Red Fuel

[JWChessell]

How long does the "red" in red diesel stay in your fuel system? If you run a tank of red and then switch back to regular fuel, how long will the red show up in either 1) the tank or 2) the rest of the fuel system -- fuel lines, fuel pump, injectors, etc. ?

 

[GOlsen]

I've heard it takes 2-3 tank fulls that will keep it from showing up.

 

[Eric_77]

I was running real low on fuel making a delivery to a farm the farmer gave me about 5 gallons out of his tank for tractor. When my fuel pump was replaced about 1500 miles later the tech mentioned the red dye.

 

[RogersM]

Its more than that... Red fuel doesn't have any state or federal tax. Federal tax on diesel is 24. 4 cents/gal and for North Dakota the state tax is 23 cents/gal, so for me it would be 47. 4 cents/gal cheaper to run red.



As far as the fine, I'm sure it varies between states, but since there is a large economic incentive to run red, you can bet the fine is really nasty.

I stand corrected... thanks... I'll check my local station to see exactly what it is here in No. Cal.



Mark

 

[DPKetchum]

I run it in my tractor smetimes. It has a glass fuel bowl. Run it low on fuel,fill it with normal road fuel after its been run awhile no signs of any red in bowl or filter. Swap back and the red shows up after running it a while. Wonder what in the fuel pump or tank that would stay dyed red?

 

[GOlsen]

I think it tends to stay in your tank for a couple tank fulls mostly because you never really empty your tank. There's always still some in there when you fill up.

 

[starkmr]

I think it is probably a rural issue where you have a large farming community.



I've been checked on back roads in AZ. They set up on the outskirts of town and pull over diesel powered vehicles as the come through. I missed one last year when I saw them set up as I came into town, I left town by another route so didn't get dipped. I don't run red, but I still believe that they need a justifiable reason to interrupt my day.

 

[DBond]

I will probably get flamed for this but lets be fair, those fuel taxes pay for building and maintaning the roads we drive on. That is why off road fuel is for off road use. Sure when fuel prices spike that red dye price looks tempting, but I don't what the roads to get any worse, so I play fair and pay the roads I use.

 

[DPKetchum]

My friend who got checked in Kentucky was right after Katrina hit. Might have had something to do with it.

 

[FLynes]

I forget which state I was in, but I was on my home from AZ... . might have been Texas, Arkansas or Tennessee... . anyway, I was talking to a trucker at a truck stop and was asking him about the red dye diesel, and he told me that in that state, if you get caught pumping it into your vehicle, not only are you fined $10,000, the attendant on duty is fined $10,000 and the fueling station is fined $10,000. That seems a bit much to me.

 

[LWorthington]

Few years ago inspectors showed up at a few local farms that had recently had red fuel delivered to their farms by the local fuel supplier for the tractors. The inspector (unknown what agency) asked to inspect the farmers pickup for red fuel, the wife was home and refused the inspection automatic 1000 bucks. The inspector told her it was 1000 dollars for the refusal or 1000 for every vehicle registered to the road that contained the red fuel. This was in california about five years back, not sure how it is other places but i know they ask lots of questions when you order red fuel deliveries.

 

[DJW]

What a coincidence, some years ago I went to a gas station next to the freeway to fill a can with 2 gallons or so with diesel for our small Kubota farm tractor. Not wanting to occupy a pump space just to fill a can I found a pump with a sign that read off road diesel. It had a chain and lock on the handle, obviously not part of the original equipment. I went to the cash register for the key and was told, an attendent would have to unlock it, plus I would have to show identification to purchase it. For just a few gallons I thought it just not worth the trouble so used the regular diesel pump. This was in Santa Rosa, CA. perhaps they had been stung.

 

[dkoldno7]

Sorry no red fuel DYE in ALASKA areo fuel is red dye, too risky for a mix up so says goverment. (Feds) you guys might want to check it out.









DKOLDNO7





89 PURE STOCK 170,000

2002 26,000 BD TRANY UP DATE

 

[skipro3]

I will probably get flamed for this but lets be fair, those fuel taxes pay for building and maintaning the roads we drive on. That is why off road fuel is for off road use. Sure when fuel prices spike that red dye price looks tempting, but I don't what the roads to get any worse, so I play fair and pay the roads I use.

