HPCR engines will benefit from the TOP TIERTM diesel fuel properties developed by a consortium of light-duty and heavy-duty diesel original equipment manufacturers. Today’s diesel engines typically use high pressure common rail (HPCR) technology, and HPCR engines will benefit from the TOP TIERTM diesel fuel properties developed by a consortium of light-duty and heavy-duty diesel original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The TOP TIERTM diesel badge is displayed at dispensers by retailers who sell diesel fuel and biodiesel blends that meet the TOP TIERTM diesel criteria.
What is the best grade of diesel fuel?
The most common diesel fuel grade is #2, which is widely available at most gas stations throughout the world. This chemical composition contains the most energy components and lubricating qualities in a single blend and provides the best fuel performance currently available. The majority of scientists agree that #2 diesel fuel will safeguard injection pumps, seals, and other critical engine components.
Because it does not require the same level of refinement to create for sale, #2 is usually less expensive than #1. The disadvantage of #2 diesel is that it has a tendency to thicken into a gel when the temperature drops. During the winter, this frequently leads to sluggish starts and other issues.
What brand of diesel fuel is best?
Only four companies have been accredited as Top Tier: Chevron, Shell, Exxon/Mobil, and Costco. To maintain the engine and emissions system working at their best, almost all car owner manuals recommend using Top Tier fuel if it is available.
Is all diesel fuel the same quality?
Aside from that, the chemistry and sulfur concentration of the two fuels are identical. Many diesel customers believe that diesel fuel does not differ from one pumping station to the next or from one season to the next. This brings us to the next point we’ll discuss about fuel: volatility.
Diesel fuel volatility is something that few diesel buyers will believe they have even considered. Have you ever used a winterized diesel fuel blend in your diesel equipment or car throughout the winter?
Winterized diesel fuel can be a mixture of No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuel. The volatility of No. 1 diesel is larger than that of No. 2.
This means it can atomize faster and transition from liquid to vapor more easily, as well as having a lower gelling point. Fuel with a lower gelling point is less likely to gel or wax in colder temperatures. This is ideal for keeping your diesel car operating throughout the cold months.
Although winterized fuels are ideal for cold weather, they do have one disadvantage. The cetane rating of No. 1 diesel fuel is lower than No. 2 diesel fuel. The capacity of a fuel to combust – or the combustion quality of a fuel – is directly related to its cetane rating.
The higher the number, the better. Cetane ratings in diesel fuel are similar to octane values in gasoline fuel. The cetane rating of most No. 2 diesels ranges from 50 to 55.
Most No. 1 diesel fuels have a cetane rating of 40 to 50. Simply explained, one gallon of No. 1 diesel fuel has less heat energy than one gallon of No. 2 diesel fuel.
This explains why your diesel pickup gets 18 miles per gallon in the summer but just 15 miles per gallon in the winter. It will also explain why your diesel equipment is more difficult to start in the cold. No, it’s not because it’s cold outside.
If it’s a blend, the quality of winterized fuel is lower than summer fuel. Diesel fuels can also be easily winterized with additives from several suppliers without lowering the cetane levels. They might even help them.
In summary, you should ask yourself the following questions the next time you pull up to the diesel pump:
- Is this a winterized No. 1 and No. 2 blend? What proportion is it if it’s a blend?
- Is the diesel fuel I’m using ultra-low sulfur? If that’s the case, do I need to add any additives to my older fuel system?
Perhaps you’ll think twice before pulling up to the gas station and simply looking for the green nozzle. PD
How many different grades of diesel fuel are there?
Diesel #1 (or 1-D) and Diesel #2 are the two types of standard diesel fuel (also known as diesel oil) (or 2-D). Diesel fuel is rated by its cetane, which indicates how easily it is to ignite and how quickly it burns, similar to how gasoline is classified by its octane.
Does premium diesel make a difference?
The higher the octane number, the more efficiently the gasoline burns, resulting in more power for less fuel burnt. It may also contain detergents or other additives to keep the inside of the engine clean.
Your engine’s specifications, as well as your driving style and conditions, will determine the level of improvement you can expect from premium unleaded gasoline.
Some engines, usually in higher-performance cars, require premium unleaded at all times, and if you use normal unleaded, you will notice a reduction in performance and fuel economy. These engines are characterized by narrower tolerances and a poor response to lower-octane fuels.
Most conventional petrol-engine passenger cars are perfectly happy to run on standard 91-octane unleaded gasoline, so the question becomes whether paying a little more for premium unleaded would provide you noticeably greater performance and/or fuel economy.
