OT: kerosene in a diesel motor

[tn8n]

totally off the wall question here, but i just overheard something on my CB and it made me think.

a semi on the interstate in front of me was smoking like crazy and another trucker said to him "what the h did you do, fill that thing with effin kerosene?"

so anyway it made me wonder, would a diesel motor run, albeit poorly, on kerosene? (maybe i should stop thinking so much!) seems like my wife tells me i don't think enough most of the time.
 

[TheOldHokie]

[Bob Purinton]

It depends on what color the smoke is coming out of the truck.
Black smoke can be good or bad. If he is passing everything on the road and blowing black smoke; he's got the fuel turned up on it for more power. If there is not a lot of black smoke and he is running OK otherwise; he may need an air filter. If he's being passed by most everything on the road and blowing black smoke; his turbo is gone and he is taking the chance of ruining his engine.
White-ish smoke is, likely, a head gasket blown and letting coolant into the combustion chamber
 

[tn8n]

it was blue-white, and seemed to only smoke on acceleration. but when it was smoking, it was really pourin it out.

oldhokie, thorough and informative answers like yours are exactly why i love reading and using this forum. there are some extremely bright people on here.
 

[Me too...John,PA]

Ioften wondered why the industry didn't come out with kerosene as the normal fuel for everything on the road. Only one pump needed at the stations.

Maybe kerosene would be the "fuel of the future".

Maybe turbine engines will be the engine of the future for every truck and auto.

The Wenkel engine was supposed to be able to burn kerosene. That was 50 yrs. ago.

Just my thoughts...... John,PA
 

[souNdguy]

ditto what TOH said.. #1 and k-1 are virtually the same.


#2 is road diesel.. etc..
 

[LenND]

I'm a retired trucker and up here in cold country our tanks are filled with 50/50. Fifty percent #1 and fifty percent #2. Diesel will get thick in cold weather but will still flow. But your filters will fill up with slush and will stop fuel flow.
 

[RL DICKrdick@comcast.net]

I had a new 04 Volvo with a 500 horse Cummins,EGR valve would go bad about every 100,000 moles.That thing would blow black smokeso bad you couldn't see the back of the trailer.$1,ooo.00 would fix it.Richard in Poulsbo
 

[NoNewParts]

whenever I fill my shop heater with kero,
I add some to my diesel Kubota in the winter.
cheaper than additives
 

[tumleweed]

I would us a few gallons per tank full (150 gal)of Kerosene to help clean the injectors, note that kerosene has less oil than diesel fuel.
 

[TheOldHokie]