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-   -   Is This Car Using Dyed Diesel? (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/153629-car-using-dyed-diesel.html)

Rich300TDMBZ 05-19-2006 02:18 PM

Is This Car Using Dyed Diesel?
 
I was looking at the photos of this 1987 Mercedes 300TD for sale on Ebay, and noticed that in the picture of the engine compartment the clear fuel filter contains diesel that is red in color. I know the diesel I put in my tank has a greenish yellow color. Is this car using dyed diesel, or is there some additives out there that can turn diesel reddish when added to it? Just curious.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4640532054&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

boneheaddoctor 05-19-2006 02:19 PM

either that or he's putting trans fluid in the tank....

GeneralStark 05-19-2006 02:21 PM

Sometimes Veggie Oil based fuels or blends of petroleum and veg. oil can appear reddish in color in the prefilter.

But, yes it is most likely dyed fuel. I would never do such a thing in my car, but my friend's prefilter looked just like that when he was using dyed fuel.

reinier 05-19-2006 02:56 PM

Here in the Netherlands (and other countries in Europe) we have 2 types of diesel: normal and red diesel.

The red diesel is exacltly the same as the normal one, but with some 'dye'.
Why? Because the red diesel is very cheap (no tax on it) because it may only be used in farmer vehicles (john deere etc.).

Its off course illegal to use this red diesel in your normal car, and sometimes the customs check (at borders for instance) all diesel cars that come by.
They take a sample out of your tank, using the filling hole.

They say that you can see long after you used red diesel that you did.

First time offenders pay a small fine, couple of hundred euros, second or third time much more.

Know some people who use this red diesel, never been caught, and various vehicles run very well on them, no difference at all with normal fuel.

WVO is very uncommon over here, because its also illigal, and not cheaper (plus you have to make some modifications i believe?)

A couple of years ago there was discovered a big scam in Belgium. Some guy made some stuff to throw by red diesel, and the red color would go away.
He changed thousands of litres, and made a small fortune.

You can get red diesel at some pumps near farms, but they wont let you fill your car with it.
You can take it with you in jerry cans.

Craig 05-19-2006 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reinier
Here in the Netherlands (and other countries in Europe) we have 2 types of diesel: normal and red diesel.

We have the same deal in the US, but it seems to be mostly big trucks that are checked.

Old Deis 05-19-2006 03:24 PM

He is probably running un taxed diesel for the off road market. If you get caught with that in your tank you get a hefty fine. I read where a pickup diesel got splattered on the road, State Patrol noted red diesel fuel and the owner was issued a $10,000 fine.
May be lower where you are, but fuel taxes are both federal and state, so one is likely to get caught on both ends at the same time. :eek:

Rick Miley 05-19-2006 04:16 PM

No, that is not red fuel. That is the inner plastic cage that support the filter mesh. The filters I recently got from fastlane look like that.

reinier 05-20-2006 05:27 AM

Aha, ok, didn't know that was also the case in the US.

And running on WVO, isn't that illegal in the US?
It is over here, because you run on a fuel and you didn't pay tax.

Ara T. 05-20-2006 05:43 AM

Rick is correct, that is just how the fuel filter looks. THey are clear and the internals are red.

mespe 05-20-2006 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.
Rick is correct, that is just how the fuel filter looks. THey are clear and the internals are red.

Off all the stupid things to do,,, make a diesel's filter red so as to confuse law enforcement officers.

Wes Bender 05-20-2006 10:03 AM

I solved the problem by hitching a plow to the back of the 300D.


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