New tractor, what fuel?

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
My new toy, a Massey Ferguson 65 Mk2 is being delivered tomorrow. I guess it is currently using non-duty red diesel. However, I will be using the tractor for road runs, local ploughing matches and shows etc. Not “solely used in agriculture” so will have to use duty paid, white, diesel. As an ex boat owner, I know some older marine engines can not safely use duty paid fuel due to the % of bio diesel included in it which allegedly can damage seals in the fuel pump. Can anyone tell me if this is an issue with the Perkins 4203 engine. I would guess not as it was used in a number of road vehicles in its day but just wanted to check..

Last question (for now:), can I simply start topping up with “white” and gradually dilute it over time or should I thInk about draining the tank and starting with fresh “white”, all thoughts appreciated. Thank you

Steve
 
Last edited:
Run it low then fill with white, if you just dilute it over time it will take quite a while unless your using a lot.
But HMRC say you drain and fit new filters then refill with white...

White seems to ok got a few customers on white without any issues
They don't use supermarket fuels though as they contain more bio and less goodness.

A general en590 is standard road fuel at shell Texaco bp etc
Some Red is also graded as en590 also it's basically white died red
 

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
REStraTORATION, thank you. I live in a rural area, so mainly chugging up and down country lanes, I doubt I’ll ever get dipped so I will do as you say, run it low with a Jerry can of branded diesel in the box. Just paid far to much for the tractor and being over cautious with regards fuel. I have a mate with an old Volvo-Penta marine engine who claims he wrecked the injector pump using duty paid white diesel. Could have been coincidence but...

Thanks again,

Steve
 
REStraTORATION, thank you. I live in a rural area, so mainly chugging up and down country lanes, I doubt I’ll ever get dipped so I will do as you say, run it low with a Jerry can of branded diesel in the box. Just paid far to much for the tractor and being over cautious with regards fuel. I have a mate with an old Volvo-Penta marine engine who claims he wrecked the injector pump using duty paid white diesel. Could have been coincidence but...

Thanks again,

Steve
Supermarket fuel is poor quality could this of damag3d his pump, was there water in his tank... so many what ifs.

If your in doubt you can add a little oil in the fuel to aid lubrication on this low sulphur fuel But not to much
I think ratio is a cupfull/half a pint to a tank full of fuel
But do your research 1st on adding oil for ratios
 

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
Hmm. Amongst the boating community the use of FAME has created a huge number of “urban legends” and horror stories. Finding hard and fast facts is difficult. Glad I sold the boat, one less thing to worry about! Tractors are much more sensible. Now I just need to convince the missus:)

Thanks again

Steve
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
I wouldn't worry too much about knackering the seals on the pump as it's a fairly easy job to replace them on the DPA/rotary pumps if they do go - usually a couple of hours work.

Red diesel will usually have a certain amount of bio in it anyway. As above, avoid supermarket diesel & premium super-dooper stuff - ordinary BP or Shell tends to be the best bet. You can add a drop of oil - some recommend using 2 stroke, but never tried it myself.
 

miranda

Member
I wouldn’t worry at all. If I go on a run, I just head into a garage somewhere en route and top up on white - enough for the outing anyway. Carry the receipt with you - same days date.

I’ve never had any pump issues nor problems with bacteria growth - or at least none that the filters can’t tolerate.
 

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
Thanks for the replies guys. Took it out for a run this afternoon and throughly enjoyed myself. Will but 10 gallons of road duty paid fuel tomorrow and water the red down, it’ll get replaced over time and I will keep receipts for a while, at least until the filters get changed. Diesel bug is a major issue in boats where diesel sits for years in the tank, but I am like a kid with a new toy so don’t think that will be an issue. Must get a rear view mirror though
 

