Hi I have a b2301 tractor coming in a week or two and I have never owned a diesel engine. I have read about winter and summer mixtures of fuel and additives. When I stopped for gas in the van I looked at the diesel pump and there is only one it just says diesel. Can I just use that? Does diesel fuel go bad? what if any additives for winter? thank you
First Diesel tractor coming soon fuel questions
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Any product marked "diesel" at the pump will work. Not sure if they have on-road and off-road (dyed) like we do in the states. If so, they are the same aside for the dye.
Up there your local guys will have switched to "winter blend" already.
Aside from using clean pails you should add "power service" (white bottle) from Cummins to further aid in reducing gelling. I run it year round because I just treat my 250gal tank.
thank you so just pump it and add power service any issues with running winter fuel in the summer? does not get very warm here rarely over 80f
AND be sure to buy your diesel fuel at a high turnover place.
When I got my tractor I made the mistake of buying off road fuel from a local place, and it plugged my fuel filter rather quickly, perhaps due to algae that was in their tanks, due to low turnover.
I now buy my fuel at Sam's club, which has high turnover (although it is on road fuel). I pay the road tax for doing this, but it is worth it to me to get good, fresh fuel. Probably use less than 100 gallons per year.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Add a filter screen to the fuel tank inlet ! Some found a 'cold brew coffee screen fits, I use a $store 'sink strainer'. This WILL keep out any 'crud' that can plug up the tank spigot to hose to filter to engine plumbing.
I buy my diesel in 10L cans, 3 at a time. That way it won't go 'bad'.
Where I am there's 2 diesel pumps, 1 'outside' the island, 1 'inside'. The outside one has a huge nozzle, for semis...so I go inside to the 'car' sized nozzle.
Try keeping the tank full or at least 1/2 at all times.You do NOT want to run any diesel out of fuel.
I buy my diesel in 10L cans, 3 at a time. That way it won't go 'bad'.
Where I am there's 2 diesel pumps, 1 'outside' the island, 1 'inside'. The outside one has a huge nozzle, for semis...so I go inside to the 'car' sized nozzle.
Try keeping the tank full or at least 1/2 at all times.You do NOT want to run any diesel out of fuel.
Only 1 pump is common in places like Nova Scotia. The fuel supplier to the station looks after the changeover from summer to winter diesel usually by starting to "blend out" what is in their own tanks so that by the time winter hits the pumps are pumping winter diesel.
The trick for people in small markets like yours is to try and buy your diesel from one of the biggest volume places you can so you can have more comfort that their fuel is blended as close to weather conditions as possible.
Anti gel probably never needs to be used for people who buy their fuel frequently from high volume stations and in season. Take care as a small tractor owner that if you fill your tank infrequently like in September and it stays in your tank until the cold December gales blow you may find that the summer or fall fill in your tractor tank gels in the colder weather so keep the fuel in your tractor "fresh" as the season turns cold or use an anti gel additive for the added boost of protection.
No such concern as spring comes though as winter diesel can be used in the spring.
So keep your fuel fresh and buy "in season" diesel. Try not to pre buy too much going into winter.. If you think you have summer or fall diesel in your tractor tank when winter comes add some anti get. Buy from the local supplier who sells the most diesel as they plan their orders and additive packages to ensure their tanks are current and fresh and properly treated for the current weather. In your area things like on road taxed / off road not taxed, bio diesel etc... should not be a problem as often we only get the choice of whether the 1 and only pump at the station for diesel is working or out of service for repairs (haha) and enjoy your new tractor!
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Buy a Mr. Funnel from Amazon. Cheap insurance to make sure that you’re running clean fuel.
I have a diesel driven generator with a 60 gallon tank. For nearly 10 years, I've had that fuel in the tank. Finally checked it a couple years ago. Seemed fine. I put the required white bottle PS treatment in it just because of the long term storage.
