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Ever been checked "dyed/off road" diesel???

6K views 23 replies 18 participants last post by  Mackin 
#1 ·
I know this is illeagal besides in an "off road" situation, but I just wanted to get a feel for how often trucks like ours get tested.



There is a significant price difference; Around $0.25/gallon
Edited by: DOLIVER
 
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#2 ·
Excellent question. I haven't heard of many pickups being checked, but I have heard of specific sting operations (in People's Republic of California) where there were significant checks being done.


I know that the fine varies (dramatically) from state to state. I believe that in PA the fine is only a $1,000 and I have *heard* that the fine in Michigan is $10,000 -- first offense.


I certainly wouldn't bother with it, but one could get pretty clever with auxiliary and/or plumbed transfer tanks I imagine...Edited by: Michigana_Joe
 
#3 ·
I had heard once that once "off-road" fuel is in a system, it can NEVER be cleaned, and they were addiment about it.


Whether that's true or not, I don't know. Probably thought up by someone in government trying to futher scare people into more taxes by buying the more expensive "on-road" fuel.



cadman_ks
 
#4 ·
once "off-road" fuel is in a system, it can NEVER be cleaned


I do not agree with this as I have ran dyed fuel in my farm trucks (legally) and then switched to clear when I was crossing state lines (they test at some ports) and have not had a problem. You just need to be sure to use most of the dyed fuel before filling up with clear. I have heard of the possibility of the law scraping your exhaust pipe for soot and being able to determine if you have ran dyed fuel????
 
#5 ·
I have "heard" rumors of folks who are excavators running off road fuel in their pickups and never getting caught. You might get dipped if the State Patrol pulls you into a "Safety Check".


A guy here at work who has a PSD, told me that if you take a Furd in for injector work, they can tell if it has had dyed fuel run through it with a "black light". This guy is a BSer, so I take his stuff with a grain of salt.


I guess the biggest question is, what effect would high sulphur fuel have on the Duramax's fuel system.
 
#6 ·
I've never been checked in a pick-up or any commercial vehicle for fuel color ever. I have been pulled over many times over the years by portable weigh stations and been given overweight tickets among other tickets, but not once checked for fuel color.
 
#7 ·
I have been checked for fuel color at the scale on I-84 in Danbury Ct., earlyier this year, took 1 minute thay walk up to your truck open tank and put stick in and look and "see ya"
 
#8 ·
what effect would high sulphur fuel have on the Duramax's fuel system?


Pick,


I do not know if dyed diesel has a higher sulphur content than clear. I know that my bulk supplier recieves all of his diesel in clear form then dyes himself at his own facility. So unless the dye itself contains sulfur its all the same stuff. I know I have ran dyed fuel in a variety of diesel engines (6000 hrs.+) and never had a problem.
 
#9 ·
In Mass and North east there is no difference in quality.This according to the Irving refineries.I had it answered in a letter by them about a year ago.
 
#10 ·
A friend of mine farms and runs his 98 Chev gasser on dyed fuel. I looked at the trottle body one time and it is stained purple. ~150,000kms. I don't think you could remove the purple if you wanted to.
 
#12 ·
What would prevent a shady fuel dealer from selling untaxed dyed fuel? If you only had a trace of dyed fuel in your tank, how could it be proven that you intentionally put in untaxed fuel?
 
#13 ·
It is most interesting that you ask that question for just last week the feds had a roadside fuel dye checkpoint on SR 33 between Columbus, Ohio and Lancaster, Ohio. They were targeting pickups, in particular looking for farm pickups... There were a lot of farmers checking the fields for crop growth both north and south of the checkpoint! :)
Of all the people to be checking; in this area farmers are just barely able to scrape by...
George
 
#14 ·
It is my impression that they check farming communities ALOT more than metro areas. I have a buddy in SC that sees them check diesel farm trucks all the time. Yet there are guys in Ga. That never get checked. One of the things they look for is the Aux tank in the bed of the truck. Too tempting to go ahead and fill both tanks at the same time.
 
#15 ·
I asked an Ohio State Patrolman if they ever check for off road diesel. His reply, "There's two kinds of diesel fuel?"
 
#16 ·
Here in Ct the state came to the company I work for and dipped the trucks that were in the yard. I think they checked two of the 5 med/heavy and none of the 14 f450 psd's. that seemed to satisfy them, but they did say the fine was $10,000. I didn't realize even off road was now low sulfer.... it sure does stink though!!! Very easy to tell what type of fuel is being burned by the smell, be careful!!
 
#17 ·
I sometimes run it if I am low and cant get to a station. But never been checked. Its just another way to steal from us if you ask me.
 
#18 ·
Heck, I've never heard of anybody around here getting caught with dyed fuel in their tank, and I live in an area where EVERYONE farms.


They sell the dyed stuff out of the same pump as the road fuel here at the local CO-OP. A guy wouldn't have any trouble pulling up to the pump, swiping his credit card in the pump, and filling up with the colored stuff. And the price difference here is about $.35/gallon!


It's tempting....especially when you're filling up a 40 gallon tank at $1.60/gallon.
 
#19 ·
When I drove truck back in the 80's we used to fill up at the off road pump on purpose. Boy, the girl at the cash register used to really get mad when we'd do that. Back then it was all the same color. I use to play dumb, and act like I didn't know what I was doing. They used to change cashiers just about every week, so it was easy to fool them.


Here in Ohio, they, (The State) get 6% sales tax, .23 out of .43 cents a gallon on fuel, license plate fees, and State Income tax. Now Taft wants more money with "Issue One". Ohio=Big Money Vacuum
 
#20 ·
Its a hiway use tax. I'm glad to pay for the roads I use at this measley rate, compared to what it would cost me to buy a mile or two of road. If you don't want to pay, please drive on the dirt roads and fields.
 
#21 ·
mpl897 said:
I have been checked for fuel color at the scale on I-84 in Danbury Ct., earlyier this year, took 1 minute thay walk up to your truck open tank and put stick in and look and "see ya"
Ah good OLE Connecticut ..... We do have a reputation of being tough on DOT checks .... Being in the steel business although we use to see some ratty ass trucks come in that surely weren't road worthy .... So it does have it's good and bad points ....

Any hoo if your not running commercial plates I doubt you would be checked in a Pick'up .....

I actually blow right by the scales and checks, although I've been told I'm supposed to stop .... I looked at the guy like "what are you nuts" they get me if they send out a chase vehicle and I play dumb, not hard by the way ....

Mac Edited by: Mackin
 
#22 ·
Mackin said:
I actually blow right by the scales and checks, although I've been told I'm supposed to stop .... I looked at the guy like "what are you nuts" they get me if they send out a chase vehicle and I play dumb, not hard by the way ....

Mac

 
#23 ·
Mackin said:
mpl897 said:
I have been checked for fuel color at the scale on I-84 in Danbury Ct., earlyier this year, took 1 minute thay walk up to your truck open tank and put stick in and look and "see ya"
Ah good OLE Connecticut ..... We do have a reputation of being tough on DOT checks .... Being in the steel business although we use to see some ratty ass trucks come in that surely weren't road worthy .... So it does have it's good and bad points ....

Any hoo if your not running commercial plates I doubt you would be checked in a Pick'up .....

I actually blow right by the scales and checks, although I've been told I'm supposed to stop .... I looked at the guy like "what are you nuts" they get me if they send out a chase vehicle and I play dumb, not hard by the way ....

Mac
IF I DO THAT I HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK AND GO THRU SCALE THEN THAY GIVE ME A $300.00 FINE.
Edited by: mpl897
 
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