If you’re new to buying diesel fuel – or haven’t bought it in a long time – you might notice that your diesel fuel buying is a little more colorful than it used to be. That’s because the U.S. government now requires diesel gas to be sold in one of three ways: clear, and colored with red or blue dye.
Why is diesel fuel different colors?
Diesel fuel was once sold without any dyes added to it. The government began requiring this fuel to be sold with three different colors in the 1990s: clear, red, and blue. The coloring is part of an effort by two federal agencies, as well as Congress, to clean the air and collect fuel taxes.
Can diesel fuel be green in color?
Green Diesel – When Do You Use It? Diesel that’s dyed green is for on-road use. It’s taxed. So, if you’re driving on government roads and highways built with tax dollars, you should be using green fuel.
Is diesel blue or yellow?
Yellow diesel means the diesel fuel has been altered from its original state. Diesel comprises 3 basic varieties, and they are – clear, blue, and red. Usually, when diesel is refined, the manufacturers add a green dye to the mixture, which adds a noticeable color to the substance.
Does diesel fuel have a color? – Related Questions
Which Colour diesel is best?
Because of the top-notch refining process, the diesel is more or less white in colour.
What kind of diesel is blue?
Blue diesel, which is higher in sulfur and tax exempt, is for use in commercial boats, trains or some farm equipment; it is the least expensive. Falling in between is red diesel, which is lower in sulfur than blue, tax free and meant for buses, government vehicles and off-road use. This is not to be trifled with.
Does diesel look yellow?
Normal undyed diesel fuel is a beautiful amber-green color. The same fuel which has started to degrade will darken.
Is there a blue diesel?
Blue-Dyed diesel – Blue-dyed diesel is identical to Red-dyed diesel, except that it is used only for U.S. Government vehicles. Blue-dyed diesel is not available to the general public.
Is diesel the yellow handle?
At the fuel station, pumps with yellow handles are typically reserved for diesel fuel, which is commonly used in larger trucks and certain car models.
Is Blue Gas diesel?
Blue gas is an artificially prepared illuminating gas with characteristics similar to propane. In technical terms, you can call blue gasoline or diesel.
Why is red diesel cheaper?
Why is red diesel cheaper than white diesel? Rebated fuel (red diesel) is cheaper than white diesel (DERV) because of a lower fuel tax duty required to pay on it. The permitted uses for red diesel are now restricted to certain equipment used for: Accepted purposes in agriculture, horticulture, fish farming and forestry.
Why is my diesel blue?
Blue engine smoke is the rarest type of smoke emanating from a diesel engine. The presence of blue smoke is an indication of burning oil. Blue smoke should not be ignored but is common when starting an engine in a cold weather. The oil thins out when it is cold and some could escape into the cylinder and be burnt.
Is red diesel illegal?
As red diesel is a rebated fuel, it’s taxed at a lower rate than the standard white diesel available at petrol filling stations up and down the country. It’s illegal to use red diesel in vehicles on public roads (although there are some exceptions such as when gritting roads).
What happens if you get pulled over with red diesel?
What’s the fine for using red diesel illegally? There isn’t a fixed fine, but if you’re found using it illegally, the HMRC will charge you for the restoration of your vehicle’s system to clean your tank and filters to remove the marker dye. You will be charged a fee for its removal.
Will red diesel hurt your truck?
No, red diesel will not damage your engine or any other part of the car. Red diesel is the same as regular diesel, but with a red dye. Off-road equipment and vehicles have the same diesel motor as regular vehicles.
Can I use red diesel on my own land?
You may use red diesel in a mowing machine when it’s being used: for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture, aquatic farming or forestry. on a golf course or on land maintained by a community amateur sports club. on land occupied by a travelling fair or travelling circus.
Can police tell if you use red diesel?
HMRC and the police check for illegal red diesel use by carrying out random spot checks using a dipstick test. The chemical dye added to the fuel is designed to linger in a tank and is almost impossible to remove, so if you’ve used red diesel in the past, you could be caught years down the line.