premium diesel fuel
 

Was at a local gas station and saw a premium diesel pump in between the normal pumps for $0.10 more a gallon. Tried to look for info on pump didn't see any plus it was cold and windy. Any knowledge would be appreciated.

maybe the normal is bio and the premium D2?

Maybe it's formulated with less water! :)

Pop

I was born in 84 and don't even think i'll be around when that happens! :-missingt

Is it G-diesel? I heard you could get it down the mountain from you. When it first came out it was clear and the EPA didn't like that. I heard it was degraded a bit now but don't know for sure. People use to report better MPG.

Speaking as one who sold diesel additives (but no longer does)...

Premium Diesel has more additives to further improve lubricity and combustion characteristics, and the fuel's "cleaning package" is improved as well. It is not uncommon for a fuel additive supplier to work out a commercial deal with jobbers and fuel terminals to offer this "premium" product by installing the required additive injection system for those customers who will purchase the premium product.

Is it better fuel? Probably, but that depends on whose additive is used and how much additive is being added.

Is it worth it? I can tell you with a certainty that an upcharge of $0.10 is fairly competitive with using something yourself like Diesel Kleen, FPPF, Stanadyne, etc., and there is some theoretical payback at that price point. However, I also know that the Schaeffer products are less costly to use and have equal or better results, which means that you can do the same job yourself for less money (except you have to fiddle with purchasing the products, keeping them on hand, and carefully dosing the right amount when you fill your tank). That's why some people say that $0.10 is "worth it" at the pump when you can find the premium product.

Oh, by the way... the fuel jobber/terminal's cost on this deal is typically much less than $.02/gallon of fuel treated, but that's because they are buying in large volume bulk orders , and generally with a 1-2 year contract. All this means is that for roughly $0.10 per gallon, you get to choose where you want the profit to go... to the fuel additive manufacturer, or to the local jobber/terminal company.

Figure what treat cost is for power service diesel fuel suppliment. Bet its a lot less than .10.

Diesel Kleen has a few "Premium Diesel" stations selling diesel with their additive

They go beyond just adding their additive, including year around additives, including winterization, semi-annual tank manintenance, semi-annual training, and fuel sample testing against 10+ ASTM standards.

Xtreme Diesel :: Main Site Home

I buy my Power Service at Walmart. It is 7.88 for a 32 oz bottle which treats up to 100 gallons. It works out to roughly 3 dollars for a 40 gallon tankful or 7.5 cents per gallon. If I buy it in the gallon size it is 18.00 a gallon or about 4.5 cents a gallon. So yes, adding PS to the fuel is less expensive than an extra .10 per gallon but not by much.

Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't it a half a dozen to the other... 2 stroke oil, power steering, ATF, specialty additives.

Don't forget about the cetane.........

In addition to additives - Premium diesel products are about cetane numbers (also shown in the pdf file jps47 linked).

Diesel engines operate well with a cetane number from 40 to 55 (cetane index is different). Fuels with higher cetane number have shorter ignition delays, providing more time for the fuel combustion process to be completed. Hence, higher speed diesel engines operate more effectively with higher cetane number fuels. The performance benefit starts to plateau off above 55, so more isn't necessarily better at this point.

As Pete alluded to - In the US, most states follow the ASTM D975 standard as their diesel fuel standard and the minimum cetane number is set at 40, with typical values in the 42-45 range. Premium diesels may or may not have higher cetane, depending on the supplier.

For example -, Flint Hills refinery in Minnesota offers a Performance Gold Blend premium diesel with a cetane of 42-46.

Performance Gold Diesel.

and a Performance Gold Blend Plus with a cetane number of 47-50.

Performance Gold Plus Diesel

In addition to cetane, premium diesel often use additives to improve lubricity, detergents to clean the fuel injectors, water dispersants, improve biodiesel blends and seasonal anti-gelling additives.


California and Europe set a higher standard......

Interesting to note -California diesel fuel has a minimum cetane of 53 (so they are already at the "premium level") and Europe has a minimum requirement of 51.

Lubricity seems to get the majority of the attention since the introduction of ULSD in 2007. Most likely because the engine manufacturers wanted a higher standard (lower wear scar) than what was accepted.

B-10 or B-20 takes care of any lubricity issues.

It sure does, I run over the border to Minnesota during the summer to fill up once in a while.