Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
(OP)
I am curious if anyone knows if it's okay to run a 2008 6.4L PowerStroke truck on off-road (farm) diesel for off-road operation (I'm aware that it's illegal on-road). I'm wondering whether technically the off-road (higher sulfur) diesel wears out or damages components of these engines.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!





RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Regards
Pat
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RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Removing the DPF is illegal---
Also, the engine may have a two-way catalyst uptream of the DPF. A two-way catalyst would be poisoned by high sulfur but would probably recover after some high load operation.
Re-installing the DPF is probably a hassle since things are likely to be hard to reach. Keep in mind that your time is worth money too.
The turbine for that engine was selected based on the restriction in the exhaust caused by the DPF system.
Removing the DPF would lower the exhaust restriction.
This would probably make the turbine seem too "small" for the engine, thus affecting the performance. Conditions near rated power would be most affected.
The bottom line: just use on-highway diesel fuel. The savings in fuel cost is unlikely to be worth the effort / risk.
j2bprometheus
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Regards
Pat
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RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
You also have to think about injection pump parts and injectors.
I don't know if the inverse is true, but when the sulphur was removed from diesel, the older stuff that depended on that for lubrication suffered. Now that pumps and injectors have been designed to operate without the lubricity, would the addition of sulphur be detrimental. I don't know. Just a thought.
And... the above assumes that OR diesel has more sulphur than ultra low sulphur over the road diesel.
The most salient point above was the one about never getting the dye completely out if you ever wanted to go back to operating over the road. Lots of farmers who have tried to do it both ways have learned the hard way that they can't get away with that.
rmw
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
I would have intended to use it on-road again. Just off-road while on work sites (for days at a time). It's looking like a non option, but that is good to know. Thanks.
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Saving a few bucks per tank in tax is about all the benefit I see and that's certainly not enough to warrant all the mods mentioned unless you are "possessed". I wouldn't do it even if the fuel was free...but that's me.
Oh, by the way, I'm a country boy that has used non taxed fuel over the years. In the time frame of the 1950's to the late 1980's I have never even heard of anyone getting gigged for the much feared "red/purple die" problem. Perhaps the gov't is better at policing road tax problems these days?.....LOL
Rod
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
It will feel like you pulled cork out of your tailpipe when you get done.
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
I am not so sure about how long off-road dye last.
During the Katrina / Rita crisis, when the US had to go to emergency measures to keep fuel available in the affected areas, one thing that was permitted (for a while) is running dyed diesel in on-road trucks.
Problem is, people were getting caught years later with the dye in their filters / tanks.. and getting fined.
Apparently a lot got off on the defense that they legally used off-road then.
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Insofar as the DPF, it is not just a DPF, but also a catalyst
http:/
There is a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst built in.
Once you use fuel with high levels of sulfur in it, it is nearly impossible to get it out of the fuel tank / engine / lubricating oil.
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
Insofar as whether the spec is adequate, there are two issues:
A) whether in fact the spec is met in real life samples (as there is no actual auditing / sample testing of most fuels sold)
B) if the spec is itself adequate
Many people out there tend to believe both issues are problems, and go to the trouble and expense of buying additives to put in diesel fuel.
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
I've never used an additive...the Cummins runs just fine and still gives the same fuel consumption rate as it has since I bought it new in '91. Based on my experience I'd say the fuel anti wear additives that replaced the higher sulfur content must be doing it's job.
Rod
RE: Running 2008 6.4 L Super Duty PowerStroke on off-road diesel?
There was a lot of issues switching over from LSD to ULSD in terms of deposits build on EGR components, which may / could have also come from the rampant use of sub-standard biodiesel which is widespread (even today) and home brews.
Around mid 2000s with diesel prices exploding, many people were running home brew biodiesels that is nothing more than filtered used french fry oil and expecting their vehicles to work.... with finely tuned emissions systems, DOCs, and EGR.
One immediate problem that have been hinted at (but haven't seen much published) is when fuel went from LSD to ULSD or to biodiesel (of any % blend above say, 2%), what effect does it have in leaching stuff that is in the system, including corrosion products, varnish, etc.?
What about damage to seals that were not designed for it?
As it turned out, engines that were in the installed base from mid-2000s onward to 2010 had a lot of issues, including EGR clogging with particulates, that seem to have completely gone away recently once the system had a cleaning / replacement of bad EGR components within the past year.