K1 Kerosene in new L3800??

[Who is John Galt]

OK fellers . . FNG with another silly question. I have never before owned or operated a diesel powered anything.

Can I run K1 Kerosene in my 2012 L3800? Most of the local convenience stores/gas stations have both diesel and K1 pumps. The K1 is dyed red. The local NAPA Auto Parts Store has Stanodyne and Power Service additives if needed. K1 Kero is about 40 cents cheaper per gallon than regular diesel here in CNY.

So what is the dealio on K1 in my Kubota??

 

[Bulldog]

The K1 doesn't have any additives that are needed to lubricate the internal parts of your fuel system. Saving $.40 a gallon could cost you a engine. I would stick with diesel if it was mine. JMHO

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Kerosene does not have the lubricity of diesel and will wear components, even adding something like Stanadyne lubricity additive will not bring it up to the right lubricity level.

So not a safe bet in my opinion.

Just find a store that sells off road diesel and you'll still get the savings without the added grief!

 

[Kennyd4110]

Yup, no way I would use K1 in any diesel engine. By the time you put in any additives you'd loose the .40c savings anyway-and you'd be just guessing how much anyway.

 

[Who is John Galt]

Thanks fellas. That is what my gut was telling me . .

 

[tjd7869]

i wont get to detailed here, but if you do some research you can find info on all the differences in all fuels and oils.

now aside from K1 not having the oilyness of diesel it also has a majorly higher cetane rating (cetane ratings are similar to octane rating but are majorly different) cetane of diesel can be anywere from c40 to c60. kerosene can be anywere from c70 to c90 (this is debated as formal test are not really done)

any how simply using kerosene then diesel to light a fire would show you that kerosene will light much easier than diesel just like gas alone lights easier than gas/oil two-stroke mix.

simply put your engine was built to run on a certain fuel, you wouldn't run straight gas in a two-stroke just because its cheaper would you?

for me taxed road diesel is $4.65, kerosene $4.19, non-taxed off-road diesel $3.60, now regular taxed diesel is readily available at just about every gas station, just slightly less for kerosene, off-road diesel is only available at one gas station in a 25 mile radius of me. i do however plan to contact heating oil suppliers to see if any offer off-road diesel for a cheaper price. but its not like i am going through even 5 gallons a day like i easily do with my car so even if i had to pay $4.65 a gallon it wouldnt break me as i dont have to buy much for my kubota.

 

[zoomy]

i wont get to detailed here, but if you do some research you can find info on all the differences in all fuels and oils.

now aside from K1 not having the oilyness of diesel it also has a majorly higher cetane rating (cetane ratings are similar to octane rating but are majorly different) cetane of diesel can be anywere from c40 to c60. kerosene can be anywere from c70 to c90 (this is debated as formal test are not really done)

any how simply using kerosene then diesel to light a fire would show you that kerosene will light much easier than diesel just like gas alone lights easier than gas/oil two-stroke mix.

simply put your engine was built to run on a certain fuel, you wouldn't run straight gas in a two-stroke just because its cheaper would you?

for me taxed road diesel is $4.65, kerosene $4.19, non-taxed off-road diesel $3.60, now regular taxed diesel is readily available at just about every gas station, just slightly less for kerosene, off-road diesel is only available at one gas station in a 25 mile radius of me. i do however plan to contact heating oil suppliers to see if any offer off-road diesel for a cheaper price. but its not like i am going through even 5 gallons a day like i easily do with my car so even if i had to pay $4.65 a gallon it wouldnt break me as i dont have to buy much for my kubota.

As far as having a fuel company's come out to dliver off road diesel I called several in my area north of Chicago to inquire about delivery service. They all refused because my monthly purchases would be less than their minimum of 200-300 gallons per month. On top of that the savings might only amount to a few cents per gallon. The delivery charges and tank purchase made up for the
non road diesel tax savings.

 

[Bluegill]

Off road diesel here.

