So, you’re wondering how much Kerosene to mix with Diesel. In this article, you’ll learn how much Kerosene to integrate in depending on your situation and everything else you need to know.
Depending on the severity of the weather, you can mix 80% diesel and 20% kerosene all the way to 50/50 if it’s freezing outside. It is dangerous to go beyond that because Kerosene has very little lubricicity, making it burn drier and risking burning out rings. As a general rule of thumb, an extra 10% of kerosene equates to 3-degree decrease in CFPP.
Let’s dig into more detail.
How Much Kerosene to Mix with Diesel?
You should mix in 20% to 50% of your diesel tank with Kerosene depending on how cold the weather is.
You’ll need to be careful when mixing Kerosene with Diesel because it isn’t as efficient as Diesel. The efficiency isn’t tremendous, but you will have slightly lower engine performance.
Most modern diesel engines list Kerosene as a usable fuel, so it should be fine to put in a little extra Kerosene if you know the temperature will decrease.
Why Use Kerosene?
You want to mix Kerosene with Diesel because it will lower the CFPP or cold filter plugging point.
This means that the fuel can pass through the fuel filter, even if it’s colder. Additionally, Kerosene will save you money because it’s cheaper per gallon, and a little bit of it can even help clean your diesel engine.
Why You Should Not Use Kerosene?
Kerosene is a great backup to have for cold weather, but there are certainly better options like Diesel additives.
Some Diesel additives can reduce the CFPP by as much as 35 to 40 degrees for every 10% of the tank is filled. It will also increase fuel efficiency.
This is much more efficient than Kerosene.
Additionally, as stated, Kerosene is not as efficient – it’s around 5% less efficient than Diesel. This will lead to worse engine performance.
Also, Kerosene has very low lubricity, which will contribute to the premature failure of metal parts in the engine – especially the rings.
Finally, Kerosene has less Cetane, which is essential for Diesel engines to operate at their best. Lower Cetane means it’s harder for the fuel to ignite. This will contribute to potentially more extended time to start your vehicle and more prolonged warmups.
By the way, if you want to learn whether a bit of gas will hurt a Diesel engine, click here.
- Lowers the pour point to -65 degrees
- Prevent gelling & icing
- Disperse moisture
- Increases Cetane up to 7 points
How to Use Kerosene in a Diesel Truck?
If you need to use Kerosene as an emergency fuel or as a method to slightly lower the CFPP, then here are the steps you need to take.
Step 1: Check The Current Fuel
The first thing you’ll want to do is check how much fuel you currently have in your tank. You can determine how much fuel you have by looking at the fuel gauge.
Step 2: Find Out the Temperature
Now, you’ll want to find out the temperature you’re in, or you’re going to. You can use a variety of different applications for this, such as a weather channel or the internet.
As a general rule of thumb, you should include 20% Kerosene once you get to around 14 degrees and increase that amount as it gets colder.
Step 3: Check the Pump Label
Ensure that you’re filling your tank with Kerosene before you mix it in.
Step 4: Add the Kerosene to the Tank
Now that you have ensured that you are using Kerosene and know roughly what temperature you’re dealing with, add the Kerosene to the tank.
Last Words
So, how much kerosene to mix with diesel? It depends on the weather, but 20% to 50% is the range you’ll want to stay in, with 20% being around 14 degrees F.
It’s recommended to use Diesel additive, because it makes the engine more efficient, and cools down the engine more efficiently. Check out our above Amazon recommendation for the best Diesel additive.
Have any questions? Leave a comment down below. Happy prepping!
