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Chemical tracer? besides red dyed fuel?

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Old 04-18-2005, 04:57 PM
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Chemical tracer? besides red dyed fuel?

Hi folks, I have read all kinds of stories, conjecture and other remarks about red diesel.. (no I don't run any and don't ever plan on it.)
But I have a question...
Supposedly, authorities can do another much more sensitive test to see if any untaxed diesel (red) has been run thru a vehicle recently.
The only way I know they could do that is if there is an additional chemical tracer element that is included with the #2 red dye.
It seems that without it, anything red colored could be viewed a false positive (Marvel Mystery oil, ATF, STA-BIL, etc).
Does anyone know if this tracer method is used? and if so, what could it be???

Any refinery terminal people out there???
Old 04-18-2005, 06:56 PM
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Yes, there is a chemical tracer in the dye. They can even tell the percentage of off road fuel in your tank.
A researcher where I work has grant from the IRS to develop a mint oil additive for diesel fuel that would allow inspectors to very easily tell if a vehicle is running offroad just by the smell when it drives by. The IRS wants to do this because in some states random fuel sampling has been declared an illegal search. In fact it would be declared an illegal search in any state if a person has the time and money to take it to the state supreme court. When his project is finished and implemented if an inspector can smell the mint it gives reasonable cause for a test.
Old 04-18-2005, 07:15 PM
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What if it smells like Atomic Apple, Banana Blast, Burn Out Blueberry, Full Blown Bubble Gum, Cherry Bomb, Quick ET Chocolate, Super Sonic Cinnamon, Rocket Cotton Candy, Flyin' Hawaiian Fruit Punch, Groovy Grape, Light 'Em Up Licorice, Lemon Lightning, Peel Out Pina Colada, Radical Racin' Raspberry, Rippin' Root Beer, Oils All Supercharged Strawberry, Turbo Tangerine, Victory Vanilla, Wicked Watermelon.


http://www.liquidhorsepower.com/fuel-fragrances.html
Old 04-18-2005, 07:32 PM
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Both me and my truck will have minty fresh breath. Sounds like a good comercial!
Old 04-18-2005, 07:56 PM
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I'd like to see them get their mint oil in my homebrewed biodiesel.

Edwin
Old 04-18-2005, 08:22 PM
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Uhoh Ed, that link is suggesting we remove our emission control devices:

For best results use in vehicles without catalytic converters.

Oh ya, our trucks don't have them fancy schmancy devices on them.


phox
Old 04-18-2005, 11:42 PM
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Hmmm. I think I'm gonna run Burn Out Blueberry in my truck.
Old 04-19-2005, 08:52 AM
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At the shop they put some of that Oils All Supercharged Strawberry. It smells pretty good, actually.
Old 04-19-2005, 10:38 AM
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Originally posted by Shovelhead
What if it smells like Atomic Apple, Banana Blast, Burn Out Blueberry, Full Blown Bubble Gum, Cherry Bomb, Quick ET Chocolate, Super Sonic Cinnamon, Rocket Cotton Candy, Flyin' Hawaiian Fruit Punch, Groovy Grape, Light 'Em Up Licorice, Lemon Lightning, Peel Out Pina Colada, Radical Racin' Raspberry, Rippin' Root Beer, Oils All Supercharged Strawberry, Turbo Tangerine, Victory Vanilla, Wicked Watermelon.

Once again Shovelhead comes thru. Where do you keep it all?
Old 04-19-2005, 10:43 AM
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Only problem using the ricer juice is it costs $12 to treat 5-10 gallons of diesel, it would be cheaper to just buy onroad fuel.
Old 04-19-2005, 10:57 AM
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Of course, we all know that's not the point..........
I'm talking about adding it to the On-Road diesel, not trying to mask the Off-Road mint.
Old 04-19-2005, 11:04 AM
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I wonder if they could make one that smells like diesel so I could put it in my wifes car? Then it wouldn't seem so bad having to driving it.
Old 04-19-2005, 12:22 PM
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Originally posted by Tmc243
I wonder if they could make one that smells like diesel so I could put it in my wifes car? Then it wouldn't seem so bad having to driving it.
Yep! I've got some of it right now..
It is selling around Corpus Christi at ~2.19/gallon
Don't use too much or it might start smoking like a diesel!!!
Old 04-19-2005, 01:16 PM
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Originally posted by infidel
Yes, there is a chemical tracer in the dye. They can even tell the percentage of off road fuel in your tank.
A researcher where I work has grant from the IRS to develop a mint oil additive for diesel fuel that would allow inspectors to very easily tell if a vehicle is running offroad just by the smell when it drives by. The IRS wants to do this because in some states random fuel sampling has been declared an illegal search. In fact it would be declared an illegal search in any state if a person has the time and money to take it to the state supreme court. When his project is finished and implemented if an inspector can smell the mint it gives reasonable cause for a test.
Good Grief! How would you like to sit behind a tractor's exhaust smelling mint oil all day long!
The aldehydes are bad enough!
It could get interesting if everyone with ON-road fuel puts some Wrigley's Double-DieselMint additive in there..
Jes' WAIT for them revenooers' to pry your cap off and find legal fuel in there.

What is the chemical tracer presently in use now? A unique dye itself? or another separate element?
Infidel, what brought this up originally, was discussion among friends about what to do with a sealed partial barrel of clean generator fuel stored from around '88-'90. It was originally purchased as "Red Ruby" brand premium grade diesel fuel.. Definitely dyed very ruby-red and was sold down here before the Onroad/Offroad colored diesel fuel regulations came about.
My little '81 4banger Toyota diesel used to consume lots of this stuff back then.
It stained my fuel separator red for sure!
I declined the stuff as I didn't want to tempt fate and wind up with a huge fine if stopped and sampled for red dye. (highly unlikely though, but my luck doesn't usually run very good.)
Plus it was old fuel, although clean, dry and preserved with biocide.

Keith
Old 04-19-2005, 01:21 PM
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Originally posted by Shovelhead
What if it smells like:
Guiness Stout?


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