twiegandt@comcast.net wrote:
: Diesel fuel is now up to snuff with the euro stuff. The US diesel just went from 500 ppm sulfur to 15 ppm sulfur for 2007. This was necessary for the new emission control systems needed to meet 2007 regulations. The sulfur in the fuel destroys the high concentration catalysts that are on the new emission systems. The 2007 engines are much cleaner than the old ones, not that the old ones were really that bad.
Yep, and this change means that anyone with a pre-2007 diesel
engine should probably be taking a long, hard look at using
additives on a regular basis if they weren't before. The
process of reducing the sulfur also greatly reduces the
lubricity of the fuel, which could result in damage to engines
and expensive fuel pumps. Unlike gasoline engines, a lot of
diesel motors have components which rely on the fuel itself for
lubrication. Granted, distributors are supposedly mixing
lubricating additives into the fuel to compensate, but who knows
for sure? The new ultra low sulfur stuff (ULSD) is also more
prone to gelling in cold weather, so even owners of 2007 or later
model year diesels should probably be using an anti-gel additive
during the winter months at the very least. Even if you were
using anti-gel/lubricating/cetane boosting additives before,
they might not necessarily work with the new stuff; check the
label for ULSD compatability. I've heard that mixing in a little
biodiesel (as little as 1% per volume) may be enough to bring the
lubrication properties of ULSD back into safe levels. If so, that's
likely to be cheaper than using additives. (Though I wouldn't
expect biodiesel to have any of the anti-gel, cleaning or cetane
boost benefits of an additive.)
This issue is even more critical for pre-1993 diesel engines
which were designed when 5,000ppm sulfur content was the norm.
I've been using the Power Service additive at every fillup
myself; mostly because its readily available and seems to get
decent reviews. I hate having to pay more for fuel than I need
to but its probably cheap insurance in the long run. The gov't
pencil pushers get to feel all warm and fuzzy inside and pretend
they are actually doing something worthwhile by reducing an
abstract number; obviously, I'm not sold as to wether it is
actually going to make a bit of difference in the real world,
but one thing I am absolutely sure about is that nobody from
the EPA or the Sierra Club is going to volunteer to buy me a new
engine when their wonder fuel kills my truck! So... I just
grit my teeth, buy the additive, and hope they are working as
advertised. :-( I was initially skeptical about Power Service
because their lubricant additive is called "Slickdiesel" which
I initially thought had something to do with that snake oil/scam
"Slick 50" stuff, but I did some research and it appears that
they aren't connected in any way - just an unfortunate naming
choice on Power Service's part, IMHO.
--
-Jon-
.- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
| '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
`-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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