Using Agricultural Diesel in Cars

melon_collie

Hi Guys,

I was just wondering; with the currnent price of petrol & diesel at the pumps, what are your views on using Agri (red) diesel in your car?

Do you ever hear of anyone getting their cars 'dipped' by the cops anymore?

Would love to hear your views

Ferris

happens all the time, I was dipped on the seafront in Clontarf recently.

I knew one guy who does serious mileage in the North and he has gotten away with it for so long he had the money saved to pay the fine.

Not worth it tho imo.

bennyc

I think it goes on a bit more up north but around Sligo you wouldnt get away with it too long, customs dip on the back roads and main roads all the time.

Rovi

Just as a point of information, Irish Marked Gas Oil is green; the Northern Irish equivalent is red (unless it's changed very recently).

Run_to_da_hills

A mate of mine from the north used to run his E series merc on agri diesel, he claimed many locals had their fuel systems damaged from bogus diesel from local service stations. Common rail fuel pumps are highly sensitive to additives and acids used in removing the die they can cost thousands to replace I wouldn't blame people from the north for using it. With the increasing rip off cost of diesel down here I would say this practice is becoming more widespread and sophisticated.

There is several methods of running your car / van on agri, If you install a separate fuel tank with a x over switch. This will deter any dipping tests however if the customs have any suspicion they can request for a fuel sample from the fuel pump/filter itself.

GoneShootin

Many garages/diesel depots use larger sized pump exits such that you cant fit the damn thing into the fuel tank.

peasant

Running your car on tax exempt agri diesel (whether it's red or green, northern or southern) is illegal, and that's that.

maidhc

I have driven a diesel car in rural east cork for the past 10 years. i ahve been to plouging matches and point to points. I have never used green diesel, but maybe I should have. I have never been dipped or know anyone who has.

There is a rumour that the customs and the oil companies are in cahoots about who gets targeted though. No evidence of this, but it is not outside the bounds of possibility.

mike65

The OP is either a fool or a mole from the Revenue!

RS dip far and wide, anyone who spends time on the N routes will have been through a checkpoint or three. The fine is €500 on the first offence I think so it would be a false economy to say the least.

Mike.

craichoe

I've never been dipped either

nhughes100

I do serious mileage commuting and have always been tempted since I switched over to Diesel, my first car was a diesel Colt which even some car dealers didn't know that there was a diesel version of this car. Got rid of that this year and got a diesel C4, the engine is pretty quiet and there's nothing on the car(hdi, did etc) to indicate it's diesel.

Apparantly if you get away with it for 6 months this pays for the fine in the unlikely event you get caught.

Does anyone know what the fine is? I'd imagine for repeat offences you could go to jail as it is tax evasion. I'm in the midlands and commute to Dublin every day and I honestly don't remember ever driving through a customs check.

S.I.R

cops will pull you straight away , besides is quiet un-refined so it will ruin your engine as will the green diesel you can buy for your boat...

biko

Common practice among my Nordie farmer friends. Most have been stopped and checked.

It's illegal so if you get caught you had it coming.

bazz26

I've been driving a diesel for just over 6 months now, having done about 12k miles so far on a mixture of major and back roads and I haven't been dipped yet.

Knowing my luck though the one time I'd fill up with it a checkpoint would appear right outside my door. Not worth the potential hassle imo.

rebel.ranter

Not sure how accurate this piece of information is but i have heard that using Red/Green Diesel once will leave some sort of residue for a while even if you fill up with normal diesel afterwards. Anyone confirm or rubbish this theory?

hebejebees

Agri deisel tends to be a lower grade then what is available at the pumps, with some very fancy common rail injection systems needing good diesel, using it can result in injection, pump and sensor problems. I have seen a few vehicles that have run into problems, where they arent running properly and when the manufacturer does a fuel test to find green diesel, guess whos paying the repair bill...

Anyway most cars can probably get away with out doing damage but it is a pretty big risk, as for dipping, i haven't seen it done in a long time around my area

cashmni1

rebel.ranter wrote: »

Not sure how accurate this piece of information is but i have heard that using Red/Green Diesel once will leave some sort of residue for a while even if you fill up with normal diesel afterwards. Anyone confirm or rubbish this theory?

Yes this is true. The green leaves a residue in your tank that can be traced up to 6 months later.
The Customs can also take a swab of your exaust which will also show the residue. So it doesn't matter if you have a x switch or not for your tank(s).
I work near a ferry port and I have seen the checkpoints that the customs set up on a monthly basis at times. Then again you might not see them for another 6 to 8 months. All depends where you drive and how much you drive.
Also, it WILL ruin a high pressure direct injection system eventually, but not as quick as some say.

cormie

What's the price difference anyway? Is it just 21% cheaper or what?

maidhc

hebejebees wrote: »

Agri deisel tends to be a lower grade then what is available at the pumps, with some very fancy common rail injection systems needing good diesel, using it can result in injection, pump and sensor problems. I have seen a few vehicles that have run into problems, where they arent running properly and when the manufacturer does a fuel test to find green diesel, guess whos paying the repair bill...

Most new tractors have the same fancy common rail pumps now as well.

unkel

peasant wrote: »

Running your car on tax exempt agri diesel (whether it's red or green, northern or southern) is illegal, and that's that.

Indeed.