Many engines will experience very little difference depending on your driving circumstances; if your driving is mostly city commuting and school runs, you won’t see any substantial gains. You may notice more significant variations if you drive more aggressively or on open roads.
What is premium diesel?
Premium diesel fuel, on the other hand, is usually of higher quality and burns more effectively. It may also contain chemicals that aid in the cleaning of the engine and increase cold-temperature performance.
For a single tankful, the difference in performance and economy between premium diesel and normal diesel is usually less than the difference between premium unleaded petrol and regular unleaded.
Premium diesel, on the other hand, may help your engine operate smoother and cleaner, which can enhance both performance and efficiency over time. This may be more obvious in older or higher-mileage engines than in a fresh new car with no sediments in the engine.
Although some owners claim that premium diesel has helped them minimize the frequency of diesel particulate filter warnings and issues, we are unaware of any scientific studies to support this claim.
Try it and see
The easiest method to find out if premium diesel or premium unleaded petrol are right for you and your automobile is to try three tanks of each and see if there is a noticeable and consistent difference.
If you don’t notice any difference in performance and don’t seem to be getting more mileage per tank, you’re generally better off continuing with standard gasoline or diesel.
If you do detect a difference, consider if the higher expense (which can be up to 10p/litre) is justified.
Premium fuel or a bottle of additives?
Alternatively, you can fill your tank with a bottle of specialized fuel additives. There are several types depending on whether you want to improve performance, save money, or do both.
What is the cleanest diesel fuel?
Cleaner diesel fuels, improved engines, and effective emission controls all work together to achieve near-zero emissions of tiny particles and smog-forming chemicals like nitrogen oxides (NOx). Clean diesel is a significant technology for better air, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and a sustainable environment around the world because of its demonstrated energy efficiency and ability to use renewable fuels.
A new generation of diesel includes cleaner diesel fuel, improved engines, and better emissions management. It’s a squeaky-clean diesel.
Cleaner Diesel Fuels
Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which contains 97 percent less sulfur, is now the industry standard for both on- and off-highway diesel engines across the country. Using this cleaner diesel (ULSD) reduces diesel vehicle and equipment soot emissions by 10% right away. Sulfur reduction in diesel fuel is similar to the removal of lead from gasoline in the 1970s.
Cleaner diesel fuel allows for the development of a new generation of advanced engines and emission control devices that would otherwise be unable to function efficiently due to greater sulfur levels in diesel fuel.
There’s more to cleaner diesel fuel than just petroleum diesel. Diesel engines can run on advanced biofuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50%.
Why is diesel technology so fuel efficient?
To generate useful mechanical energy, a combination of the fuel’s energy-rich characteristics and the completion of its combustion. ULSD is a petroleum-based transportation fuel with the maximum energy density, meaning it has more energy per gallon than other options. According to the US Energy Information Administration, only a few transportation fuels can match diesel’s energy density. Advanced biofuels, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel, have far higher energy densities than other options.
Advanced Engines
Diesel is the most fuel-efficient internal combustion engine on the planet. It outperforms gasoline, compressed natural gas, and liquefied natural gas in terms of power and fuel efficiency. Learn more about the diesel engine’s history.
The major distinction between gasoline and diesel engines is fuel combustion. Spark plugs fire gasoline engines, whereas compression ignites diesel engines. The combustion of air and fuel occurs inside the engine under pressure and heat caused by compressing the air-fuel mixture so tightly that it spontaneously combusts, releasing energy that is transferred to powering the wheels of a vehicle, the piston’s motion, and creating mechanical energy.
Electronic controls, common rail fuel injection, variable injection timing, improved combustion chamber architecture, and turbocharging, among other advanced new technology, have made diesel engines cleaner, quieter, and more powerful than previous cars.
Effective Emissions Control
Following decades of study and development, a range of emission controls are now available to meet near-zero emission requirements.
The introduction of cleaner diesel fuels for on- and off-road uses is a critical component of the clean diesel system’s near-zero emissions goals. With the introduction of lower sulfur diesel fuel, a variety of exhaust aftertreatment options such as diesel particulate filters (DPF), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) with the use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) that is sensitive to sulfur levels in the fuel became available.
Through retrofit capabilities, various emission control systems may be installed to enhance emissions from older diesel engines. Learn more about how to upgrade older vehicles and equipment to minimize emissions.
We are regularly questioned whether premium diesel fuel is superior to standard diesel fuel in the course of our business. And our quick response is invariably a loud yes “Yes,” says the speaker. However, additional information is needed to answer the other major concern about premium diesel fuel, which is whether it is worth the extra price.
