Kerosene (Heating Oil) in a tractor?

[CharlieB]

Our oil boiler died soon after we'd filled the tank. I'm very pleased to say we've now replaced it with a HP. I now have over 1000 litres of fuel oil sitting in a tank, though. We could theoretically sell it to someone who would take it in ibcs but i somehow doubt we'd get much for it that way.

A few people have said it should be ok in a tractor. Tinternet seems to say 'don't risk it'. Has anyone on here got actual experience of using it in a diesel engine?

[Krill]

Not advice: All hydrocarbon fuels are altered throughout the year and the market they are sold in, they are all mixtures.

Not exactly an issue to fill a 40 litre tank to the 35 litre mark, and then add two litres of Kerosene. Admittedly, this is not a quick way to get rid of 1000 litres of Kerosene...

[Countrypaul]

There are two basic types of home heating oil, 28second (kerosene) and 35 second.The latter is much more similar to diesel. Most home oil boilers use 28second but you do not actually say which it is - fuel oil is a very generic term.

I found it easier to use 205 gallon drums when I managed to acquire the contents of an oil boiler storage tank where they had convered to gas. I could move a 205 around fairly easily and since my storage tank was not easy for vehicular access it made things simpler. We have since moved house and have an ASHP.

[Thebeeman]

At current Kerosene prices, 72p to 80p down here in the SW, I'd be looking for a willing buyer with a suitable pump and empty oil drums. The loss on the oil will probably be less than a tractor engine repair.

[Tinbum]

I've used 28 second oil in engines before without a problem but depends on the engine.

As I understand it 28 and 35 second oil doesn't have lubricants in it e.g. for the injector pump. Red diesel (gas oil) and white diesel (derv) do.

[Adokforme]

I had an acquaintence who used the fuel from his central heating system for running his cars on. Admittedly it required mixing with vegetable oil at a ratio of 4:1, one part veg oil, without problem for years. I think it must have been a well known ruse locally as it soon disappeared from supermarket shelves whenever fresh stocks arrived.
According to him it was quite legal providing you kept a log of all fuel consumed during the course of the year then submitted to HMRC afterwards.
I never got round to asking whether the latter part was ever carried out.

Never tried it personally, but he swore by it!

[Gareth J]

It's different. The main relevant difference is diesel has much better lubricity. So, by swapping it out, whatever portion you displace from the diesel, will affect the wear of components negatively. As mentioned, a bit on a full tank; meh.

The more modern the machine the more vulnerable it will be. HP common rail fuel pumps in particular.

Technically there is a difference in duty rate between red diesel and kero too, though it's a small difference, you should know it's potentially an HMRC issue to use kero in a tractor.

If off the gas grid, I'd be asking neighbours and offering to top off their tank for them. If you've got a tractor, pump and IBC, you can do all the legwork and save them 10% or whatever, everyone is a winner.

Edit; if your tractor is ancient enough to be able to run on petrol/TVO, you can use it up in that. There's a mix, with petrol and kero, that's supporsed to be good.

[Joeboy]

I wouldn't go beyond a 10% mix and only if as Gareth said its an.older tractor. I ran the 1996 2.5D Bongo on a 70/30 split veg oil with no worries apart from waxes in the fuel filter.

Try advertising for sale on gumtree?

[Kommando]

It's the fuel pump that determines if you can use kerosene, the older the pump the more likely it can be used. Modern fuel pumps require a level of oil content to lubricate them which diesel provides. You can get away with either mixing it in with diesel or adding cheap hydraulic oil. At current heating oil prices it's best to sell it locally.

[openspaceman]

Gas oil, red diesel and 35 sec heating oil are the same thing as DERV but with the dye and possibly other marker added. Kerosene and 28 sec heating oil are lighter fractions and ignite more easily, I wouldn't have any qualms about using up to 30% in a direct injection diesel tractor. Better still give it to a military vehicle enthusiast with a K60 or L60 multifuel engine which are designed to burn anything from gasoil through avtur to 85 octane petrol (rather poorly).

Common rail diesel would be too risky for me to try.

TVO was something between low octane petrol and old fashioned esso blue paraffin. Enthusiasts try and replicate it by mixing but it is not the same as the cut from the refinery which was not a blend but a particular fraction.