ULSD in Baja
We travel every year with groups to Cabo San Lucas, BCS. Many of our friends have had ULSD vehicles and none have reported to us any difficulties in regards to using ULSD in southern Baja. We would ...
Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The folks that really could offer professional answers are probably thoroughly intimidated by the thought of having legal action brought against them by vehicle owners, the EPA and various state emissions departments. All I can say about ULSD is that Mexico, the city refuses to purchase buses with particulate filters, so they purchase nothing because the manufacturers threaten to hold void the entire warranty on the vehicle if the particulate filter is removed. The buses are way past the "push over a cliff" point. It is causing a huge scandal and political firestorm.
My question is this Are all vehicles the same? Meaning a particulate filter operates and acts exactly the same way on all brands and types of vehicles? Do manufacturers say anything at all more than "Vehicle must use ULSD or vehicle warranty is void"?
Is Mexican diesel higher in ppm sulfur than USA regular diesel? If so by how much or how many ppm is the USA diesel.
Jeez what a guessing game (
ULSD is refined and hydrotreated to a Maximum of 15ppm sulfur. Most of the stuff out the refineries here in California is 5 -7PPM sulfur content.
The problem with running 300 ppm sulfur diesel fuel in Mexico is that it permanently contaminates the platinum in Diesel particulate filters, making them less efficient at trapping the carbon soot particulates, causing overheating, and in general far less efficiency. It poisons them to the point of ineffectiveness, both for them and for the sensors that monitor them.
A very expensive repair of replacement parts is in order if they are contaminated by high sulfur diesel fuel.
