|
I wouldn't worry about it too much as the more white diesel you put in, the less detecable the red diesel will become. If you run your tank to virtually empty and then brim it with white fuel, the red will be pretty much untraceable after that. This is 100% fact that was gained from watching the customs and excise boys in action testing the diesel in a suspect car that had already been impounded by the police for other offences. I got a guided tour (as such) of their van and a lesson in the methods that they use to a: detect the presence of red diesel in the fuel and b: to determine the exact percentage of red diesel in the mixed fuel in order to gain evidence to secure a conviction.
|
The red dye is only to give a quick visual clue. The real test is much more subtle than that, I think it involves chemical detection of minute traces of another, invisible, substance that lingers in pipework etc. There are "well known" ways of bleaching out the red, but they don't remove the tell-tale substance.
The real issue is, are you a genuinely innocent buyer, or are you asking how to get away with using it yourself? If the former, and in the rare eventuality that you were stopped and questioned, having any knowledge of red diesel might be suspicious - for example failing to inform Customs & Excise of a suspected breach of the fuel taxation law might itself be a criminal offence.
|
The point about not going near farmer's meetings or boatyards is that both tractors and marine engines are allowed use red diesel, so Customs are more likely to check fuel tanks near such venues.
(Irish Customs and Excise were also known to set up stall outside regional universities and colleges to dip diesel tanks on the first day of term when country-dwelling parents would arrive with a student and carload of student paraphenalia on board.)
A bigger risk than red diesel is laundered red diesel, where the dye has been washed out (usually badly) using because of the residue left behind.
Anyway, what makes the OP think red has been used in his car in the past? It would be useful to know so the rest of us know what to look for when buying a second-hand diesel (I'm assuming most sellers would top up on road diesel before the sale so the colourful dye wouldn't be a give away...)
|
|
You are right Cliff Pope, they can tell if a engine/fuel system has ever run on it, there's more to it than it just looking red, and actually there are two dyes added nowadays, red and euro yellow, so even if you remove the red using lye or whatever, the yellow remains, but if you aren't the first owner and there is no red diesel liquid in the tank, I doubt that they wouldn't get a prosecution.
|
"but if you aren't the first owner and there is no red diesel liquid in the tank, I doubt that they wouldn't get a prosecution."
A prosecution maybe not, but the thing about customs is that they are a law unto themselves, they don't worry about silly little things like "is the driver innocent or not" they just take the car and crush it, and avoid answering any questions later.
To the OP, after almost draining the tank and refilling, and running that through, make sure you change the fuel filter.
|
|
You lads should come to Ireland customs and excise have road blocks quite regular and check for diesel,,,and just in case you wondered the dye in diesel over here is green,,,,,,are the customs in england only interested in red????,,,,before you ask green diesel can be bought for as little as 59 cents thats about 40p,but you would have to collect it in drums from the local supplier,I think its about 75 cents thats about 50p at the pumps and all the petrol stations sell it,,,as we have a lot of tractors here......ooh arr
|
|
What are the actual powers that Customs & Excise have to allow them to dip tanks? If you're stopped and told that they'd like to dip your tank, do you actually have to allow them? I'd like to think they need reasonable grounds for suspecting at the very least, or preferably a warrant if they insist on doing it! What would happen if you refuse?
|
What are the actual powers that Customs & Excise have to allow them to dip tanks?
tinyurl.com/jyd5w
Section 7.
7. Powers of Customs and Excise officers
(referred to in paragraph 3.3)
Customs and Excise are allowed by law to:
i. examine any vehicle and any oil in or on it and to inspect, test or sample any oil in the fuel supply;
ii. require vehicle owners or anyone in charge of a vehicle to open or cause to be opened the fuel tank or other source of the fuel supply so that the fuel can be located and inspected, tested or sampled. If there is anything in the supply which might hinder this, it must be removed;
iii. require anyone in charge of a vehicle to produce any books or documents relating to the vehicle or to oil carried on it and which are carried by that person or on the vehicle;
iv. enter and inspect any premises (except private dwelling houses) and inspect, test and sample any oil on the premises, whether in a vehicle or elsewhere. In entering the premises, an officer may bring with him any vehicle used for carrying out official duties;
v. require the occupier of premises or the person in charge of them to give facilities to inspect, test or sample oil on the premises or oil in the fuel supply of vehicles on the premises, irrespective of whether the oil or the vehicle belongs to that person or someone else; and
vi. require anyone concerned with the sale, purchase or disposal of any oil to produce on demand any relevant books or documents.
|
|
|
|
By refusing you would merely be arousing suspicion.
|
Found this link which seems to explain the situation fairly comprehensively: www.ipaf.org/Fuel+for+road+vehicles.pdf
Just thought it might help!!
|
|
What are the actual powers that Customs & Excise have to allow them to dip tanks? If you're stopped and told that they'd like to dip your tank, do you actually have to allow them? I'd like to think they need reasonable grounds for suspecting at the very least, or preferably a warrant if they insist on doing it! What would happen if you refuse?
Customs Officers can enter premises without a warrant - they have pretty sweeping powers. They can detain you without the right to contact others, for example.
Although the courts are tending to crack down on them these days - they've lost a couple of high profile cases by not following proceedures properly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customers and exorcisersdo not prosecute you for red diesel it is classed as an absolute offence they instantly impound your vehicle and may allow you to have it back. Normally £250 for first offence....I know believe me and the they can tell if red has ever been in the tank BELIEVE ME. Would not reccomend anybody to use the stuff ever....Keo.
|
|
There are more than one hundred organizations that can enter your house without a warrant,not just Customs and Excise(as they were;they are now integrated with Inland Revenue).
|
|
Customs among most others now need a warrant to enter a private dwelling , it's all about human rights. They can however sieze your vehicle for the slightest thing ,they can enter outbuildings, commercial premises, land ,etc. but not your house. This is under new guidelines and although they technically still have the right of entry they will not excercise it and will apply for a warrant whereby they will be accompanied initially by police...cheers...Keo.
|
I was stopped once when I was cabbing, don't know if the C&E guys were trying to put the frighteners on, but, they claimed that when they find evidence of red being used, their opening gambit is to apply tax for the recorded mileage at the expected MPG of the vehicle, unless you can give evidence (receipts) for duty paid fuel.
So a high mileage vehicle driver would be presented with a large claim.
As i said, they might have just been putting the frighteners on, but it went round the cabbies like wildfire, quite a few were told the same thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
