[Laneco]

Mike -
I checked with our mechanic in Tahoe - here's what he had to say.

Newer Cummins engine - no glow plugs. Older ones - yes glow plugs and they are the more common engine for swapouts. If yours is a glow plug truck, cycle repeatedly, then start. Both need to be plugged in overnight.

He's having zero issues with any of the fuel in the tahoe area, seems to be contaminate free, not clouding or jelling, etc. He is not using additives on the highway vehicles but there are quite a few available and they work fine (truck stops are good choices). He does use an additive on the snow-grooming equipment with diesel engines. They sit way up on the mountain and it's VERY cold up there.

He's not impressed with the Tahoe area mechanics and suggests that if you have an issue with your Cummins that you take it to the Dodge dealer in Carson City.

Also - Lubey - the red- dye thing. Just FYI, it's not the DOT that enforces red-dye, it's the IRS. It is considered tax evasion. Just a little bit of red-dye makes the whole tank turn red. IRS usually works with DOT to do sampling of vehicles in highway operation because the DOT officers have traffic authority to stop the vehicle. Once stopped, the IRS agent will test each tank, not DOT. The fines are issued based on the existing tank and the "mother" tank if known. If the vehicle operator has a storage tank with red dye on their property, and red-dye is found in their on-road vehicle, the fine is based on the large tank... Fines start at about a grand for the tank on the vehicle and if they prove red-dye tanks on your property linked to highway use, you are in mucho $$$$ trouble. Think 5 figures and up with many fines in the six figure region for gross offenders.

When I was a DOT officer, I worked a case with the IRS guys where the vehicle operator stopped at McDonalds for 99 cent breakfast sandwich. Parked the truck behind the business in public area (fair game for me to initiate action). When the IRS guys pulled the sample from the guys tank, I about croaked... Most of the red-dye samples were somewhat red indicating a dilute mixture. This guy was running straight red-dye - two one hundred gallon tanks plus a 2,000 gallon mother tank with no off-road equipment at all. I think they spent about 2 years on the case and fined the guy $80,000... Very expensive breakfast sandwich.

angela