Diesel fuel question

chas036 · Aug 19, 2020

I have a JD 720 Diesel and I was wondering if I can use my fuel oil from my home heating system in that tractor without causing any major problems with the engine. My heating fuel oil is a 50/50 blend of kerosene and #2 fuel oil.

Tony in SD · Aug 19, 2020

Short answer is yes. Longer answer kerosene is drier than #2 Which probably lowers the lubricity of the fuel. Which may cause ware on the injector pump. You can add some diesel fuel lubricant. I would go to a diesel shop To buy their recommended product.

bradley martin · Aug 19, 2020

Furnace oil and #2 diesel fuel are the same product. "Stove oil" is the equivalent of #1 diesel. So you will have no issue using fuel from your home heating system in your tractor(s).

Farmer Rock · Aug 19, 2020

You really should run more than 40% kerosene,but that is just for every once in a while.that is to much on a regular basis.if you want to clean out the fuel system,that is the best way to do it,but not to run long term.

paul · Aug 19, 2020

That would be a great fuel to use in winter on your tractor. In a cold climate.

In summer it will be lower power, drier fuel which makes more heat and less power. If you are driving in a parade or moving wagons around with not so much hard work it will work great in summer, if you are plowing on the back forty for 8 hours straight it would be best to have less than 20% To very little kero in your mix for really hard working in hot summer.

So, yes you can, in some cases it would be better in some cases it would be not as good as straight #2.

used red MN · Aug 19, 2020

I remembered someone posting about running a generator with a 720 and wanting to use home heating fuel if needed. Sure enough searched your past posts and yep it was you, see link. There is probably something to what Farmer Rock is saying, my shoot from the hip suggestion would be fill up the tractor tank with it and dump in a half quart of automatic trans fluid, cheapest you can find and run it. Walmart even carries a 30W nondetergent oil in their Super Tech brand, probably work just as good. Just as long as you have something in there to lube the old two banger injection pump a little it will be fine.
Earlier post, likely related topic

1948CaseVAI · Aug 19, 2020

As mentioned, your home heating fuel is not kerosene, it is diesel.

john in la · Aug 19, 2020

I’m going with a 50/50 mix is to strong. Not enough lube.

Mix your stuff 50/50 with some number 2 diesel to bring the consecration down some and have at it.

timcasbolt · Aug 19, 2020

(quoted from post at 12:59:23 08/19/20) I remembered someone posting about running a generator with a 720 and wanting to use home heating fuel if needed. Sure enough searched your past posts and yep it was you, see link. There is probably something to what Farmer Rock is saying, my shoot from the hip suggestion would be fill up the tractor tank with it and dump in a half quart of [b:df4375a2a3]automatic trans fluid[/b:df4375a2a3], cheapest you can find and run it. Walmart even carries a 30W nondetergent oil in their Super Tech brand, probably work just as good. Just as long as you have something in there to lube the old two banger injection pump a little it will be fine.
Earlier post, likely related topic

onsidering the friction modifiers in modern trans fluid, I can't imagine that would be a good idea.

MarkB_MI · Aug 19, 2020

Do you really need the 50/50 mix in your furnace? Most oil furnaces are designed to use #2, and you can use additives to prevent gelling in sub-zero temps. Straight #2 is cheaper, has more energy and would be easier on your tractor than a mix. Or maybe switch to, say 30/70.

Russ from MN · Aug 19, 2020

Are you sure you have kerosene? It's really expensive and unnecessary unless your at the north pole! If your tank is outside straight no 1 should be fine. And no, I wouldn't put it in my tractor!

jal-SD · Aug 19, 2020

In our part of the world it wouldn't be uncommon for a 50/50 mix if the tank was an outdoor tank. #2 gets a little reluctant to flow when the outdoor temperature gets down near zero and almost becomes like thick molasses. Just ask any southern truck driver w/o a fuel tank heater in his 200 gallon saddle tank that he filled before he left Arkansas & never used any out of it before he got to ND in February. It will be a good winter blend for the 720 & probably won't hurt it in summertime either, but you may notice a power loss.

moresmoke · Aug 19, 2020

Up here in the north land, many suppliers refuse to fill and outdoor tank with straight #2. They dont want to be blamed for it gelling up.

I could safely run my furnace with #2 and a bit of additive as the filter is by the furnace 20 ft into the basement. But no one around would fill the tank with it.

4play · Aug 19, 2020

Kerosene burns cooler, therefore it produces less energy. It does not contain lubrication additives that are added to diesel. I would use it with no concerns, but probably consider a lubricity additive, it wouldn't take much since it's already 50% of #2.

MarkB_MI · Aug 20, 2020

Here in SE Michigan, straight #2 with anti-gelling additive is standard. We have an unoccupied house with a fuel oil furnace that only uses a couple of hundred gallons of fuel per season; I've found that the fuel tends to gel if it's left over from the previous winter. Adding a quart of anti-gelling additive to the leftover fuel each fall seems to protect the old fuel from gelling. But it seldom gets below -20F here; further north I can understand why a mix is desirable.

timcasbolt · Aug 20, 2020

(quoted from post at 13:04:08 08/19/20) As mentioned, your home heating fuel is not kerosene, it is diesel.

re you saying that home heating oil has 15 ppm of sulpher?

Diesel fuel question

chas036

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Tony in SD

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bradley martin

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Farmer Rock

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paul

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used red MN

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1948CaseVAI

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john in la

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timcasbolt

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MarkB_MI

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Russ from MN

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jal-SD

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moresmoke

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4play

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MarkB_MI

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timcasbolt

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