This isn't a flame, but here goes anyway;

Those taxes were meant for the large, freight hauling diesels. The tax is to offset the huge damage these trucks do to our highway system. It wasn't possible to figure out how to seperate the large trucks from the family pickup trucks at the pump. Hence, we get to pay the tax too. That's not right and that's not fair.

 

[skipro3]

Sorry no red fuel DYE in ALASKA areo fuel is red dye, too risky for a mix up so says goverment. (Feds) you guys might want to check it out.

Areo fuel is dyed blue. In the old days diesel was dyed blue. When the mixups started happening with avgas, the switch was made to red.



This quote is from the Chevron website:

"Originally, the EPA's low sulfur diesel regulations required the addition of blue dye to noncomplying high sulfur (>0. 05% mass) fuels. But after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expressed concerns that blue-dyed diesel fuel might be confused with the most common aviation gasoline, which already was being dyed blue, the EPA changed the dye from blue to red. "

 

[skipro3]

Few years ago inspectors showed up at a few local farms that had recently had red fuel delivered to their farms by the local fuel supplier for the tractors. The inspector (unknown what agency) asked to inspect the farmers pickup for red fuel, the wife was home and refused the inspection automatic 1000 bucks. The inspector told her it was 1000 dollars for the refusal or 1000 for every vehicle registered to the road that contained the red fuel. This was in california about five years back, not sure how it is other places but i know they ask lots of questions when you order red fuel deliveries.

Totally bogus. If the truck was on the farm and not on the highway, then who's to say it wasn't a farm vehicle. Plenty of trucks like that in my neck of the woods. Now, if you had said the inspector sat off the property and stopped the truck the minute it's wheels touched a public road, then I might fall for this story.



speaking of which; why couldn't a farmer declair his truck a farm vehicle, put a reflective triangle on it, and not only use red dye diesel, but also quit registering it as well?

 

[bighammer]

I moved this thread here. It's not just a 3rd gen thing.


Here in MI I have heard of trucks at auctions getting dipped, but never saw it.

 

[DBond]

This isn't a flame, but here goes anyway;

Those taxes were meant for the large, freight hauling diesels. The tax is to offset the huge damage these trucks do to our highway system. It wasn't possible to figure out how to seperate the large trucks from the family pickup trucks at the pump. Hence, we get to pay the tax too. That's not right and that's not fair.

That is a good point about the semi's which would do more damage than a pickup. I don't know, but the semi's might pay additional fees such as licensing in addition to fuel taxes. In AZ I believe the state tax is higher on heavy trucks (>26,000 lbs I think)

But if we compare to a gas pickup, the CTD should get about 35% better mpg. The federal excise tax is 18. 4 cents for gasoline, 24. 4 cents for diesel fuel. That's 32% higher on the diesel, but when you figure the mpg difference it is about the same federal tax per mile, for 2 vehicles that are the same execpt the engine. So paying the tax is a lot closer to fair than not paying any tax.

 

[d90boy]

speaking of which; why couldn't a farmer declair his truck a farm vehicle, put a reflective triangle on it, and not only use red dye diesel, but also quit registering it as well?

I'm kind of in this grey area right now with my Unimog. I got it from a municipality that never registered or titled it from new. Why would they, since it was only used on city grounds. I could get a title for it here in Missouri I'm sure but haven't yet. I classify a Unimog as a high speed tractor, unless it's a UGN/U500. So I've been driving it around with no tags and have on occasion put red fuel in it. I've never been stopped for no tags and carry full coverage insurance on it for road use though. If and when I ever get pulled over I think I can make a good case.

 

[RustyJC]

This isn't a flame, but here goes anyway;

Those taxes were meant for the large, freight hauling diesels. The tax is to offset the huge damage these trucks do to our highway system. It wasn't possible to figure out how to seperate the large trucks from the family pickup trucks at the pump. Hence, we get to pay the tax too. That's not right and that's not fair.

No, the taxes were meant for every vehicle that uses the roadways. The more fuel you use, the more tax you pay. That automatically corrects for the size/weight of the vehicle. There are federal and state fuel taxes on gasoline as well, so even when I'm riding my motorcycle, I'm paying for the construction and upkeep of the roadways that I use.



As far as I'm concerned, this user tax system is the fairest way to fund highway construction and maintenance - those who use the roads pay according to how much and how hard they use them as a function of total fuel usage.



Rusty