This may be a totally stupid question but can a diesel engine run on kerosene? My understanding is that most problems with a diesel engine are fuel related and clean kerosene may be a lot more available than clean diesel.
Since Alberg wasn't known for overly powering the CDs (the MD7A burns what a pint and a half an hour?), the cost differential should not be all that large for possibly less problems. Any thoughts appreciated.
davidlow@erols.com
Kerosene for diesel???
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Tom
Re: Kerosene for diesel???
A diesel will certainly run on kerosene in an emergency. I've known several sailors who limped home on a combination of kerosene from the salon lamps and whatever mystery marvel oil that was left. I don't know about using it as a regular diet though.Don't forget that when they switched to colored diesel a few years ago for tax reasons we discovered that it was eating the rubber in our fuel pumps. Plus the fact that kerosene runs around $ 4.50 a gallon vs. $ 1.65 for #2 diesel here in Calif. Some of the engine experts will come on behind me here and explain it, but will it run on kerosene? -- Yes. I wouldn't use it in my engine regularly because it might burn too hot and put a hole in your piston heads or fry your valves or attack your rubber parts, but as they say in the Bahamas -- "Needs must"David Low wrote: This may be a totally stupid question but can a diesel engine run on kerosene? My understanding is that most problems with a diesel engine are fuel related and clean kerosene may be a lot more available than clean diesel.
Since Alberg wasn't known for overly powering the CDs (the MD7A burns what a pint and a half an hour?), the cost differential should not be all that large for possibly less problems. Any thoughts appreciated.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
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sloopjohnl
Re: Kerosene for diesel???
you could even run home heating oil if you wish. the difference in the three products is refining. home heating oil is the least refined followed by kerosene and finally diesel fuel for engines.
Tom wrote:A diesel will certainly run on kerosene in an emergency. I've known several sailors who limped home on a combination of kerosene from the salon lamps and whatever mystery marvel oil that was left. I don't know about using it as a regular diet though.Don't forget that when they switched to colored diesel a few years ago for tax reasons we discovered that it was eating the rubber in our fuel pumps. Plus the fact that kerosene runs around $ 4.50 a gallon vs. $ 1.65 for #2 diesel here in Calif. Some of the engine experts will come on behind me here and explain it, but will it run on kerosene? -- Yes. I wouldn't use it in my engine regularly because it might burn too hot and put a hole in your piston heads or fry your valves or attack your rubber parts, but as they say in the Bahamas -- "Needs must"David Low wrote: This may be a totally stupid question but can a diesel engine run on kerosene? My understanding is that most problems with a diesel engine are fuel related and clean kerosene may be a lot more available than clean diesel.
Since Alberg wasn't known for overly powering the CDs (the MD7A burns what a pint and a half an hour?), the cost differential should not be all that large for possibly less problems. Any thoughts appreciated.
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grenier
Re: Kerosene for diesel???
and guess what?at the end of the year-if you want to pump the fuel out of your tanks and start with fresh fuel-you can pour it in you homes oil tank!-when we were younger we'd siphon heating oil from my parents oil tank and drive around in my friend's vw diesel rabbit-seriously-since we don't burn much fuel-I went all year for $30.00-why not put the best?sloopjohnl wrote: you could even run home heating oil if you wish. the difference in the three products is refining. home heating oil is the least refined followed by kerosene and finally diesel fuel for engines.
Tom wrote:David Low wrote: This may be a totally stupid question but can a diesel engine run on kerosene? My understanding is that most problems with a diesel engine are fuel related and clean kerosene may be a lot more available than clean diesel.
sloopjohnl wrote:Tom wrote:A diesel will certainly run on kerosene in an emergency. I've known several sailors who limped home on a combination of kerosene from the salon lamps and whatever mystery marvel oil that was left. I don't know about using it as a regular diet though.Don't forget that when they switched to colored diesel a few years ago for tax reasons we discovered that it was eating the rubber in our fuel pumps. Plus the fact that kerosene runs around $ 4.50 a gallon vs. $ 1.65 for #2 diesel here in Calif. Some of the engine experts will come on behind me here and explain it, but will it run on kerosene? -- Yes. I wouldn't use it in my engine regularly because it might burn too hot and put a hole in your piston heads or fry your valves or attack your rubber parts, but as they say in the Bahamas -- "Needs must"David Low wrote: Since Alberg wasn't known for overly powering the CDs (the MD7A burns what a pint and a half an hour?), the cost differential should not be all that large for possibly less problems. Any thoughts appreciated.
grenier@ma.ultranet.com
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John Vigor
Re: Kerosene for diesel???
Yes, David, you can definitely run your diesel on kerosene. But kero is more highly refined than diesel, so you'll notice two effects when you use it for your diesel:
(1) You won't have as much power as usual, and
(2) Your piston(s) won't have as much lubication.
Diesel is "oiler" than kero, which burns cleaner and with less smell. But it's the oil that contains the lubrication and the "oomph."
As a get-you-home measure, kero will do fine. But as a long-term measure you'd do better to use the fuel your engine was designed for--although it must be admitted that some grades of diesel, especially those designed for use in extremely cold climates, come perilously close to being kerosene, because kerosene ignites more easily than diesel, and therefore contributes to easier engine starting.
Even quicker ignition is obtained from WD-40, of course, which consists of the paint thinner known as mineral spirits (another close relative of kerosene), a light lubicating oil, and a propane propellent. A couple of squirts of WD-40 into your diesel's air intake in cold weather can speed starting appreciably. And if you leave the throttle closed, you can even run the engine and control its speed by the amount of WD-40 you squirt in.
You can also run your kerosene stove or heater on diesel, by the way. It'll be smellier, smokier, and probably hotter, but it will work for a good long while before the orifices start to gum up.
jvigor@qwest.net
(1) You won't have as much power as usual, and
(2) Your piston(s) won't have as much lubication.
Diesel is "oiler" than kero, which burns cleaner and with less smell. But it's the oil that contains the lubrication and the "oomph."
As a get-you-home measure, kero will do fine. But as a long-term measure you'd do better to use the fuel your engine was designed for--although it must be admitted that some grades of diesel, especially those designed for use in extremely cold climates, come perilously close to being kerosene, because kerosene ignites more easily than diesel, and therefore contributes to easier engine starting.
Even quicker ignition is obtained from WD-40, of course, which consists of the paint thinner known as mineral spirits (another close relative of kerosene), a light lubicating oil, and a propane propellent. A couple of squirts of WD-40 into your diesel's air intake in cold weather can speed starting appreciably. And if you leave the throttle closed, you can even run the engine and control its speed by the amount of WD-40 you squirt in.
You can also run your kerosene stove or heater on diesel, by the way. It'll be smellier, smokier, and probably hotter, but it will work for a good long while before the orifices start to gum up.
jvigor@qwest.net