Where To Find #1 Diesel (Is Farm Diesel #1 or #2?)
Gas and oil producers are working hard to make their products more environmentally friendly. They have to due to government regulations. However, whenever they make the attempt vehicle owners get confused and do not know where they are supposed to buy their fuel.
This may be hard to find as #1 diesel is almost the same or is the same as kerosene. It would be sold under the kerosene label and be very hard to find. We thought farm diesel was #1 but in our research, we found out that farm diesel is called AG diesel.
To learn more about this type of fuel, and it is called fuel, not gas, just keep reading our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can find it when you need it. Take a few minutes to get up to speed on this topic.
Is There a Diesel Number #1?
Yes, there is but you may not find it at the p[umps when you go in for a fill-up. This fuel is the same as kerosene. It is not made for on-highway or city driving. There is a significant difference between #1 and #2 diesel.
#1 diesel:
- shorter ignition delay and has a higher cetane content
- has added lubricants- this helps keep engine parts moving smoothly
- added detergents- these ingredients help keep injectors and other fuel components clean
- has other beneficial additives- these ingredients help performance and reduce any downtime
- works in cold weather
#2 diesel:
- costs less at the pump than #1 diesel
- can change to a gel when cold weather strikes
- is supposed to provide the best engine performance
- takes less refining to make than the 1 diesel
Where To Buy #1 Diesel Near Me
This may be difficult to do when you are in or near a city. Almost all diesel fuel sold today for regular driving use is #2 diesel and it is the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) version of this fuel.
The sulfur ingredient in previous versions was said to add more lubrication. Many diesel engine owners were not happy about the switch to the ULSD version. But those fears were relieved when shown that the ULSD version of diesel loosened up the gunk that could cause clogs and helped get rid of that content.
To find a #1 diesel station near you, it would take using any one of the many diesel fuel gas station finders you can find on the internet. We are not linking to them because, in California, all gas stations are supposed to be selling the ULSD version and not #1. They have been required to do so since 2006.
However, if you get out into the farm country of the state, you may find gas stations that sell this fuel version. #1 diesel is very hard to find due to the fact that it is a winter fuel and not made for on-road driving.
It is made for off-road vehicles that rarely use public roads to get to their destinations.
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Gas Stations
These fuel stations are everywhere diesel is sold. They will be the fuel that is in the storage tanks feeding the diesel pump at your local gas station. Unless you are married to a particular brand, you will not need a gas station finder to find a ULSD fuel pump.
They are at every truck stop and every gas station that sells diesel fuel. The reason for this popularity is that #2 diesel is ULSD and it is made for all on-road vehicles. This is supposed to be called biodiesel and it won’t be labeled as such at the pump if the biodiesel content is below 5%. it will be if that content goes over 5%.
If you live in a cold-weather state, you may find that the diesel you get is a mixture of #1 and #2. The reason for that is that #2 diesel tends to gel up in cold weather. The #1 is added to the fuel to help keep it thinned out.
If you travel around the world, you will find that it is the #2 diesel at almost every gas station pump in the world. #1 is not made for on-road vehicles and you will have a hard time finding it no matter where you go.
#2 is the ULSD fuel that you are looking for. Do not waste time looking for a special gas station for this fuel. it is everywhere already.
Is Premium Diesel The Same as #1 Diesel?
No, they are not the same as premium diesel is designed for on-road applications. #1 diesel is not designed for on-road applications unless you live in a cold-weather state. Then it is mixed in with #2 at about a 15 to 20 % ratio.
The problem you are going to find is that premium diesel is as good as the information you get from the person you are asking. What that means is that it depends on who you are talking to that determines the benefits you get from premium diesel.
Some people say it is great for performance, etc., while others say there is no difference in your performance. One gas station has been quoted as saying the premium diesel is filled with magic ingredients.
What people in favor of premium diesel are saying is-- “higher cetane number, better lubricity and includes detergents that provide injector-cleaning capability” than is when it is compared to regular diesel #2.
Also, there is no one standard premium fuel. the quality and content of the premium diesel are up to the refinery making it. They also say that #2 diesel contains no additives to protect your engine. That statement goes in direct contrast to many other statements made about #2 diesel.
What you are getting is a big marketing ploy to get you to buy the more expensive fuel even though you do not need it in your diesel engines.
Is Farm Diesel #1 or #2?
Some people have stated that farm fuel is called AG diesel. That just maybe a fancy term for #1 diesel. To answer the question, #1 diesel is made for off-road vehicles like tractors, cultivators, harvesters, and other pieces of farm equipment.
It is the same as kerosene which is used as your home heating fuel when you have an oil furnace. What that information tells you is that you can use home heating oil in your farm vehicles and not have a problem.
What you may or may not know is that farm diesel is dyed red. That is because it is not taxed the same way as diesel #2. You can be fined quite heavily if you are caught using red-dyed diesel in your on-road vehicles.
If you do your own research, you will find many websites saying different things about diesel fuel no matter the number. We have done it in a previous article ourselves as the information out there can be very misleading, here is the link: heating oil vs diesel.
We are arguing two different sides to the same topic. What that tells you is that there is little difference between farm diesel and clear diesel. The only real difference is the taxation issue.
What is Winter Diesel Fuel?
This is not a special variation of diesel fuel. While some outlets may make a special deal out of winter diesel, maybe to justify their boost in the cost, it is not a special fuel with different additives, etc.
All winter diesel is made up of about 15% of #1 and 85% of 2 or 20% of #1 and 80% of #2. That is it. The only risk you would be taking by using diesel #1 in an engine designed for diesel #2 is that the former may shorten your engine’s lifespan.
It is hard to say if that is true as there are any number of issues that will do the same thing no matter which fuel you use. Then AG fuel is not a special diesel fuel either. It is actually the #1 diesel dyed red.
It is illegal to use dyed diesel in your on-road vehicle for the simple reason road taxes are not applied to this fuel. Police officers will use a gauge and dip it into your tank to see if it is clear or red diesel fuel in your tank. Then fine you if it is red.
Some Final Words
You would be hard-pressed to find #1 diesel at any normal gas station. This type of fuel is not usually sold at those on-road gas stations and you may have to go to a special outlet to get it. All diesel fuel for on-road vehicles is #2 and probably ULSD in content.
Regulations have changed the way cars drive.
