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It is funny to read some of the comments below but here goes. Years ago we had only High Sulfur Diesel. Call it #2 diesel; #2 fuel oil or what ever you want it is all the same. It was all sold clear; and red dye was added by the fuel jobber if it was no tax (off road) and the proper paper work was filled out. This fuel is mandated at less than 5000 ppm sulfur but usually runs at about 3500 ppm. With clean air acts the EPA mandated the use of Low Sulfur diesel for all on road use. It is regulated at less than 500 ppm of sulfur but runs about 350 ppm most times.
The EPA allowed high sulfur to still be used but only for off road use so it is always dyed red. Since tanks are very expensive most jobbers and some manufactures only stock one kind. Since low sulfur can be used for on road (clear) and off road (dyed red) this is the one they have. Some big jobbers do have different tanks so they can stock high sulfur because the price is a few cents cheaper and their sales can justify the extra tank. Now we jump to June 1 2006 when we start phasing in Ultra Low sulfur diesel. Mandated to be less than 15 ppm sulfur. This will be your new on road diesel. The EPA should follow through and do away with High sulfur diesel and mandate Low sulfur for off road use. The more sulfur you take out the fuel the more it cost because of increased refining. It also reduces emissions into the air and contaminates into your engine oil from blow by. The lower sulfur diesel has less lube ability. Modern engines take this into account but older engines do better on high sulfur because the fuel pumps are lubed by the fuel running through them.
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