Premium Diesel

Once again---Do a Google Search and read the returns. THERE IS NO STANDARD FOR WHAT "PREMIUM DIESEL" IS. Without holding these guy's feet to the fire and making them comply with certain minimum standard, you'll get whatever the guy running the station wants to give you. Could it have a higher Cetane? Well, maybe, if he feels like it. Does it have more additives? Again, maybe, if he feels like giving it to you. Of course he could have added a quart of special "booster" off his shelf into his 10,000 gallon diesel tank. Yep, you got more. Is it measurable or worth anything? Only if it meets some standard, AND THERE'S NO STANDARD. Buy what you like, but as the old saying goes--- Let the buyer BEWARE.

IMHO the primary difference of Premium Diesel is higher cetane. In Indiana Country Mark sells a premium diesel that is typically 10 cents more than the prevailing price for regular diesel. Especially in the Winter regular diesel causes quite a bit of engine clatter while the Country Mark is smooth as silk--well worth 10 cents. It also contains about 4% bio diesel which is a great lubricant for the HPFP. I have read on line that California requires higher Cetane and the Canada requires higher lubricity in their fuels--both characteristics of some premium diesel fuels.

http://www.cenex.com/fuels/cenex-roadmaster-xl

In cold regions it is common to have #1 diesel which gels less and has a little more cetane. It is helpful in places like Wyoming in winter when the temperatures are below freezing most of the time, and extreme lows can be -35 F or more.

In a place like Elko I have seen winter blend diesel which is a mixture of #1 and #2. It may have some other additives.

Like other posters have mentioned diesel is a less refined fuel. The main issue in cold weather is starting up those engines not what they need to run on. It would be worth to pay an extra 6-10 cents for winter grade diesel, in cold weather but not the rest of the year.

I have used biodiesel up to B20 in warm weather with no problems. It does tend to clean out your engine so you need to carry a spare fuel filter. In cold weather it gels faster than #2 diesel, so you either have to have a pre-heating device or you should avoid it below about 32 degrees F.

It is very helpful to use diesel additives in cold weather. They adsorb water and add some cetane for easier starting. I like the stuff in the white bottle available at any truck stop.

repeat

When I used to haul the stuff, it was #2 fuel with a better additive package, or rarely it was actually Diesel fuel.

I know this won't make sense, but 30 years ago there were 3 grades of fuel, #1, #2, and Diesel. I stopped seeing Diesel quite a long time ago, as everyone would prefer the #2 with the additive packages because of price. Diesel was a higher refined #2, with a higher cetane rating.

BTW, kerosene is typically just clear #1 fuel, at a much higher price. The dyed #1 fuel would be cheaper, but I wouldn't run the dye through anything that wanted kerosene. That is just my personal feeling though.

Years ago when I was a young whipper snapper, I worked at what was owned/called then Agway, we sold GPlus premium green diesel fuel. Don't have a clue as to what was in it, but do recall it was green. Never heard of any complaints with it. Shoot, I don't even remember how much it sold for. Again this was in the early 80's. Onto today, I don't see or haven't seen any place promote a prem diesel fuel at least here in CNY area. On the contrary though, lots of gas stations have done away w/ non ethanol super unleaded/prem gas and switched back to having it. Still being winter, snowmobilers are up in arms about the switch back. Doesn't bother me as I always add ethanol treatment to my sleds at each fill up. No problems in several years.

colliehauler wrote:

sneakygroundbuzzard wrote:
one of the chain stations where i get diesel at (company that i work for makes us buy there) has premium diesel fuel. says premium on the pump,on the hose it says winter blend.

in the summer months we will run #2,so as far as i can tell the so called premium here is just good ol winter blend that wont gel or ice up as easy as #2 does in cold temps.

This, a mix of kerosene and Diesel blend to keep it from gelling. Can be called winter blend or #1 Diesel as well. Usually get worse mileage and more clatter out of the engine as well.

i dont notice more engine clatter,but i get about 200 miles less to the tank right now

http://www.cenex.com/about/cenex-information/cenexperts-blog-page/general-interest/standard-vs-premium-diesel

Years ago Shell use to sell premium diesel around here and supposedly it had a higher cetane rating.