Using Heating oil for off-road diesel?

Originally published May 23, 2014

I have done some research into the potential of using heating oil for off-road diesel purposes once the sulfur content in heating oil comes down to the 500ppm (parts per million) level required for off-road diesel (ORD). I cannot say that I have a document that clearly states that the low-sulfur heating oil (LSHO) becoming available in Massachusetts after July 1 will be completely legal or appropriate for your machine. However, what I will say is that Crowley Fuel will start selling LSHO for off-road purposes after we get our first shipment of the oil in July.
 
There are several compelling reasons for doing this, which are listed below.
 
Laws, Regulations and Taxes
 
The first is that we used to do it some years ago before the law changed that made selling high-sulfur heating oil illegal for off-road users. I am not aware of any of my customers who are still using HSHO as off-road diesel, but I know there are still people out there who will drain off some heating oil from the tank in their home.
 
Another reason for using LSHO for off-road is that both fuels are dyed red, which is proof that they are both not taxable. You are not likely to get into trouble with any state regulatory agency, because they are more interested in whether or not you paid the tax for the fuel. Do not use LSHO in vehicles that go over the road because that fuel is not dyed and requires that a tax be paid. It is also an ultra-low sulfur fuel which has only 15ppm.
 
Check Your Manual Before Using
 
If you care about the effect that LSHO will have on your diesel motor, I recommend that you check the manual for your machine, or contact the manufacturer to see if using LSHO is authorized for use. Most manufacturers will void your warranty if you use a fuel that is not recommended.
 
The fact of this situation is that the fuel currently used for off-road is the same as the fuel that I will be selling as heating oil. They will both have 500ppm of sulfur, which diesel motors have been running on since high-sulfur heating oil was discontinued. Most diesel motor manufacturers have compensated for the reduced amount of sulfur, which acts as a lubricant. Many suppliers of off-road fuel use additives to make up for this lowering of lubricity.
 
Diesel Fuel Additives
 
We at Crowley Fuel use additives in our heating oil, but they are specifically used for stability and anti-corrosion purposes. We sell quarts of diesel fuel conditioner for $11 each, which will be adequate for providing the lubricity and anti-gelling that diesel fuel currently requires.
 
I have spoken with heating oil suppliers and industry representatives who see no problem with using LSHO as ORD. I am waiting to hear from someone in state government and expect to know definitely by July 1 when I expect Crowley Fuel to be back in the ORD business.

Bob

---