dpb wrote:

Don Klipstein wrote:
...

I would at least be wary about putting #2 fuel oil marketed for home
heating into a diesel engine, unless it comes from a source offering it as
"offroad diesel", or unless the engine is rated to take fuel with "cetane
rating" as low as it gets.

Very sage advice...

Paranoid advice...


Diesel fuel has a "cetane rating", an analogue of the "octane rating" of
gasoline. Home heating oil can be stuff whose cetane rating is too low to
make it saleable as truck fuel.

Not to mention engine diesel has lubricity additives, detergents, and
other additives necessary for long term performance and reliability of
diesel engines.

A home standby generator is going to log ~100 hours a year typically.
Factors that affect on road engines that log tens of thousands of hours
don't apply.


Even if you don't personally care, beginning this year (unless delayed
which I don't believe it has been) low sulfur is mandated for small
off-road diesel engines as well as "road" diesel. This will be phased
into eventually covering all diesel engines.

It will also end up in home heating oil tanks as well.