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Diesel ... is it all the same ??
kizz81:
there was one batch of bad fuel from super markets that gave the whole lot a bad name wasnt there, and that only seemed to affect certain brands of car,
ill stick with the faithful old landy :lol: would probly run on cow poo if i tried it :lol:
Tommo:
I remember hearing that the petrol stations get the better stuff, supermarkets the average, and the rest goes for red derv.
How is diesel fuel made?
Crude oil that is pumped out of the ground is composed of thousands of different hydrocarbon compounds - compounds composed of carbon and hydrocarbon. The carbon atoms link together in chains of different lengths, shapes and sizes. Each individual chain length or molecular size has different properties including progressively higher boiling points, so they can be separated by boiling point or distillation.
Distillation is the first major process at an oil refinery. As the crude oil is heated, different hydrocarbon compounds are separated by their boiling temperatures. The lightest components such as ethane and propane come off the top of the distillation tower. The next components, called naphtha, are used for making gasoline.
The next heavier portion of crude oil coming from the distillation tower is used to make diesel fuel. Diesel fuel contains larger hydrocarbon molecules, with more carbon atoms than gasoline. Simple distillation does not produce enough gasoline and diesel fuel, so heavier fractions of crude oil are broken into smaller compounds by thermal or catalytic cracking, or hydrocracking, to produce higher volumes of gasoline and diesel fuel. To lower the level of sulphur in the fuel, some of these fractions may be hydrotreated - a refinery process that reacts a fraction of crude oil with hydrogen at high temperature and pressure, in the presence of a catalyst, to improve colour and odour, and reduce sulphur content. Various component streams are blended to meet the required diesel fuel specifications.
by the sounds of that supermarket fuel may just not be quite as well refined.
Silvery Thing:
--- Quote from: TDi90 on March 28, 2008, 11:46:36 ---Dont buy supermarket fuel :shock:
i have heard some people have had problems in the past and not only just from that spout of bad fuel we had a while ago.
i wont touch supermarket fuel.
R
--- End quote ---
I read such comments time, time and time again. I'm sorry but this is misguided as the fuel, regardless of outlet, comes from reputable refineries and all carry the correct additives.
Yes, outlets such as Shell, BP or the like may make slight changes to their fuel but they give little benefits. Its diesel from heavens sake so the engine can cope better than a petrol unit.
Buy your fuel for price and convenience and don't bother to drive miles for branded fuels, its a total waste of time and money. I buy my diesel from Tesco and my car runs as well as any other. I used to own a Nissan 350Z and bought Super Unleaded 99RON from the same garage and the car ran like a dream. In my opinion supermarket fuel is just as good as any other :D
Range Rover Blues:
The way the modern fuel indistry wroks you can't even guarantee that a BP station is selling BP fuel, or any other for that matter. Fuel is traded as a comodity, both drude and refined, so it all gets mixed up.
Re deiesel, depending on voume is just white diesel with dye, if you buy it from a tanker for heating your house the dye is added at the point of delivery. If you were buying more it might come pre-dyed.
Derv does have to meet or exceed a European Norm, superceeding the oild British Standard. The key is exceed, the best fuela out there will be better, whether by luck or by design, but any fuel meeting the EN should be fine for a deisel car.
But some fuels will be better, it's working out which ones.
Lord Shagg-Pyle:
--- Quote from: Dr Evil on March 28, 2008, 14:25:33 ---
--- Quote from: Lord Shagg-Pyle on March 28, 2008, 12:44:17 ---I only get my fuel from filling stations. I had a lot of problems after I filled up with diesel at Morrisons, namely it clogged the fuel lines.
Once bitten, twice shy.
--- End quote ---
You sure it was diesel and not cake ?
--- End quote ---
Hmm, that could exp[lain the difficulty I had geting it into the tank!
Seriously though, it caused havoc with the engine. New fuel filter, clean out of the sedimenter, and a blow through of the fuel line eventually cured it.
Must have been a bad lot or near the bottom of the tank. Don't want to run the risk again.
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