Red diesel
- Thread starter MofoKilla
- Start date
all diesel has some crap and water in it that is why you have fuel filter with a drain bung, which if removed will drain water and then the diesel sitting on top of it.I wouldn't stick it in my car, apparantly it's lower in Sulphur?? and can damage the engine,
It also tends to sit in ***** old tanks which gather condensation so you end up with water in the fuel.
This is coming from a Farmer
I have never once had my diesel tested in my truck, well, nearly, they tried only recently but were thwarted by my Scanias anti-syphon filler on the tanks.
Many moons ago, when I had only recently started driving trucks, on a particular agency job I was on, I could not understand why everybody used to queue for fuel yet one of the pumps was always free, me being clever, I used that one instead for my 300litre re-fuel.
They went nuts!, yes, I'd used the Red pump......
Many moons ago, when I had only recently started driving trucks, on a particular agency job I was on, I could not understand why everybody used to queue for fuel yet one of the pumps was always free, me being clever, I used that one instead for my 300litre re-fuel.
They went nuts!, yes, I'd used the Red pump......
Caporegime
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Associate
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No, there's a black market for this stuff for a very good reason.
Soldato
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My neighbours got done for this. They would openly sell 10 gallon containers from their garden shed. It was totally ridiculous as it was so blatantly obvious what was going on.
Took HMRC 18 months to act on it after their landlord found out on a spot check and reported them. The idiots kept doing knowing the landlord knew.
They got a hefty fine, one of their cars confiscated until the fine was paid and they now have regular spot checks.
I do remember a Range Rover being filled up and left in clouds of smoke so it did something not nice to the engine on that one. Knowing them though they probably had added something else to increase the volume.
Took HMRC 18 months to act on it after their landlord found out on a spot check and reported them. The idiots kept doing knowing the landlord knew.
They got a hefty fine, one of their cars confiscated until the fine was paid and they now have regular spot checks.
I do remember a Range Rover being filled up and left in clouds of smoke so it did something not nice to the engine on that one. Knowing them though they probably had added something else to increase the volume.
The main risk of using it from a farm or whatever is what condition is the storage tank, older metal types can often rust in places and let water into the mix.
Old tractors might be fine on fuel with containments in it, but your car is more susceptible to problems.
Red diesel is the same as normal diesel though afaik, just with a colour to it
Old tractors might be fine on fuel with containments in it, but your car is more susceptible to problems.
Red diesel is the same as normal diesel though afaik, just with a colour to it
Associate
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My old man deservedly got done for this about 15 years ago.
(only because a disgruntled former employee blabbed however)
They had rather a clever arrangement. The truck had it's usual 300 litre tank on the side half full of normal duty paid diesel, the fridge trailer he was pulling had a 1000 litre belly tank, because you were allowed to use red diesel in the diesel engine to run the fridge trailer.
My old man designed and made a setup which fed the engine directly from the trailer through a custom made suzy line (same colour & thickness as fog light suzy).
The problem of red diesel being returned to the normal tank was solved by having a custom made hidden return loop that returned excess fuel to the low pressure side of the pump and a one way check valve installed back to front in original return.
Dad was caught (fortunately for him only one vehicle) and ended up in court, paid the associated fines etc. He was lucky enough to have time for his other vehichles to have this arrangement removed and the filters replaced several times before they were too inspected.
Some years later he tasked me with nipping down to fuel merchants in my van (Petrol Escort) to get him some cherry for his fridge (yes all above board then/now).
Now I share both my first & last name with my old man. It seems that the merchants must be in touch with the authorities detailing who and quantities purchased as 2 days later I was pulled by C&E and told my vehicle would be dipped for cherry. When I said go ahead they opened the fuel flap (never caught a whiff of the petrol or wondered why it didn't sould like an old tractor) took a sample and was happy with that.
He then proceeded to tell me that they were going to remove the fuel filter and asked me to lift the bonnet. Imagine the blokes surprise when he saw 4 little spark plug leads smiling at him.
Made my day that did!
(only because a disgruntled former employee blabbed however)
They had rather a clever arrangement. The truck had it's usual 300 litre tank on the side half full of normal duty paid diesel, the fridge trailer he was pulling had a 1000 litre belly tank, because you were allowed to use red diesel in the diesel engine to run the fridge trailer.
My old man designed and made a setup which fed the engine directly from the trailer through a custom made suzy line (same colour & thickness as fog light suzy).
The problem of red diesel being returned to the normal tank was solved by having a custom made hidden return loop that returned excess fuel to the low pressure side of the pump and a one way check valve installed back to front in original return.
Dad was caught (fortunately for him only one vehicle) and ended up in court, paid the associated fines etc. He was lucky enough to have time for his other vehichles to have this arrangement removed and the filters replaced several times before they were too inspected.
Some years later he tasked me with nipping down to fuel merchants in my van (Petrol Escort) to get him some cherry for his fridge (yes all above board then/now).
Now I share both my first & last name with my old man. It seems that the merchants must be in touch with the authorities detailing who and quantities purchased as 2 days later I was pulled by C&E and told my vehicle would be dipped for cherry. When I said go ahead they opened the fuel flap (never caught a whiff of the petrol or wondered why it didn't sould like an old tractor) took a sample and was happy with that.
He then proceeded to tell me that they were going to remove the fuel filter and asked me to lift the bonnet. Imagine the blokes surprise when he saw 4 little spark plug leads smiling at him.
