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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: jatnip on June 03, 2008, 07:57:01 PM

Title: Jet-A diesel
Post by: jatnip on June 03, 2008, 07:57:01 PM
I am looking for someone with facts and not personal opinions about the advantage and disadvantage of using jet-a diesel fuel in a 8v71.  Taking the cost of jet-a at 2 dollars and adding additive to it would it be worth it?  What about a 50/50 mixture of diesel / Jet-A?  Know of other doing this but they don' seem to know the facts about if any harm would be done.
Thanks
Jatnip
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: 47FLXclipper on June 03, 2008, 08:15:46 PM
aside from not paying "road taxes" and it being much higher sulpher content?
jetA discussion on a diesel board (http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f24/jet-vs-diesel-62296/)

Bill
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: luvrbus on June 03, 2008, 08:25:40 PM
Jet-A  is a kerosene type fuel and is lower in sulfur than diesel and has less btu's than #2 fuel so your fuel mileage will suffer by using it.for years #1 fuel was the choice for dd 71's and it was kerosene but I don't have an answer for the jet-a fuel but I would do a lot of research before going that route I read about it some years ago on www.madsci.org but forgot the rest of the link
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: HighTechRedneck on June 03, 2008, 08:38:23 PM
Fact:  It is illegal.  Ma$$ive fine if caught.
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: luvrbus on June 03, 2008, 08:50:49 PM
jatnip,for 2 dollars a gal for fuel you could pay state and federal taxes and be to the good.Is that fresh fuel or has it been removed for contamination I know the farmers buy it were I live  but it's been removed from the airport for contamination reasons
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Lin on June 03, 2008, 09:10:10 PM
My 5a has a plate on the fuel door that says to use only Diesel #1.  Does that mean Jet-A is closer to the designed specs?
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: HighTechRedneck on June 04, 2008, 05:49:39 AM
Quote from: luvrbus on June 03, 2008, 08:50:49 PM
jatnip,for 2 dollars a gal for fuel you could pay state and federal taxes and be to the good.

True.  If you do that, keep a copy of undisputable documentation of your paying the taxes in the bus at all times that the fuel is in it.

Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Lin on June 04, 2008, 08:31:07 AM
I just checked the local prices of jet-a.  It seems that it ranges from about 4.75 to 6.26 at different airports.  Certainly there is no advantage to use it at those prices.  Where does one get it at 2.00/gal?
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Barn Owl on June 04, 2008, 08:52:39 AM
When I worked for Eastern Airlines we used Jet-A in all our diesel ground equipment, all of the time, no exceptions. Hundreds if not thousands of hours of run time and no problems. No more miles than a conversion would see I don't see where it would hurt.

If some are worried about additives and are willing to add transmission fluid to attempt to "lube" the fuel, why not two-stroke engine oil? Wouldn't that be a better alternative than tranny fluid?
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: akroyaleagle on June 04, 2008, 10:28:02 AM
The difference in Jet A and Jet B is that anticing is added to Jet A.

Fuel trucks on forest fires almost always use the helicopter fuel (Jet A or B) in the tractor. I have never seen any engine problems develope from the practice.

Contaminated Jet fuel merely means it failed the test for aircraft use. The worst outcome would be water in the filters. I assume it would be in barrels or tanks. Simply turn the container upside down and install a drain petcock if it doesnt have one. Turn the container right side up and let sit over night. The water will settle to the bottom and may be drained off. Exactly why pilots drain a sample from each tank before flight.

It ain't rocket science! We pilots have done it since the Wright brothers.
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: HB of CJ on June 04, 2008, 01:51:51 PM
If memory serves, (ha ha) Detroits required special injectors to run JP3, 4 and combat gasoline.  Good luck.  :) :) :)
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: junkman42 on June 04, 2008, 02:12:39 PM
My son told Me that in the sand box all diesel vehicles use jp8 which is the universal fuel for aircraft etc.  I do not know if jet a is the same.  jp4 was the military fuel for aircraft in My day.  John
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: bigtim44 on June 04, 2008, 05:27:27 PM
Defuel Jet -A works great,I have run it through cummins 6bt and detroit 6V92 motors without any issues,a friend of mine also runs it through all of his back hoes and earth moving equipment without issue. By the way the stuff is not coloured like off road (red) diesel,so making it undetectable if dipped.WVO doesn't have taxes on it either!
;D
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Utahclaimjumper on June 04, 2008, 06:09:13 PM
I am and have been an "active in the trade" aviation mechanic-inspector for 30 years, we routinely use jet-a in ground equipment by adding one quart of any oil to 100 gal. of jet. Jet is just diesel with less oil content.>>>Dan
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Lin on June 04, 2008, 07:24:01 PM
So how does one get defueled Jet-A?  I assume there must be quite a bit of competition for it.
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: 4104GA on June 04, 2008, 07:44:29 PM
In my 29 years as a mechanic with delta we used jet a in all our diesel engines including
the 671 powered generators.  We never added anything to the fuel and never had fuel related engine problems.  I also used sump fuel drained

jet a from the delivery tanker in my pick up truck diesel engine with no  problems.

I am still experimenting with alternate fuels in my 671 to power m 4104
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: akroyaleagle on June 05, 2008, 08:44:28 AM
JP-8 is the Military designation for Jet A. JP-4 = Jet B.
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: Don Fairchild on June 05, 2008, 08:55:45 AM
JP-8 and Jet -A are not the same fuel. JP-8 is a very cold fuel it is used because it won't explode in the air if shot with and incendiary devise. We went thru this with the air force several years ago with there flight line generators. Pratt-whittney has been lobbying the air force to get rid of the JP-8 It adds another three hours maintenance  to every hour of flight time.
Title: Re: Jet-A diesel
Post by: akroyaleagle on June 05, 2008, 01:40:03 PM
The fuel interchange manuals for all Army aircraft list JP-8 as the NATO equivalent of Jet A.
Bell, Hughes, Super Puma and AS-350 helicopter manuals also list JP-8 as a military fuel in lieu of Jet A.
I don't know what the Air Force uses.