What Is 'Quality' Diesel?

[WHID]

I see in various threads, posters' references to the desirability of 'quality diesel' - usually comments are related to engine longevity and low maintenance costs.

Can someone tell me, please, how does one determine what is and what is not 'quality diesel'?

I usually look at the 'Petrol Spy' website and purchase my diesel from the cheapest (suburban Melbourne) retailer in my area.

Thanks in advance . . .

[erad]

Further to WHID's question, I would also ask "Is there any difference between Truck diesel and regular diesel (other than a few cents cheaper)"? On odd occasions, I have filled at truck pumps by accident, and not noticed any difference in performance. I cannot imagine any difference in filtration levels, and I have a 3 micron secondary filter anyway.

The last truck pump I used said "Hi Flow Diesel". I thought 'No problems, I often fill up with fast flow - it goes much quicker and often has less burping from the tank". Not so the last time - the nozzle pipe must have been at least 45 mm diameter. I could barely fit it into the filler neck and I had to dribble the fuel in to prevent it clicking off all the time. It took about the same time as a regular pump fill, but in 45 Deg C heat, full sun, it was not nice at all.

[old Jack]

I choose to use Premium Diesel when it is available, BP is my preference followed by Caltex, Shell and Mobil. I do not buy diesel from the discount retailers.
I can tell the difference when I use standard diesel vs premium diesel by the number of kms I get per litre. Most of the the time I can buy premium diesel for the price of standard or discount Diesel so I figure why not.

OJ.

[Jasonmc73]

Interesting to think, we don't make this stuff it comes in big ships, i'm not convinced there are many different ships either?

Quality diesel is the one thats marketed to make the supplier more money.

It's just my opinion

[old Jack]

https://www.fleetowner.com/equipment/trucks/article/21700995/the-top-five-benefits-of-premium-diesel

OJ.

[Jasonmc73]

https://www.fleetowner.com/equipment...premium-diesel

OJ.

Diesel engines have lasted in excess of 10,000 hours in machinery for decades, with the differing styles of injection systems, common rail has been common for many years.
If we were to convert that to an average of 70k's per hour that would be 700,000k's.

I appraised & Iseki outfront mower today, small diesel engine 1.5 litre, works in dust for its life, generally at 70 + % capacity.
Machine has done 6,600 hours in 12 years, on a vehicle I estimate it would be 450,000k's + @ 70% capacity or towing a van if you like.
That is stack of work for that style machine but the usual culprit for an engine failure would only be overheated, dusted or not maintained.
Maintained Engines are not generally an issue from what I see over multiple manufacturers.

The cleaniness & age of the fuels has always been important along with keeping the water out, especially common rail.

If premuim diesel works for the individual though & the results are pleasing that is all that counts, 100% that is the important thing.

The author of this article is as follows:

Ron Jessen, author of this post, is director of product management and business development for Cenex brand refined fuels.

Business development is another term for salesman, he develops business, they have a new & improved product to sell.
Probably its a fine product as well.

Just an opinion, not wrong or rite

[old Jack]

Many people swear by CEM Diesel additive, like premium diesel its use is a very small ongoing extra cost that some see as cheap insurance against possible expensive repair bills in the long term.

Whilst there is never any guarantee, you are more likely to get a longer life out of anything mechanical if it is serviced correctly with good lubricants, use good fuel, operate it in a clean environment with a high degree of mechanical sympathy.

What we also need to consider is today's modern small capacity high output diesel engines are highly developed. The 4M4 base engine dates back to 1991, it started off as 2.8 litre 59 kW 198 Nm and has been developed into a 3.2 litre 147 kW 430 Nm by improved manufacturing processes, increase capacity, turbo charging, adding an intercooler, changing to common rail electronically controlled fuel injection and improved quality lubricants and diesel.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_4M4_engine

OJ.

[Jasonmc73]

Whilst there is never any guarantee, you are more likely to get a longer life out of anything mechanical if it is serviced correctly with good lubricants, use good fuel, operate it in a clean environment with a high degree of mechanical sympathy.