Made my day that did!
My old man deservedly got done for this about 15 years ago.
(only because a disgruntled former employee blabbed however)
They had rather a clever arrangement. The truck had it's usual 300 litre tank on the side half full of normal duty paid diesel, the fridge trailer he was pulling had a 1000 litre belly tank, because you were allowed to use red diesel in the diesel engine to run the fridge trailer.
My old man designed and made a setup which fed the engine directly from the trailer through a custom made suzy line (same colour & thickness as fog light suzy).
The problem of red diesel being returned to the normal tank was solved by having a custom made hidden return loop that returned excess fuel to the low pressure side of the pump and a one way check valve installed back to front in original return.
Dad was caught (fortunately for him only one vehicle) and ended up in court, paid the associated fines etc. He was lucky enough to have time for his other vehichles to have this arrangement removed and the filters replaced several times before they were too inspected.
Some years later he tasked me with nipping down to fuel merchants in my van (Petrol Escort) to get him some cherry for his fridge (yes all above board then/now).
Now I share both my first & last name with my old man. It seems that the merchants must be in touch with the authorities detailing who and quantities purchased as 2 days later I was pulled by C&E and told my vehicle would be dipped for cherry. When I said go ahead they opened the fuel flap (never caught a whiff of the petrol or wondered why it didn't sould like an old tractor) took a sample and was happy with that.
He then proceeded to tell me that they were going to remove the fuel filter and asked me to lift the bonnet. Imagine the blokes surprise when he saw 4 little spark plug leads smiling at him.
Made my day that did!
Your old min sounds like an operator of great repute! - not!
I wonder what VOSA (or the Ministry of Transport as it probably was back then) thought of a 1000litre tank no doubt expertly fitted to the trailer chassis? - not to mention the payload loss fue to the weight of the 1000litres of fuel & tank.
Had he been an operator of good repute - which you need to prove before a traffic comissioner in such events, I doubt he would have been afterwards.
I think he got off VERY lightly that it was inland revenue that got him, I doubt he'd have kept his operators licence had his vehicle been spot checked as opposed to the fuel.
I'd be interested to know what he says about that - call it professional curiosity.....!
Nice one re the Escort van though, reminds me of the time I was taken to a weighbridge, 4 times they asked me to back off & on again as the weight was way too low, on the 5th time I pointed out that my trailer was NOT loaded......
Last edited:
Associate
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Obviously this practice was ceased upon being caught. I believe following this there are now rules on how big a fuel tank you are allowed on a fridge trailer to make this "fiddle" impractical.
As for for his reputation. Yes it was damaged and he was very lucky with the punishment he recieved (this reputation has since been restored), as an example if your Avatar is to be taken as an indication of your employer he was a personal friend of the deceased former proprietor and up until his semi-retirement (3 years ago) regularly took on work from said organisation, and had no trouble in finding work elsewhere.
He did attract the attention of the authorities for a few years however. (regular vehicle inspections, frequent fuel dips, and frequent full vehicle x-rays when coming through Dover etc etc)
All his vehicles were before, during and since were well maintained and his reasoning behind this "heinous crime" was due to falling upon hard times.
Needless to say times were even harder after being caught (crime doesn't pay kids).
He still works today as an owner operator (but only when he wants to, I think he fears retirement will make him old) and despite the aforementioned infraction he was (and is) otherwise squeaky clean.
As for for his reputation. Yes it was damaged and he was very lucky with the punishment he recieved (this reputation has since been restored), as an example if your Avatar is to be taken as an indication of your employer he was a personal friend of the deceased former proprietor and up until his semi-retirement (3 years ago) regularly took on work from said organisation, and had no trouble in finding work elsewhere.
He did attract the attention of the authorities for a few years however. (regular vehicle inspections, frequent fuel dips, and frequent full vehicle x-rays when coming through Dover etc etc)
All his vehicles were before, during and since were well maintained and his reasoning behind this "heinous crime" was due to falling upon hard times.
Needless to say times were even harder after being caught (crime doesn't pay kids).
He still works today as an owner operator (but only when he wants to, I think he fears retirement will make him old) and despite the aforementioned infraction he was (and is) otherwise squeaky clean.
Associate
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No offence was taken.
He did the crime and paid the price.
I am merely sharing the story
He did the crime and paid the price.
I am merely sharing the story
Get a fuel oil heating tank installed in your garden, and call the local heating fuel company to come fill it.
Then hope the HMRC inspectors don't come and dip your tank
They'll fill it with Kerosene, not sure I'd fancy that in my cars tank.
No offence was taken.
He did the crime and paid the price.
I am merely sharing the story
None was ment, I am as subtle as, well, your average trucker...And I'm glad that you did share. - You can never get too much from the world of trucking in this forum....
/Collective sigh from the rest of the community....
i knew a guy who used to run a car on the red stuff. he used to fill a tank up at the petrol station and then transfer the stuff into he's car. the car was well over 10 years old.
i was under the impression that red diesel would not provide the same performance as normal diesel, as standard diesel has been refined.
i wouldnt pour red diesel into my BMW 525 tank, even if i could get hold of it.
might clog up the injectors or something.
i was under the impression that red diesel would not provide the same performance as normal diesel, as standard diesel has been refined.
i wouldnt pour red diesel into my BMW 525 tank, even if i could get hold of it.
might clog up the injectors or something.