#2 Diesel vs. Home heating oil...
 

If I may venture into this subject, what are the differences in these two fuels and how does heating oil impact a low-pressure Indirect Injection (IDI) Engine as far as performance and reliability? Is the lubricity of heating oil safe to run in low pressure engines? What else besides gelling would Stanadyne's All-Season Additive help with when used with heating oil, when used in a 4-season environment?

specifically for use in an '82 300D... I would never even think of running it in my '97 E300... Anyone have some more input?

There is virtually no difference. The home heating oil will lack the antigel additives so you would need to add them for winter use. Heating oil is dyed since there is no road tax paid on it. Getting caught using it will be very expensive. That said, I would find it extremely unlikely that they will test a MB. Mostly trucks, commercial vehicles get tested during routine stops/weigh stations, etc. Likely your 97 would be fine on it. My buddy's dad in high school had an extra large oil tank for the house in his garage. He fueled all his cars this way back in the mid-80's and never had any problem or got caught. RT

from another forum post someone had replied that the heating oil is one step below diesel for cleanliness. Deterioration of the injection pump in my '97 is my main concern.

If I may ask, what anti-gel product was used in the external large tank.

home heating oil can contain far more potentially damaging particles and sulphur than #2 diesel.my advice if your looking to save on fuel costs look into biodiesel

If you hang around the docks here you will see plenty of Heating Oil retailers that also service the pleasure and fishing fleets. It is run in old Detroits right up to the newest hi-po Cats, Cummins and Yanmars without issue. Granted most boats have HUGE filters to take care of particulates/water/algae the chemical composition of the fuel is not an issue. RT

Heating oil furnances have sensitive nozzles ("injectors") as well, I think it's the same stuff except for the red dye.. it should be clean. I even think it has anti-gel added because alot of peoples tanks are outside.

Any chemists on the board? Maybe someone could develop a formula that is an "antidote" for the dye? It is my understanding that not only does it change color, it shows up under blacklight so they can even see traces if you don't use it all the time? Maybe thats just a rumor? RT

I'm certainly not a chemist but I have taken several chemistry classes. You would have to know what the dye was and find something that it would react with to form a precipate..... a solid that would fall out or could be filtered out. The dye is most likely fairly stable and won't react with anything... or need to be heated to react which wouldn't be a good idea with all the Diesel there. Plus if there was something that the dye would react with it would have to be in excess meaning some would be left over...(fuel system problems?). All that being said I'm sure if it was possible someone would most likely have done it by now.... the $ saved on even a small trash pick-up service would be enormous.

Oh, I would imagine that anyone caught doing something of this nature would have more to look forward to than just fine.

Dyed offroad & home heating fuel
 

Sorry folks, but the dye is there to stay!
Another problem, It takes several tanks of fuel to remove all of the dye from fuel system:eek:
Plus we have IRS diesel cops around here, if it smokes and clatters, pull in to give your sample:mad:
Fines run in the $20.00 per gallon capacity range.
As another thread pointed out, in Great Britain I think it was, they will probably want you to pay road tax on home made biodiesel:p
Jeff

They may want you to pay road tax on homemade biodiesel but there is no way for them to know if you are using it. Keep your mouth shut about it and you won't have any problems. RT

If they have a nose they can tell...... but they would have to be having a bad day or just be a jerk to make a big deal about one little car. (IRS guys that are jerks..... hmmm.):D

8 or 10 years ago I took a prep course for the professional engineer test. The instructor was a senior engineer at Stanadyne. He told me that the difference was that home heating oil has SLIGHTLY less heat capacity, a little more ash content and more sulphur content. Also, he said that with the new low-sulphur regs on diesel coming out (remember this was a while ago), he said that the lubricity of pump diesel was going to plummet while HHO would have much more lubricity. He said that the lower lubricity would have a deleterious effect on injection pumps, but especially pumps that use a flat cam, like some Bosch pumps.

Thank You guys for the informative responses.

As a newbie to diesel, what is the significance of sulphur within the fuel? I've taken a few chemistry classes in college so if anyone has more a a molecular exxplantion I'll be glad to hear it. Is sulphur the primary component with results in the visible soot and carbon buildup in our intakes?

What other soluble solutions make up diesel fuel?

If your worried about your injectors, add a bottle of DFC, otherwise, buy premium diesels....