Premium diesel has more detergent and additives than regular diesel, which helps to improve the combustion performance of an engine. Using a premium diesel usually results in a gain in performance and/or MPG, as well as lower engine emissions and other benefits, depending on engine design.
Yes, premium diesel is superior to regular diesel. Is the extra price tag, however, justified?
We are not so sure about it. The fundamental issue is that, given the huge increase in cost per litre, premium diesel fuels might be so much better. The additional detergent now offered is insufficient to keep most gasoline systems and engine types clean, and it does not aggressively remove existing deposits. Unfortunately, we’ve discovered that diesel vehicles that only run on premium diesel fuel continue to deposit. Not so much in the fuel system as much as in the combustion region, emission components (EGR, DPF), and intake manifolds, intake valves, and other areas. Using a premium diesel in these places will surely postpone the accumulation of carbon deposits. However, don’t expect miracles in terms of cleaning results. Fuel system pollution, biological degradation, and carbon build-up rise as the percentage of bio-diesel increases. Regrettably, current fuels are insufficient to meet these concerns.
Please keep in mind that there are legal constraints, such as the old BS EN590 specification, that limit the types of additives that can be used in fuel. Those rules, however, have no bearing on whether premium diesel, as it is manufactured now, is a fair value for the money you spend at the pump.
So, what should you do if premium diesel isn’t worth the extra money and normal diesel isn’t up to par? To ordinary diesel fuel, we recommend adding a high-quality diesel fuel conditioner with combustion catalyst technology. This will often result in a fuel that outperforms premium diesel while also being less expensive per tank. This is supported by extensive testimony as well as research evidence. More comprehensive fuel conditioners include technology to clean and remove existing deposits, lubricate the diesel pump, remove water, prevent fuel degradation or contamination, reduce emissions, improve performance, and increase MPG, among other things.
It’s simply a matter of evaluating the advantages of premium diesel against the advantages of a fuel conditioner, as well as convenience and expense.
In this topic, there is also the matter of consistency to consider. It’s not uncommon to find fuel of varying grade from the same gas station. According to our understanding, fuel merchants and refineries have distribution agreements in place that require gas stations to sell fuel from the nearest refinery in the area, regardless of brand. The additive packets are then applied at the refinery or directly into the station gasoline tanks in some cases.
Similarly, there is a difference in the price of gasoline. Octane testing on a regular basis will reveal remarkable discrepancies in fuel octane. It tests at 95.6 one week, 96.8 the next, and so on. As you may expect, this makes testing octane boosters exceedingly difficult due to the inconsistency of base fuels.
A piece of advise we’d like to provide is to “Know” your local gas station. Purchase fuel at stations with a high turnover of fuel whenever possible. Avoid filling your car from tanks that are low on fuel or that have recently been filled, since this can cause deposits and moisture to settle. Come return later if you spot a tanker. The inherent faults and irregularities found in our fuels should be protected by a fuel conditioner.
Please note that we will be producing a video in the future illustrating one of the tests we do to determine the cleaning strength of fuels and fuel additives.
Does the quality of diesel matter?
It certainly does! Fuel of poor quality might cause equipment failures, which can have a negative impact on your business.
profitability. Extreme temperature variations cause condensation in fuel storage tanks, which leads to the growth of germs. Poor fuel products can cause heavy machinery to erode, leading it to malfunction and break down. It may also necessitate regular gasoline filter replacements, resulting in prolonged periods of production downtime. Furthermore, low-quality fuels have been related to reduced gas mileage.
Your heavy equipment and vehicles are essential to your operations. Whether they’re powered by diesel or electricity,
You’ll need a fuel source you can rely on for a high-quality fuel product. That’s why, in addition to adding ECOPro to every diesel delivery, we go above and beyond to preserve and increase your fuel supply. Every diesel delivery we make includes ECOPro at no further cost to you!
These properties are included in ECOPro to help your expensive equipment operate better and live longer!
- Detergent – removes and prevents harmful deposits from forming in engines and tanks.
- Water dispersant – keeps bacteria and moisture from forming within your tanks.
- Corrosion inhibitor – prevents rust and corrosion in expensive fuel systems and injectors.
- Lubricity agent — improves fuel economy and helps to slow the wear-and-tear process.
Tevis provides gasoline distribution in two forms: storage tank fueling and fleet fueling.
Fleet fueling is supplied straight to your location’s vehicles or heavy equipment. Our Fleet Fueling services are tailored to boost team productivity by ensuring that all of your equipment is fueled and ready to go before they start their day. Our supplies are tailored to your operational needs, and our drivers take great care to guarantee that fuel is delivered safely and precisely to each vehicle.