I checked out a commercial filling station in the area and noticed a fuel called "Red dyed diesel". Anyone know what that's about?

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-Mike

1987 300D (white/blue)
199k+ miles, July 2007
OM603 with #14 head
Powered by BioWillie's B99.9 Biodiesel @ Pearson Fuels

Red dyed fuel is untaxed. Getting caught with it in your tank (unlikely) could be a big problem. It's basically the same thing as HHF - home heating fuel. It will work fine in your car.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

It's highway diesel without $0.50 or so worth of road taxes per gallon.

EXTREME fine if you are caught with it in your tank.

I was told the fine if you are caught is $1k per gallon of tank capacity....

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Nah...I heard they whip you with hot chains if you're caught!

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Then your Merc is slowly destroyed while you are chained to a post.

What's the point of the red dyed diesel then?

Has anyone actually gotten in trouble and fined for using it? Is it equivalent to diesel #2? And does the dye stain or anything?

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-Mike

1987 300D (white/blue)
199k+ miles, July 2007
OM603 with #14 head
Powered by BioWillie's B99.9 Biodiesel @ Pearson Fuels

Red dyed Diesel is equivalent to #2 Heating Oil. The Red Dye is put into the Diesel for farmers and those of us that use equipment "off road", to indentify the fuel as such. Not using the roads and highways, thus there is no tax for our fuel for our equipment.

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1979 Mercedes 240D (Sold to a neighbor last year,now I have room for a new one,looking for a 300D this time)
1980 Mercedes 240D(bought for a parts car, but I have fun driving it!)

The point is that there are lots of tractors that run on diesel. Since they are not licensed to be driven on the roads they do not have to pay the road tax on the fuel they use. They can save the 50 cents per gallon. The dye is there so that the governments (State & Federal) can bust you if you use it in an on road vehicle. In the state of California the first offense is $1,000 for the state and $1,000 for the federal government. It's not worth the risk and it is wrong to use it in an on road vehicle.

-Jim

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1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

So why do all of the folks running WVO without paying road tax get “pardoned” by the forum gods for doing so as if it is not the same tpye of tax issue?

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1996 E300D
1996 E320 Wagon 4MATIC
2003 Jetta TDI- GLS, 5-spd
1997 Passat TDI
2002 F350 Crew cab 4x4 Powerstroke
Jacobsen HR 15' cut ZTR w/ 80 HP Perkins diesel
Hustler 6' front deck with 28HP Kubota diesel

You can use it in off road equipment, and in houses.

A lot of larger boats use it, saves the trouble of having to get the road tax back from the state.

I have never heard of them dipping the tank on a diesel car, they do check trucks though.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

It's illegal just the same. At least in CA, they have a form for you to file taxes on it.

I don't “pardon” the WVO users. If they choose to do it, that's their choice. They don't hurt me directly by doing it.

Who says that they are not paying the taxes? I will say that I have yet to figure out HOW to pay the taxes. The state just doesn't want to deal with the issue. They don't know what to tell you when you ask. You get lots of "I'll get back to you."

The red dye issue is very much cut and dry. The rules exist. The punishments exist. There is no grey area.

-Jim

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1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

If you do intend to run "Dyed Diesel"......you had better get some opaque primary fuel filters.....all a smart cop would have to do is open your hood and look.......no need to dip the tank!!!!

SB

I use "off road" (or at least used to, before Bio-) Diesel in my tractor.....basically it's the "old tyme" HS Diesel that these cars were designed to use.....more BTU/gallon, therefore better mpg....so then you can honestly say that your 300SD gets 30mpg......

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Make that about $1.00 in New York. I had to pay $3.39 yesterday but found it later the same day for $2.99. Gotta get the biodiesel processor going.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI