# Diesel fuel



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Luigi said:


> Quick question; Is all diesel the same? Does it matter which gas station I go to? Is there any difference in the fuel?


If your talking whats on the gas pump island at most stations there isn't much difference. Biodiesel is offered at some stations, B20(20% biodiesel) and sometimes higher. The cruze diesel is only capable of B20. Also once cold outside biodiesel seems to have a higher temp at which it gels, so should be avoided. Bio diesel seems to clean the fuel system too, if you have never run it before there is a chance you'll need to change your fuel filters soon afterward. 

Living in a farming area in Wisconsin a few stations offer off road Diesel, this is taxed at a different rate and they dye the fuel so they can tell if you are running it on the road, think I heard it was a $10,000 fine if caught running it in your car/truck. This is sold to farmers for tractors and such. 

I would probably stick to stations that sell allot of fuel(same as buying gas).


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Luigi said:


> Quick question; Is all diesel the same? Does it matter which gas station I go to? Is there any difference in the fuel?


Always take a look and make sure the sticker says 15 PPM of sulfur. I believe that if you use the 500 PPM it will damage the exhaust system. I haven't seen the 500 stuff in a while though. Back in 2007 when I had my diesel Grand Cherokee, you could still find the 500 stuff and the owners manual for the Jeep strongly cautioned against the stuff. Also if this car is the same you have to use a special "low ash" engine oil as well or that can also cause exhaust system issues.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

I think that in US they also use low sulfur diesel now.Winter diesel might be a little different.The only thing i used to do on my VW TDI was add diesel fuel lubricant year round.


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## gulfcoastguy (Feb 21, 2013)

In the winter adding Power Service , white bottle variety, is a good idea. That far up north I'd opt for the block heater also.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

When i got my 98 TDI the block heater was a option. I never had issues starting the car even when it got down to -25c.
As long i had a good battery and the glow plugs were good i was fine.Yes i had to wait sometimes 10-15 seconds for the glow plugs , but it never let me down.Now a block heater would make life a little nicer back then.
I was using STANADYNE fuel additive year round


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

I remember Standard Oil used to sell a "Diesel Supreme" which was a slightly different color and it had some extra anti-gel, and pH buffering additives and detergents. It looks like BP still offers this in some places:

Fuels | Diesel | BP Diesel Supreme® Specifications Chart

It's the same 15 ppm sulfur as anything else now. With low sulfur fuel you don't get as much acid so the additives are not as useful as they used to be but can still be helpful. 

I think as long as you always buy it from a retail pump you'll be okay. I wouldn't sneak anything destined for trains or off-road heavy equipment into it. I still think the best fuel additive is Lucas Fuel treatment. Works in gasoline or diesel, and you can buy it by the gallon at truck stops. Looks like this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/luc-10013-1

I put it in everything. It's not really an anti-gel though. If you live someplace where it gets below -10 or -15F (-23 to-26C) , then anti-gel is something you might want to keep handy.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

There is such a thing as "premium" Diesel that has a higher Cetane rating.

Euro Diesel has a higher cetane rating than what we get in the US.

I'd try and use a station that services a lot of trucks so you know the fuel is turned over often. Small mom-pop stores that don't sell much run the risk of growing algae in their tanks.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

Diesel Dan said:


> There is such a thing as "premium" Diesel that has a higher Cetane rating.


Amsoil makes a cetane booster. I've never tried it. If anyone has I would be interested to hear what they think. Looks like this:

AMSOIL Cetane Boost Diesel Fuel Additive


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Shell also sells a premium diesel at some of its stations. 

Its called V-Power Diesel. 

Shell V-Power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Diesel Dan said:


> There is such a thing as "premium" Diesel that has a higher Cetane rating.


Kwik Trip(or kwik star if your in Iowa) has premium diesel, both are considered top tier for their gas. Wonder if GM expects diesel owners to follow the top tier recommendation?


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## 1877 iris ave (Sep 23, 2011)

I have used Amsoil Cetane boost for years and also their diesel concentrate with and without the cold flow additive. The latter helps keep the injectors clean and adds lubricity to the diesel. To understand cetane look it up in wikipedia, they do a good job of explaining all about cetane rating.


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## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

Be aware that "Premium" may not mean a higher cetane number - in Australia, premium diesel is just bog-stock diesel with more or better(?) detergents added, and a slightly higher-class perfume.

Do your own research before you hand over the extra cash.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

When i had my TDI as long it was diesel that is all i cared . Once every 10K i would put 1l transmission oil in the tank to clean the injectors.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

nebojsa said:


> Once every 10K i would put 1l transmission oil in the tank to clean the injectors.


DO NOT do this on modern Diesels, it is an old wives tale. Even Mercedes Benz spells out not to do this. Burning ATF actually creates deposits since it does not burn completely with all of its additives.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

PEOPLE...diesel engines are KNOWN for their ability to "burn / use" anything that's (a) *pourable* and (b) *combustible*...ie: from booze to strained cooking oil.

However, just like gasoline, each refinery's diesel is usually _slightly_ 'different' from the next refinery's product.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

70AARCUDA said:


> PEOPLE...diesel engines are KNOWN for their ability to "burn / use" anything that's (a) *pourable* and (b) *combustible*...ie: from booze to strained cooking oil.
> 
> However, just like gasoline, each refinery's diesel is usually _slightly_ 'different' from the next refinery's product.


Your gasoline Cruze will run with 80W-90 hypoid oil or AW-32 in the crankcase too.
The question is what long term results are you looking for?


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Diesel Dan said:


> Your gasoline Cruze will run with 80W-90 hypoid oil or AW-32 in the crankcase too.
> The question is what long term results are you looking for?


So will the diesel engine...as crankcase oil, but the gasoline engine won't run on that 80W-90 hypoid oil or AW-32, whereas the diesel engine will.

My point was, about the ONLY diesel fuel (that I'm aware of) that is typically "on spec" is what's delivered to the Military...at least it was when I did automotive/tank testing at the U.S.Army Yuma Proving Ground at Yuma, AZ.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

In a nutshell, unlike gasoline, diesel is diesel aside from only two major distinctions; on/off road, and #1/#2 diesel.

As someone already mentioned, of/off road diesel is virtually identical and won't harm your engine if you accidentally use off-road, but it is illegal to use in highway vehicles. Off-road diesel is generally cheaper because of lower taxes, but is only legal to use in off-road applications (farm equipment, construction equipment, etc.). Off-road diesel is dyed red, and supposedly in some cases with modern engines, the dye can do a little messing with the systems since they are so particular, however, nothing major.

The second major distinction is #1 diesel vs. #2 diesel. Probably 90%-95% (just a guess) of diesel is #2 diesel. If you live in a climate where it gets colder than 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit on a regular basis, you will see #1 diesel in the winter months. #1 diesel is refined thinner and will not gel as easily as #2. Many stations in colder parts of the country will have pumps with both #1, #2, and a blend of maybe 30/70 or 40/60 #1 to #2. For really cold places (regular temps at or below 10 degrees often), straight #1 is the best choice. However, #1 diesel is more expensive and usually lowers your mileage as well.



nebojsa said:


> I think that in US they also use low sulfur diesel now.Winter diesel might be a little different.The only thing i used to do on my VW TDI was add diesel fuel lubricant year round.


Just for note, it is now ULSD (Ultra-low sulfur diesel) @ 15ppm as opposed to low sulfur diesel which was 500 ppm. Basically any diesel engine made in/for the United States since 2007 essentially requires ULSD due to the emissions systems. Trust me. You do not want to mess up your DPF (diesel particulate filter). They can be an easy $2,500+ to replace.

I've read lots about people with older diesels (anything older than 2007) adding some sort of lubricant additive because they were not designed to run on ULSD. I don't know the validity of that.



70AARCUDA said:


> PEOPLE...diesel engines are KNOWN for their ability to "burn / use" anything that's (a) *pourable* and (b) *combustible*...ie: from booze to strained cooking oil.


Yes and no. Older diesels could burn just about any oil fuel (diesel, jet fuel, kerosene/heating oil, cooking oil), however using highly volatile fuels in them such as gasoline didn't work so well. However, modern diesels are MUCH more picky. Fifteen plus years ago, most diesels ran on mechanical injection systems that ran maybe 5-10k psi. Modern diesels use ultra-precise injection systems that run 20-30k psi where even the smallest impurity can damage them, and they aren't cheap. On the Duramax 6.6L, for example, the injectors are $800 *each*. That along with the extremely sensitive emissions systems in the exhausts now make modern diesels far less able to use just about any type of fuel.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

*PanJet* -- Agreed, I should have mentioned that "thin" fuels (such as gasoline, kerosene, ethanol, etc.) are *hard* on current VERY high-pressure diesel injection systems because of their *lack-of-lubricity" -- but, those fuels CAN be burned in diesels, albeit with possible bad consequences. But, in the middle of a war, the ability to "burn" just about anything does have benefits!


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## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

While filling up my car yesterday, I noticed that the place I have been getting my fuel, it says on the pump '5-20% Biodiesel'.
Does this make a difference?


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Luigi said:


> While filling up my car yesterday, I noticed that the place I have been getting my fuel, it says on the pump '5-20% Biodiesel'.
> Does this make a difference?


Yes, that mean's you're getting a "*blend*" mixture consisting of 95%-to-80% straight (neat) diesel oil and 5%-to-20% bio-product oil.

GM rates the 2.0L Cruze diesel for any blend up-to-20% (B20) biodiesel use.


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## Cruze2.0Diesel (Jun 30, 2013)

I read in the owners manual, I'm a nerd like that, you shouldn't switch to biodiesel 20% if you have been using 5% for a long period of time. It can break up build up in the tank???! Seems like you would need to get a new fuel filter. It also states not to let 20% biodiesel sit in your tank for long or it will get nasty, so you need to be putting the miles on her. But that 20% biodiesel is better at lubricating the system.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Cruze2.0Diesel said:


> I read in the owners manual, I'm a nerd like that, you shouldn't switch to biodiesel 20% if you have been using 5% for a long period of time. It can break up build up in the tank???! Seems like you would need to *get a new fuel filter*. It also states not to let 20% biodiesel sit in your tank for long or it will get nasty, so you need to be putting the miles on her. But that 20% biodiesel is better at lubricating the system.


Partly because "old" biodiesel was known for still having "chunks" of *french fries & hamburgers, etc.* in it, hence the "clogged" fuel filter replacement...but, if that biodiesel comes from a refinery you can be sure it's clean.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

I know a mechanic for a city garage and bio-diesel caused them all kinds of problems in the winter and they quit using it all together.
You guys in TX and AZ shouldn't have to worry about -20*F weather


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