Fuel question?

Hi Team,
will just give some things I have experienced with other fuel for Diesels.

Our Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition Machines (ANARE) engines were set up at the Dealer, on the dyno, to run Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) or (Jet A1)

The racks needed opening up as the more refined a fuel is the less heat value (Btu's) a given volume contains.

The ATK was used in cold conditions to due to it containing little or none of the wax that Diesel has--does not cloud and go viscous causing a no start until the wax melted by warming the entire fuel system.

Way back in the early days of 3208 engines they were fitted with lower compression pistons than they later had. In cold weather they could be reluctant starters so Cat recommended adding Heating Oil to the fuel at these times --cannot recall the ratio but it worked.
We encountered the reluctance to start and white pungent diesel smoke when running cold here in Melbourne even--rarely gets below freezing point on only a few days of the year.

I feel for normal weather operation that straight ATK/Kero would be too light on for injection pump component lubrication safety. I am not sure if the likes of Two Stroke Oil could safely be added to combat this--there are reports of some people doing this around here since the intro of Low Sulfur Fuel.

As you saw/experienced a mix of Diesel and Kero seemed to work in older style jerk pump type injection pumps and engines with precombustion chambers--not sure I would use it in modern distributor injection pumps or electronic common rail stuff at least not without consulting the makers.
Our newer low sulfur fuels are also known to have less lubricity than older type fuels so things start getting tricky.

Just some ramblings.
Cheers,
Eddie B.
.

Hi, tctractors.
As I understand it, all of the earlier Cats that the U. S. took down to Antarctica were run exclusively on aviation kerosene to avoid the problem of the wax in the normal diesel fuel 'jelling', as edb mentioned. To the best of my knowledge, neither Mary Ann nor Rebecca had any adjustments done to them when Glen Ghilotti bought them, but were just filled with normal diesel fuel. I have never run Rebecca but Mary Ann seemed to run just great.

That is not to say that adjustments weren't made to them when they were down on the ice but, if any were done, they didn't seem to bother Mary Ann back here.

Just my 0.02.

California changed the taxes on kerosene 25 or 30 years ago because it had been cheaper than diesel. It came to the states attention that a big trucking company was buying kerosene by the tanker load direct from the refinery and putting it the diesel storage tank. I don't know what % they ran or if it mattered to them. This was probably be the same time we got red dyed diesel. Or at least that was the story the oil companies gave. As my cousin was working for a local fuel supplier, at the time kerosene went way up in price.

"Here", kerosene is about twice the price of diesel. I'm not sure if any of the bulk stations even have it...Home Depot, Wally World, & TSC have it in gallon cans for heaters & such, but you wouldn't want to feed a Caterpillar at that price.

Edit: I underestimated. Imagine filling up a D9 at this price...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-gal-Plastic-Kerosene-GKP85/203000700

Interesting - kerosene isn't much more than diesel here - about 3.60 vs 3.30. There is a big sign on the bowser though that says don't use this on the road....

A couple of the local Gas Stations carry it for the Ice Fishermen.
My Bulk Delivery Company carries it and will fill a 55 gallon drum when they come buy as long as you ask them to bring it.
I use it in the Torpedo Heaters cause in my opinion it is cleaner burning than diesel.
Somewhere I read an OLD Caterpillar Advertisement that stated you can use Kerosene and other Low Grade Fuels.
Wish I could remember where??

Hi, Drujinin.
Back in the 1940s - 1950s. Cat used to advertise that their diesels could be run on #2 burner fuel, a heavier, less refined version of diesel fuel. I got the chance to try it when I was a teenager, burning it in a 2T D4 and it 'ackshully' gave a little more power than the normal diesel fuel. I was up one gear pulling tandem plows in most places.

Just my 0.02.

Hi, Drujinin.
Back in the 1940s - 1950s. Cat used to advertise that their diesels could be run on #2 burner fuel, a heavier, less refined version of diesel fuel. I got the chance to try it when I was a teenager, burning it in a 2T D4 and it 'ackshully' gave a little more power than the normal diesel fuel. I was up one gear pulling tandem plows in most places.

Just my 0.02.