Home Heating Oil Is Basically Diesel, But You Shouldn't Use It In Your Truck
Diesel prices are skyrocketing, to the point where we've added an entire section in The Morning Shift dedicated to tracking the increase in fuel costs. And while oil and gas companies make billions thanks to the Iran war, some gas stations are out of diesel entirely — a situation that we in the industry call "not great," when basically every product that has to get from one part of the country does so on diesel-powered semi trucks. Those of you with diesel trucks of your own may be wondering if there are alternatives, and here's the answer: Yes, but you shouldn't use them.
Diesel fuel is, functionally, the same as home heating oil. There are some small differences in additives and sulfur content, but they're immaterial to the function of the fuel: Both will burn in a diesel engine, and make your truck move. Some diesel additives are intended to promote engine health over high mileage, but even those aren't necessary for the most basic function of an engine. You can, in the most basic sense of the term, run your diesel truck on home heating oil.
You can, but you also can't
The most noticeable difference between diesel fuel and home heating oil is one that's directly intended to be noticeable: The color. Home heating oil is dyed red, to prevent truckers from dodging fuel taxes by using it in their semis — cops can check the color of the fuel in the tank, and catch offenders who buy cheaper, more plentiful home oil. Whether those cops are willing to check the tanks of every F-150 that passes by is another matter, but rest assured that they could. Cops don't need to catch every fish in the ocean, just you.
As diesel gets scarcer and pricier, home heating oil hasn't yet caught up — prices (while elevated over standard home heating oil levels) are generally still lower than you'll pay at the green-handled pump. Just because you technically can run your truck on the oil that's meant to heat your home, though, doesn't mean you should. Both because it's illegal, and because if this war with Iran gets any worse you may well be stuck without any way to heat your home.