Various fuels diesel engines can run on.

[nivaman]

Am curious to see what fuels people have run in their diesel engines.
I have read of people using used motor oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, dielectric fluid,mineral oil with no problems, would have thought if the viscosity is similar to diesel it shouldn't be to much of a problem provided it is filtered?.
I would have also thought the early (non direct injection) diesels would cope a bit better with different fuels.
Thoughts and comments please.

[Ray_Jnr]

wvo is the easiest to get hold of.

from experience they do run on used engine oil but that will give off carsnogenic fumes and it blocks your fuel filter pretty sharp ish.

hidraulic oil works brilliantly as a derv supliment its thin and burns very clean.

[UK_Andy]

what about heating oil?

[normalbloke]

I can confirm that Jet A1 works well in a Merc Smart CDi for 80k/km+.Allegedly of course.

[Nathaniel]

Be aware that Using fuel or fuel subsitutes that have NOT had duty paid in motor vehicles is illegal. (Exemption is oils or animal fats from an organic source. 2500l a year is allowed)

Yes, even if you're at a pay and play day in your wreck of a 4x4 - you're not allowed to run Red diesel...


However Most oils will run in Diesel engines.
Some can damage the injection pump by being too thick or having too little lubrication.
Some can damage the engine by turning to plastic on the piston rings and injector nozzles.

In the arctic they often run on White spirit mixed with engine oil to lubricate the pump and injectors.

Paraffin and Kerosene run well but benefit from extra lubricant.
Hydraulic oils (most types) run very very well, very clean.
Vegetable oils - Olive oil, grape oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, soya oil, rapeseed oil all work very well.
Your diesel engine will run on Animal fats, Lard and lamb SPAM will work - provided you keep it warm and runny!

Used engine oil does burn ok, but can leave excess carbon behind, there was also talk of minute particals of metals dmaging the pump and injectors, as well as heavy metals and poisionous gas emissions - I don't know how true this is.
New engine oil runs ok apparently, however there is no cost benefits!

[parrotveasey81]

do a google search for black diesel as the yanks love it

[normalbloke]

[quote="Nathaniel"

Yes, even if you're at a pay and play day in your wreck of a 4x4 - you're not allowed to run Red diesel...



[/quote]

Care to explain where the law says you cannot do this?

[crazymac]

[normalbloke]

[scut44]

I tow around the country leisure & working 'boats'/sea craft' from time to time for various owners.

The 'Boats' never touch the 'tarmac' yet we have enough problems buying 'Red' now.
Rebated fuels have there restrictions.
(Just try pulling into a station that sells 'red diesel'/'marine fuel' with a container/vehicle or boat on a trailer & try to purchase the rebated fuel, you have to provide ID.)

HRMC are very clear on who can buy & use rebated fuels for which commercial activities
& leisure craft & leisure driving offroad fall into the same category.

Because you are not liable to be caught doesnt make it legal, but the HRMC do dip tanks in estate vehicles which are not road legal or even registered, if they do a farm raid they dont do half measures.

Now running LPG from 'Grain Driers' etc has no markers in them.
& makes for a cheap fuel at around 37 pence a litre.
(but still illegal to fill your road vehicle up with)
george


.

[mogmaner]

transformer oil works well ,my prima powerd geny loves it.

[N.R.G97]

vw and pug , merc engines run on veg oil as long as its been filtered without any conversion, you do need to change the filters more often and in the cold they dont like starting, you can just add a litle bit of parafin or deisil in the mix it will run fine, my dads put 30,000 miles on his since he started running his SPAM on it BUT landrover engines dont like it much and need a conversion

[terence]

[normalbloke]

Don't forget people, if you read it on the internerd, it HAS to be true....

[nivaman]

Here in NZ we run straight diesel, no marking dyes.
We pay road user charges
http://www.vtnz.co.nz/n23,5.html
For my Niva when i convert to diesel will cost me NZ$39 per 1000 kms, we pay this no matter if we run on diesel or other substances, diesel here is not taxed at the pump like petrol.
I like the idea of running transformer oil or ATF if i can find a supply cheap enough (diesel costs NZ$1.21 per liter vs petrol NZ$1.88 95 octane), one of the reasons i am converting to diesel is the ability to run other fuels and it works out cheaper to run in diesel format than petrol.
The only problem is higher costs with servicing the diesel, luckily i can service my own vehicle so i save on labor costs.

[nivaman]

Found this on the local paper
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/queenstown/10574...fuelling-facility

[ivorbiggin]

Im told that if you filter heating oil through "Fullers earth" it will remove all traces of the red marker dye. Not that i have ever tried it.

Ivor

[Ray_Jnr]

[nivaman]

Dang, always something to get in the way.
We don't have marker dye here in NZ but we do have the equivalent of off road diesel, it is used in fishing boats and tax is not paid on it (i think?).

[scut44]

Funnily enough in the UK & Ireland HRMC & the Irish equivalent are very clued up on 'Fullers Earth' & every other filter substance & dodge
& they have been for many decades.
after all VAT is paid on it, (the filter substance being bought from any legitimate source)
& in any quantity 'aggregate tax' is payable in the UK.
(trying to buy on the black market is even more easily risky/traceable)

so identifying buyers is as simple as how they identify buyers of quantities of Fertiliser, sugar,panel wash/degreaser, drain cleaner,hair bleach,chapati flour, patio heater gas bottles etc.
They are looking for similar people that might buy balaclava's in bulk.

(i must remember to be careful when buying 20kg of tate & lyle for my seasons jam, that when boiling it up, the back door might get kicked in )

Then they come knocking with a big key.
Well actually they dont knock.

They do shout 'knock' knock' down their radios tho in the dramatised versions on Sky 3.
george


.

[nivaman]