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Red Or White Diesel


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After taking ownership of Katakalousse, her port side fuel tank split and all the diesel from both tanks ended up in the hull, along with Debris from years and waste matter from a split toilet to boot (just my luck).

 

New tank fitted and now to replace 250 gallons of diesel :shocked

 

I've been told locally (Brundall) that the cost of red is only slightly cheaper than white from normal supermarkets and that red is a rougher diesel due to being for agriculture, and if I can afford to fill her with white it would be better for her in the long run.

 

Any thoughts on this matter would help me greatly as after running back and forth with 4 x 20l fuel cans

I'm now about the 50gallon mark.

 

 

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It would depend on the engine, nice and new and it will be happy on white, old engines like the heavy fuel, you can do a lot of research and there are posts on here regarding the FAME content of the fuel,  If its a old Perkins BMC or similar putting in a litre of 2 stroke oil in the tank when you fill up puts back some lubrication that the old engines like.

 

If you have a webasto or like, then the more refined the fuel the better, to stop it coking up.  

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I don't know anyone who uses white diesel in their boat. As for the statement that red is only slightly cheaper than white, that's poppycock. The last time I filled up, at Titchmarsh Marina on the Walton Backwaters, I paid £1.10 per litre. On the Broads, Goodchilds are usually the cheapest (I think at around £1.18 though I haven't filled up there this year so far). Both these costs are based on the 60/40 split, and are considerably cheaper than the £1.40ish that white diesel will cost you from the roadside pumps. If you are buying 600 litres, that makes a saving of around £130!!!!!

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40 years ago (ok I admit I'm getting old) I used to work for a petrol company, diesel and gas oil (denatured diesel, red diesel the names were endless) were both the same except for the red die used to "prevent" use as a road fuel.

Things may have changed since then but it's unlikely.

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40 years ago (ok I admit I'm getting old) I used to work for a petrol company, diesel and gas oil (denatured diesel, red diesel the names were endless) were both the same except for the red die used to "prevent" use as a road fuel.

Things may have changed since then but it's unlikely.

In fact, Martin, they were markedly different in sulphur content until recently. Then the government in its quest for an ever greener planet had the manufactures clean red diesel up. A great advantage for those of us with diesel heaters!
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Bear in mind the levels of technology and costs of modern farm equipment and you'll soon see if red diesel was so rough no farmer would let it near his new tractor, they don't use rattly old perkins diesels anymore, usually much higher performance engines than you'll find in any family saloon.

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