Red Diesel

[Turkster]

Whats the differance from normal diesel you buy at the petrol station and Red diesel that is used in farmers tracktors?

would it do any harm to use it in a passat 130 pd engine?

[chrisvrscrx]

As far as I know there is no difference apart from the red dye, before I got my Passat I had a fabia Vrs 130 bhp and I used red diesel (cherry ade I used to call it) for about 25,000 miles the only thing I noticed was a bit more smoke other than that it was fine.

[scottiek]

Just remember if you ever got your tank dipped with red diesel in it you could get your car seized. Seen it happen a couple of times.

[oaktreegarage]

As far as I know there is no difference apart from the red dye, before I got my Passat I had a fabia Vrs 130 bhp and I used red diesel (cherry ade I used to call it) for about 25,000 miles the only thing I noticed was a bit more smoke other than that it was fine.

Same stuff only with a dye added to alert customs and excise of its usage/place of origin,smoke is usualy attributed to the drums its transported in (empty gear oil drums etc) when transported from a site bowser to new recipient,if you pause to think about it - plant machinery can have a tremendous value,and a breakdown may induce a penallty cause for contractor concerned,so using inferior fuel than the stuff joe public fills his focus with at morrisons would be madness at best,cheers simon

[Fourbears]

Red diesel attracts a lower rate of duty for vehicles used OFF road, e.g. quarry vehicles. If you get caught using it on the road, its a minimum of £500 plus a recovery and storage fee. And it is increasingly likely you will, as Customs now have a lot of mobile testing teams. So the answer is DON'T use it. Its not worth it.

[devonutopia]

It's also an agricultural diesel, and different to pump diesel. I know of someone who had some in his pd130 fabia (leant it to his construction site worker brother for a week) and he needed a complete engine overhaul - new fuel pump, new fuel lines, 4 new injectors - Was over a couple of grand of work - For just one tank of red diesel....

[oaktreegarage]

It's also an agricultural diesel, and different to pump diesel. I know of someone who had some in his pd130 fabia (leant it to his construction site worker brother for a week) and he needed a complete engine overhaul - new fuel pump, new fuel lines, 4 new injectors - Was over a couple of grand of work - For just one tank of red diesel....

http://www.ybw.com/mbm/redalert/pdf/...l_campaign.pdf




More or less identical (sulphur content and cetane rating can vary but not enough to damage a common rail engine) depending on suppliers,Im willing to put money on it that the fabia was filled with contaminated red,farm tanks etc are seldom clinicaly clean....

[Tonyp]

Hi all, Dont do it red diesel or to give it it's correct name gas oil is a corser grade of fuel, it is taken out of the refraction process earlier than diesel and as such is not as refined. agricultural and plant vehicles have their fuel pumps etc adjusted to take the differences into account. normal road vehicles will run on red but it does wreak havoc over A SHORT time. in addition to the cost of repairs you are defrauding the VAT man and he's not one to upset having much more power than your standard TAX man, you would be risking large fines, payment of tax until you can prove you last bought white fuel, and POSSIBLE PRISON TIME.

DAMAGE INCLUDES
on old style engines

worn injector nozzles/tips (expensive)
wear inside the injector pump (very expensive)

on new common rail

worn injector nozzles/tips (expensive)
worn pressure pump (very expensive)

the smoking is caused by unburnt fuel which can destroy your cat and you'll need to change both of the above as well !!

so if you run an old banger and don't mind prison food then the choice is yours (you still have to pay the fine and back tax upon release)

if not don't risk it it will cost you more in the long run

[gramey]

A person I know 1st hand was caught using red diesel in his Transit van and the nice man from Customs & Excise not only relieved him of his van until storage and recovery was paid but he was also fined £3000.00!
You have been warned, it's up to you if you take the risk?

[Turkster]

wont be using that stuff then, i was offered some for our diesel powered blower heater, looks like a rocket engine,