kerosene / diesel fuel

[huronscoot]

I have heard that kerosene can be run in trucks as diesal fuel. Can diesal fuel be used in a kerosene heater? I have aquired a bunch of fuel perks on my giant eagle card but they won't allow me to use them on kerosene but I could use them on diesel. My understanding is that they are the same they just dye the kerosene so you don't have to pay road tax on it. Can someone verify this for me?

[kawalekm]

No, kerosene is thinner than regular diesel #2. It is however the same thickness (or basicly the same thing) as diesel #1 (winter diesel).

However, I do burn diesel #2 regularly in my Corona kerosene heater. I notice though that the maximum flame appears to be a little smaller than with kerosene, I think because the thicker liquid wicks up more slowly. The burn time is longer also. At the maximum setting a full tank of kerosene lasts about 16 hours. At the same setting the diesel lasts about 24hr.

That is your trade-off. With kerosene you get maximum heat output for a shorter amount of time. With diesel you get lower heat output for a longer period of time. Other than that, the smell is about the same. Make absolutely sure there is some ventilation when the heater is running, because carbon monoxide can be generated by these heaters.

[huronscoot]

I have never bought diesel fuel before. When I pull up to the pump will it be labeled #1 and #2? Is it like premium and unleaded at the gas pump. How do I know I am getting #2?

[jott]

no they just sell you one grade they just change the mix for the time of year. I would buy a small amount first and try it out, I used diesel in a kero heater once and it smelled bad, drove us out of the room. but that was with a torpedo type heater, not a wick one.

[sawyerob]

* * I have heard that kerosene can be run in trucks as diesal fuel. Can diesal fuel be used in a kerosene heater? I have aquired a bunch of fuel perks on my giant eagle card but they won't allow me to use them on kerosene but I could use them on diesel. My understanding is that they are the same they just dye the kerosene so you don't have to pay road tax on it. Can someone verify this for me?

The refineries make #2 diesel, refineing it further, it becomes #1 diesel. Go further yet, and you have kerosene. There is wax in #2, and as you go to #1 and kero, your taking the wax out...

When i put #2 in my kerosene heaters, the wicks didn't last as long, and needed trimming more often. It also had a bit more smell than kero...

BTW, refine kero and you get to the jet fuels...

SR

[sawyerob]

Another thing... The wax in #2 lubes the injection pump of a diesel engine... When you run #1 or kero in a diesel engine, unless you run something in the fuel to lube the pump, you can expect it to not last as long as running #2. Most run 2 stroke oil in the fuel to add the lube back... I've always run a qt of 2 stroke oil to 50 gallons of kero...

Lastly, you won't get as good of fuel milage running #1 or kero either, that wax in #2 = BTU's of energy that's not in #1 or kero...

SR