Ley253

Member
Location
Bath
Diesel bug was certainly a problem in my tractor, its only used for ploughing matches, so stands for several months at a time.
Be careful what you say and do re fuel. For example, if you state its used outside agriculture, there may be questions asked as to why its not taxed as a heavy locomotive, this happened to a friend, and the paper work went on for years. Ploughing matches are now ok for red, shows are off road, though if your driving it there that may change things.
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
Thanks for the replies guys. Took it out for a run this afternoon and throughly enjoyed myself. Will but 10 gallons of road duty paid fuel tomorrow and water the red down, it’ll get replaced over time and I will keep receipts for a while, at least until the filters get changed. Diesel bug is a major issue in boats where diesel sits for years in the tank, but I am like a kid with a new toy so don’t think that will be an issue. Must get a rear view mirror though
The best way to keep the bug at bay is to keep the tank full to the brim otherwise condensation will form & that encourages the bugs to grow.
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Diesel bug is a misnomer, it is in fact microscopic rust particles which forms in the beads of condensation which forms on the top of tanks .
Tractors regularly used never have issues as the diesel sloshing in the tank prevents rust from forming on these surfaces. Static tanks and those sitting idle for months such as combines have this issue. It does not occur in plastic tanks.
As OP said keeping tank filled up will be the best thing to stop it occurring, if the tractor has long bouts of idleness, also keeping in a shed or under a sheet also helps, or both.
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
Diesel bug is a misnomer, it is in fact microscopic rust particles which forms in the beads of condensation which forms on the top of tanks .
Tractors regularly used never have issues as the diesel sloshing in the tank prevents rust from forming on these surfaces. Static tanks and those sitting idle for months such as combines have this issue. It does not occur in plastic tanks.
As OP said keeping tank filled up will be the best thing to stop it occurring, if the tractor has long bouts of idleness, also keeping in a shed or under a sheet also helps, or both.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbial_contamination_of_diesel_fuel
 

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
There are issues with marine diesel storage tanks. However never place your trust in wikipedia, especially when the article is placed by a company flogging supplements
All algae's need light to grow, you wont find much at the bottom of a fuel tank

Not algae but a type of film yeast or a bacterial growth, more than one type. Certainly occurs in plastic and stainless steel tanks. Biocide stops and kills it so not rust or related to oxidisation. I am an ex sailor, diesel bug can literally be a matter of life and death, not an inconvenience.
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
There are issues with marine diesel storage tanks. However never place your trust in wikipedia, especially when the article is placed by a company flogging supplements
All algae's need light to grow, you wont find much at the bottom of a fuel tank
Algae need light being photosynthetic organism, but bacteria are typically not & generally do not require light.
 

Grandad Pig

Member
Location
Essex
DB5404B1-9287-4370-85D8-78BEDD3A2558.jpeg
Lots of comercially available additives prevent it. Others will kill it. After both tanks got it, on Rhoda Rose (2x 200 gallon stainless tanks) I added FuelFit which is an anti-surfactant which disperses any water and removes the interface where most organisms involved thrive. I might not know much about tractor runs but am clued up on diesel bug after being rescued by the RNLI
 

multi power

Member
Location
pembrokeshire
I wouldn’t worry at all. If I go on a run, I just head into a garage somewhere en route and top up on white - enough for the outing anyway. Carry the receipt with you - same days date.

I’ve never had any pump issues nor problems with bacteria growth - or at least none that the filters can’t tolerate.
What you are doing most definitely will not satisfy HMRC if they dip your tank
 

tomlad

Member
Location
nr. preston
Mates international hough 175 , basically 175 drott , tracked shovel, had many issues with black gue blocking filters .
After many tank washes , it now has inline and glass bowl filter straight under tank and easy to access, inlines are cheap.
No real issues since as black never gets past the water bowl.

With that machine u have to fully rase boom to access engine bay , so if it dies ur buggered.
 

Still Farming

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South Wales UK
Bio bugs live on the moisture interface in diesel.
Like frogs spawn and blocks filters .
Nightmare.
Type of tanks, drain offs ,storage ,heat , etc. Conducive to its growth.
Keep Water traps and good filters .
Bio diesel boys use UV and other things to treat also.
 

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