A couple years ago, I started pumping from the tank to refuel the tractor. Pump down 20 to 25 gallons and then put fresh into the 60 gallon tank.
It's on-road diesel because I wanted the capability to use in it our diesel cars. No diesel cars any more. Could go to off-road, but my only trial of off-road lead to a wax settling out problem. Not gonna go there to save a few cents on $3 or so/gallon fuel.
Winter fuel just has some #1 (kerosene) put into it to reduce its cloud or pour point. If concerned about it in the winter, you can always add more kero.
A couple years ago, I started pumping from the tank to refuel the tractor. Pump down 20 to 25 gallons and then put fresh into the 60 gallon tank.
It's on-road diesel because I wanted the capability to use in it our diesel cars. No diesel cars any more. Could go to off-road, but my only trial of off-road lead to a wax settling out problem. Not gonna go there to save a few cents on $3 or so/gallon fuel.
Winter fuel just has some #1 (kerosene) put into it to reduce its cloud or pour point. If concerned about it in the winter, you can always add more kero.
use on road diesel from a station that sells a lot of it. If you are gonna let the fuel or the tractor sit much (most of them do) be sure to add some kind of treatment to keep the algae from taking over. You can use off road fuel but the problem with off road (aka red diesel) is that cars and trucks don't use it, so it is more likely to sit in the underground tanks for a longer period of time, increasing the chances of it becoming contaminated with microbe growth, and possibly moisture.
red fuel and road fuel are identical, other than one is dyed red (off road) so that the highway patrol knows when you've been cheating the system. Red diesel isn't taxed as much. Designed for farmers.
Thank you for all of the information. I have a local gas station that sells diesel. I will look at getting the white bottle additive. I do like to have fuel on hand as it is a 40 min round trip drive to town for fuel. I will have to watch not running out. With all the other tractors I have owned running out of fuel is how you know you need to refuel. I have no idea how much diesel my local station sells I imagine quite a bit as the next station is 20 miles away. Thank you for the information on filtering the fuel before putting it in the tractor the funnel sounds like a good idea. My tractor should be here the first week of January . thank you all again
Your new Kubota Owners Manual will likely advise you to avoid using kerosene for diesel fuel, as it’s hard on pumps. I don’t believe Winter diesel is #2 diesel with kero added to it. I believe it has a dedicated anti-gel added.
Doubling-Up on additives is not a good idea… keep in mind that your engine needs fuel…not diluted fuel.
Doubling-Up on additives is not a good idea… keep in mind that your engine needs fuel…not diluted fuel.
Got the tractor today. first diesel engine. What rpm would you recommend for break in. I know the manual says not to run full speed for the first 50 hours. 1000 rpm knocks a little but diesel engines always sound like they have a knock or a bunch of marbles in the crankcase to me. Do you just run the rpm fast enough to get the engine to sound smoother?
Elliott in GA
Well-known member
Equipment
LX 2610SU w/535,LP RCR1860,FDR1660,SGC0554,FSP500, DD BBX60005
You are not supposed to run it Wide Open Throttle (WOT) during the break in period, but you can and should use normal/appropriate RPMs for the work you are doing. Trying to do work at 1000 RPMs will make your tractor almost useless for the first 50 hours. Loader work = ~2000 RPMs, PTO Work, like mowing is 540 PTO, which will translate into the low to mid 2000s (see your manual and tachometer) - all below WOT.
Also, make sure you warm up the engine as the manual recommends before doing any real work - especially when it is cold.
If the bottle says to add 1 oz to 5 gallons, and if he were to add 2 oz to 5 gallons, you are implying that this might harm his engine? BS in its undiluted form!!!
Perhaps it was an ambiguous choice of words..but the point is that virtually All fuel additives issue warnings on their labels Cautioning against “overdosing”.
In fact, the fuel-additive industry advises against it….(but perhaps you’re correct…if it’s snake-oil…you can’t believe anything they put on their labels anyway.) <edited snarky comment>
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