is a simplification of the fuels though. What it boils down to is price right now. Kerosene will soon rise to levels of pricing that are more in line with #2 diesel. The biggest difference is that diesel is taxed for road use taxes and kerosene is taxed without the road tax... much the same as off road diesel.



In the Mercedes benz owners manual it states that you can add as much gasoline for a maxium of 5% mixture in winter. That useally means a gallon of gas to a tank of fuel in my 300D. (also a Mercedes Mechanic). Hopefully this may explain some of the differences in the various fuels.

 

[67guzzler]

Kerosene Lubricity -- It's terrible. If someone wants to run K-1 they need to blend it with biodiesel. Basically something to lubricate the injection pump. Biodiesel is best. I would not run Kersoene without biodiesel as an additive. #2 diesel doesn't add enough lubricity in my opinion.

 

[cruiser_2]

Depends on what type of vehicle you are running. A pre second gen vehicle would do well on Kero as the pump is lubricated by engine oil and needs no extra lube. Since the CTD is direct injected into the cylinder, ther is essentially no lubrication of the valves no matter what fuel you use. Mercedes can use kero as a fuel although it does tend to soot the prechamber and makes preformance really SUCK. The problem with 98. 5 and later injection pumps is that they have no other lubrication source other than the fuel they distribute.



Yes Jay you do need the added lubricity of Bio D. I am looking into producing bio for my own use, but still investigating the process. I have a MB 300d and my CTD that I could really some less expensive fuel in. Went to the fuel station and spent 89. 57 on 27. 1 gallons of fuel!!!



John

 

[67guzzler]

Good info! I assumed that K-1 might be problematic for most diesels but I guess that's not the case.



Regarding BIO -- I'd really like to learn more about blending WVO / SVO instead transesterification.



There are claims that by blending gasoline, #2 diesel along with a conditioner / cetane booster you can get extra burn to handle the glycerine without coking or cylinder / ring damage.



That's the logic with the Diesel Secret Energy method among others.



I'd like to know if it's actually the case tho... ...

 

[radar doctor]

Thank you Cruiser for the info... i see diesel in KS today is 2. 59 a gallon for # 2..... its come down from 3. 49..... wonder if a fellow put a qt of motor oil in with the no 1 or no 2 would that lubercate the pump...

 

[rweis]

2 cycle oil is designed to burn ashless. There is a TDR member that uses 2 cycle oil as his lubrication additive and has like 200k on it. I would have to search to find his ratio of oil to #2. IF K-1 then that ratio would need to be higher I would think.



Bob Weis