JP4 vs Diesel
JP4 vs Diesel
(OP)
I have a friend who has a friend (no, really) who flies a helicopter for a living. As I understand it, they have to test the fuel very often and then have to discard the fuel pulled for the test. They generate a couple of hundred gallons of clean, waste JP4 fuel each month. Until now they have been paying to have this disposed.
My friend has been asked if he wants the fuel. They will pay him to take it. They told him that JP4 is a highly refined diesel and that they sometimes used it in diesel vehicles, but they no longer have these.
I drive a 2003 Dodge with the Cummins diesel. Do you know if this fuel can be used safely in my truck?
Thanks for the help
My friend has been asked if he wants the fuel. They will pay him to take it. They told him that JP4 is a highly refined diesel and that they sometimes used it in diesel vehicles, but they no longer have these.
I drive a 2003 Dodge with the Cummins diesel. Do you know if this fuel can be used safely in my truck?
Thanks for the help





RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Rod
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
However, I have run both JP4 and JP8 in my '86 Volkswagen Golf Diesel without any problems. I was given the car for free, which is why I didn't hesitate to experiment with free fuel (Maragorn: I am in a similar situation as you, in that I can obtain the fuel for free). I always mix it with Diesel from a gas station, and never put in more than half a tank of the military fuel. I had some concern about the reduced lubricity of the JP4 and JP8, but it has not had a noticeable effect on the driveability.
I should also say I am not performing an engineering test here. I have not opened the engine to see the effects of this mixed fuel, or done any other tests to quantify the effects of the alternate fuel.
That being said, would I run it in my 2003 Dodge Truck if I had one? Never!
-Reidh
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
rmw
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Run it in my Dodge...not a friggen chance, mate!
SG...It's illegal in the states, too. Even 'home brew' bio diesel is illegal, technically. As a kid, our untaxed, 'farm' fuel had a purple dye added and if you got stopped and they found 'purple' the fines were quite high...having said that, I never even heard of anyone getting cought and fined during those years I used it (1950's).
Rod
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
-Reidh
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Per the military specification, HMMWVs(Humvees) are allowed to run on JP4, JP8, Diesel, DF2, or VV-F-800. In the current combat situation, HMMWVs are filled with whichever of these fuels is most convienent and plentiful, as running fuel convoys is a dangerous mission these days.
-Reidh
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
"...legality shouldn't be one of them."
In an ideal state, I agree. However, yesterdays newspaper the Alcohol Beverage Control unit arrested two elderly women at the local Lake Elsinore Elks lodge for participating in a $50 football pool!!!
Perhaps paranoia is setting in after all these years. In dealing with our current administration in DC, all bets are off!
Rod
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Lubrictiy, or the lack of it, was a concern with the ultra-low sulfur Diesel fuel being used in the states. It turned out not to be a problem.
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
We did not have to run on JP4, which is basically kerosine. You can probably get away with cutting it into summer fuel, but you will experience more smoke and less power. I wouldn't go above ~20%.
ISZ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Lubrictiy, or the lack of it, was a concern with the ultra-low sulfur Diesel fuel being used in the states. It turned out not to be a problem.
SomptingGuy (Automotive) 8 Feb 07 16:09
I always thought that the military need was "one fuel for all". Understandable really, given the overhead of multiple fuel types.
You guys are right on.
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Bill
RE: JP4 vs Diesel
Lubricity was also the big concern when we switched from "normal" to low sulpher fuel many years ago. I was too young to remember much, but from what I've heard it was a big learning curve regarding hard finishes, tolerances, etc.
ISZ
RE: JP4 vs Diesel