Will Diesel work?

Sil

I am about a week to ten days away from ripping out my one-pipe Dunkirk and converting to a Burnham gas Independence series steamer. In fact, the new chimney liner went in today.



Here is my question:

My oil is running low (I am at around 95 gallons and I think the take up screen will stop suctioning at around 40 gals), but I dont want to take an oil delivery as I think there is a 100 gallon minimum. Plus I will be away on business for early next week (and dont want to strand the Mrs w no heat).



I am thinking 20 gallons will get me by and add just enough cushion that I can sleep easy on the road... so my question is... can I just take some gas cans and fill 'em w diesel and toss that into the leaking tank? (yeah the above ground tank has a small leak... that is what is pushing me to do the conversion)



I could swear when I worked at an oil company 20 years ago (as an accountant) that they said the Diesel and #2 Fuel Oil was nearly identical except for taxes and color. I am sure what I am considering is not exactly "legal"... but in my case, I am paying too much fuel tax... so it shouldn't be that big a deal.



Soooo, will this work? Or has the move to low sulfur diesel made the fuels not comparable.



Thx

Tim_64

NO problemo

You should be fine,



The difference between home heating oil, and diesel fuel is the dye that represents  untaxed fuel



You  drop taxed fuel into your home heating tank to your hearts content......



I have even used home heating oil in my F250 PSD.....

Hap_Hazzard

Now that's a switch.

I used to have this neighbor who would leave his old black Mercedes idling overnight on cold winter nights because it was hard to start if the engine got cold, and he could run it so cheaply on fuel oil it was cheaper than buying a block heater and burning electricity to keep it warm.

BobC

Used to be dirt cheap

I was paying $0.139 per gallon for heating oil when I got out of the army in 1970.



those were the days,



Bob

Sil

Wow!

I was paying 88 cents/gal when i replaced a snowman with the Dunkirk.



At $4+/gal now, its become a no brainer to do a conversion vs replacing a leaking tank.

BobC

Can't afford not to switch

I replaced my oil fired v75with the Smith G8 / EZgas because my oil tank was sarting to weep. I knew the v75's are not long lived so I put the money into the new setup and deep sixed the oil setup.



For the month of November my savings are 66% in degree day dollars with the gas setup vs the oil setup. This comparing 2012 with gas vs 2010 with oil.



You just can't beat savings like that and i think I can improve the efficiency by about another 4% or so.



and some people think steam isn't efficient,



Bob

icesailor

Living at Idle:

Your neighbor with the Mercedes is a fool. It cost money to overcome the resistance of a diesel engine. A block heater is cheaper to run. Another smart person, stepping over ten dollar bills to pick up a dime. Only in this case, spending $10.00 to pass up a dime.

Also, the diesel oil you buy at the station is low sulphur fuel and will run cleaner. That doesn't matter now.

Anyone driving on the road with red fuel in their tank that can't prove that the road tax was paid is in a world of trouble. Only farmers with agricultural equipment can drive over the road with red oil in the tank.

Hap_Hazzard

Made sense at the time.

I'm talking 1972.

icesailor

Urban legends:

That Urban Legend still lives today. Just stop at the supply house and listen and smell all the diesel trucks parked and running while inside shopping. Theybelieve that it costs more to start it than to leave it running.

Stepping over dollar bills to pick up dimes. Only in this case. spending a dollar to think they are saving a dime and they aren't. They are spending the dollar.