Jet-A diesel

[jatnip]

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

[47FLXclipper]

aside from not paying "road taxes" and it being much higher sulpher content?
jetA discussion on a diesel board

Bill

[luvrbus]

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

[HighTechRedneck]

Fact:  It is illegal.  Ma$$ive fine if caught.

[luvrbus]

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

[Lin]

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?

[HighTechRedneck]

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.

[Lin]

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?

[Barn Owl]

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?

[akroyaleagle]

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.

[HB of CJ]

If memory serves, (ha ha) Detroits required special injectors to run JP3, 4 and combat gasoline.  Good luck. 

[junkman42]

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

[bigtim44]

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!

[Utahclaimjumper]

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

[Lin]

So how does one get defueled Jet-A?  I assume there must be quite a bit of competition for it.