OJ.

The difference in a machine that is operated by someone whom does the above, compared to a machine that is used by a what we call "steering wheel attendant" I always find fascinating

[Having Fun]

Unless you can get an industrial chemist to show you that there are differences in diesel fuels with different molecular structure, there quite simply isn't any.

I've driven my diesel Utes day in, day out with whatever fuel is at hand. I tow with them a lot (most work days with a full tree in the trailer & outback holidays with the camper attached) & then go and buy wine & tea with it once the trailer is unhooked - there simply is no difference in performance & no difference in consumption regardless of what I put into it.

On a slightly different note, I have read that there is no legal requirement for outlets to advertise that they are using E10 in the ULP pump & that one fuel chain does do that

[Mundy55]

I use BP Ultimate whenever and wherever I can as it has been independently tested as being the best, most consistent quality and, more importantly for me, it has an anti-foaming additive which makes it much easier to get into the tank, especially in hot weather. However, I don't think there's a great deal of difference in quality between say, BP, Caltex and Shell but for me, every bit helps and a few cents of fuel price saving is the least cost of owning my Paj by a long chalk to the point of inconsequential.

[Mundy55]

As a follow up to my last, as at last fill, I have travelled 98,684km since 21 Nov 15 (1538 days) and consumed 11,948 litres of fuel. A 3 c/L difference in fuel price is 23 c/day or $85 per year. Inconsequential compared to the real cost of owning the vehicle in the 10s of thousands of dollars.

[gazza11]

I mostly use BP Ultimate or Caltex Vortex if BP is not available. I like the no foaming of the premium fuels and the Pajero seems to run smoother. I also have a Skoda Diesel (VW) and it definately runs smoother. I have always used BP Ultimate in the Skoda. The local servo was Mobile before changing to BP and their Mobil Diesel was 5% Bio. When coming back from QLD once I got fuel at Kempsey and there were different prices at the pumps. I questioned this and the cheaper one was Truck Diesel and was Bio Diesel. At the pump it states if it is Bio Diesel. When I first started using BP Ultimate in the Pajero I did numerous checks and the economy was better 1 to 1.5 L/100. I average 9 -10 L/100 driving around Newcastle and between 8 and 9 going to the Central Coast.

[nj swb]

I used to use Shell, because Coles is my nearest supermarket and I'd take advantage of their extra 10c discount whenever I filled both tanks. 14c/litre discount on nearly 150 litres was appealing.

Travelling with friends in similarly configured Pajeros mine was always reporting higher consumption than everybody else - not by much, but it was there. On a trip to the Vic high country, I filled up in Dargo with BP fuel - no idea if it was ultimate or regular. On the trip home, my consumption figures were much closer to the rest of the group, so I haven't bought Shell diesel since.

[Ozzz]

I have tried 6 different fuels on my nx pajero and there are different. But my understanding is from production to delivery then to the service station, dont you really think all steps are the same？Exactly same fuel will be different when being added into your car after those process. In addition different brand will use different additives and we don't know what they have used. If we can add additives each time we fuel up, then any fuel that meet the standard will be fine. I would say BP ultimate is like a burger with veg and sauce, normal fuel is like a burger without veg and sauce but can still feed us and we can add different ingredients later if we want.


Edit: forgot to mention, my paj somehow likes costco diesel. but its a bit far from my house, so I normally use BP ultimate. Maybe each car has their own taste.

[Jasonmc73]

My Pajero likes Dynamis Gold Premium diesel they call the stuff, loves the stuff!

It's around the corner from my house @ 99.9 cents per litre

Towed my camper trailer @ 10.8 Litres per 100k's, 250k's distance & back as i had used up my tank was BP expensive stuff & that was 11.2 litres per 100k's, 250k's travelled.
(I have Automate fitted)

It wasn't the fuel that made the difference, that expensive stuff didn't go as far as cheap stuff same road & less weight no water, no wood etc, less food, in my opinion it was the fact that on way home more travel at 110k's on speedo & way up bit more traffic so more was done at 100k's to 80k's on speedo.