 

[85Hokie]

OK fellers . . FNG with another silly question. I have never before owned or operated a diesel powered anything.

Can I run K1 Kerosene in my 2012 L3800? Most of the local convenience stores/gas stations have both diesel and K1 pumps. The K1 is dyed red. The local NAPA Auto Parts Store has Stanodyne and Power Service additives if needed. K1 Kero is about 40 cents cheaper per gallon than regular diesel here in CNY.

So what is the dealio on K1 in my Kubota??

Do you have any OFF road diesel stations near by? Here in VA, there are always places to by offroad diesel, last I got was almost 50 cents cheaper than on road, of course it has the red dye in it, but then again it is supposed to have it in there! The real question you need to answer is running a winter blend in the winter and a summer blend in the summer, like gasoline, they change the makeup during the seasons to help with gelling and other common problems. I would NOT run anything like K1 in there, everyone else hit the nail on the head with the problems you will have........it will be like that old commercial - pay me now or pay me later!

 

[Balvar24]

Using anything other than what's called out in the owner's manual will void your warranty.

 

[Who is John Galt]

Thanks Fellas. I had some bad info about using K1 Kerosene in compact diesel tractors, that is why I asked the Kubota experts here. When I used to work in commercial aviation (in the 90's) we used to use JetA in all the diesel ground support equipment and the rigs we plowed the aprons with . . some of them were diesel tractors.

Went to the local road diesel pump and paid $4.49 gallon . . asking around to see if there is an off-road pump in the area.

Thanks again!!

 

[hodge]

Thanks Fellas. I had some bad info about using K1 Kerosene in compact diesel tractors, that is why I asked the Kubota experts here. When I used to work in commercial aviation (in the 90's) we used to use JetA in all the diesel ground support equipment and the rigs we plowed the aprons with . . some of them were diesel tractors.

Went to the local road diesel pump and paid $4.49 gallon . . asking around to see if there is an off-road pump in the area.

Thanks again!!

Those diesel engines were VERY different than todays.

 

[Lostdutchman]

Has anybody run jet a in their kubota. I was given some and was curious if it would work. Works well in the boiler


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[skeets]

Not real sure I would want to run any JP4 in one

 

[Bulldog]

Mine doesn't have wings, does yours?

I think I would stick with off-road fuel and try to keep the tires on the ground.

 

[Balvar24]

It's a free country, but if it's not in the manual, it's not in the warranty.

 

[olthumpa]

Thanks Fellas. I had some bad info about using K1 Kerosene in compact diesel tractors, that is why I asked the Kubota experts here. When I used to work in commercial aviation (in the 90's) we used to use JetA in all the diesel ground support equipment and the rigs we plowed the aprons with . . some of them were diesel tractors.

Went to the local road diesel pump and paid $4.49 gallon . . asking around to see if there is an off-road pump in the area.

Thanks again!!

The 1998 regulation introduced Tier 1 standards for equipment under 37 kW.

Your 2012 is a Tier 3.

How much JPA do you have to run through it before you are ahead of the game when you have to put a new engine in your L3800?

Personally, I would not roll the dice with those stakes.

 

[Lostdutchman]

Free 40 gal goes a long ways in the sippin 2850


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[Lostdutchman]

Mine doesn't have wings, does yours?



I think I would stick with off-road fuel and try to keep the tires on the ground.

Not right now but I have some to put on


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[Rodeo hunter]

I run the rear tank of my 97 f350 with kerosene in winter to start it then switch to regular when started but I sure as hell don't put in the new diesel truck. I wouldn't recommend it. If you burn 1 gal per hr your only saving $800 over 2000 hrs of tractor use and I'd guarantee fixing your emissions or injectors / pump would probably triple that price let alone a motor overhaul. I don't know what that costs but I'd guess $2200-3800 IMHO

P.S. I'd move out of that commie Illinois. If you can't carry a pistol and pay $4.50 for diesel. Come over to Indiana we'd love to have ya