*High Turnover or TopTier Diesel?*

[whiplash473]

The federal standard used to be 520 microns, when did that change?

Your right! I was think Euro spec (EN 590). Comment will be edited to a YAY!.

I thought that 460 number stood out to me and sure enough, it is what Hot Shots uses as a reference for their wear scar testing.

Pulled from Hot Shots' EDT page -

EDT provides maximum protection for fuel systems and their components, especially fuel injectors and fuel pumps. It is infused with our LX4 Lubricity Extreme to improve diesel fuel lubricity by up to 26%*, reducing the wear scar by up to 159 microns* ensuring diesel fuel passes the lubrication recommendations set by the Engine Manufacturer’s Association (EMA) of a wear scar maximum of 460 microns. EDT also combats moisture via water dispersants, rust & corrosion inhibitors and contains a fuel stabilizer.

* Verified by 3rd Party ASTM D-6079 Testing

 

[Jetronic]

I remember reading a symposium by fuel equipment manufacturers. They wanted 400 microns for the standard, it would allow injection equipment to last 500k miles (pretty much forever). at 460 microns MTBF becomes 200k miles and at 520 microns 120k miles.

So making sure lubricity is high does pay off

 

[Davejam]

I remember reading a symposium by fuel equipment manufacturers. They wanted 400 microns for the standard, it would allow injection equipment to last 500k miles (pretty much forever). at 460 microns MTBF becomes 200k miles and at 520 microns 120k miles.

So making sure lubricity is high does pay off

So there you have it folks, Top Tier is meaningful.

 

[Jetronic]

So there you have it folks, Top Tier is meaningful.

Unless in practice pretty much all diesel fuel has a HFRR scar of 460 micron or less....

 

[Bailes1992]

Unless in practice pretty much all diesel fuel has a HFRR scar of 460 micron or less....

Interestingly, having done a little research, I found out BSEN 590 fuel required a wear scar of 460 microns. Maybe why we get let diesel related issues in the UK/Europe?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Interestingly, having done a little research, I found out BSEN 590 fuel required a wear scar of 460 microns. Maybe why we get let diesel related issues in the UK/Europe?

Probably although it's not necessarily an issue in the US because fuel pumps for the US market will sometimes have manufacturing difference such as special coatings. Unfortunately diesel never gained traction in the US for light duty cars because it's subjected to more tax compared to gasoline. The US spec is tailored for OTR trucks and agriculture.

 

[whiplash473]

Unless in practice pretty much all diesel fuel has a HFRR scar of 460 micron or less....

Along with the addition of lubricity-adding fuel additive. Should be in good shape.

I know there is always back-and-forth about additives that already exist in pump diesel vs. end user adding fuel additive to pump diesel but, to me, it's pretty cheap insurance to do my best to make the fuel systems in my trucks run as well as possible for as long as possible. I go through about $200 in additive per year. About a gallon of winter additive and about a gallon of summer additive.

Over a ten year span that's $2,000 to do my best to not have any fuel system issues. Which, in the case of the 6.7 Powerstroke, a high pressure fuel pump failure averages a $10,000 repair bill - on a $60,000 truck. So $200/yr is a necessity I can live with.

It would also be different if I didn't keep my trucks for a long time. If I switched up trucks every few years like many do, I wouldn't worry nearly as much about it.

Interestingly, having done a little research, I found out BSEN 590 fuel required a wear scar of 460 microns. Maybe why we get let diesel related issues in the UK/Europe?

Probably although it's not necessarily an issue in the US because fuel pumps for the US market will sometimes have manufacturing difference such as special coatings. Unfortunately diesel never gained traction in the US for light duty cars because it's subjected to more tax compared to gasoline. The US spec is tailored for OTR trucks and agriculture.

I have heard about the Europe-quality diesel and always wish that would make it's way over here. @BMWTurboDzl hit it on the head, though. Diesel just doesn't have the same presence here, as much as I wish it did. Although every once in a while a little bit of light shines at the end of the tunnel. Like the Chevy Colorado having a small Duramax offering now. Along with the Nissan Titan (I think that's the correct model) having a small Cummins offering a few years ago. Although I think I remember reading that they're not doing that anymore.

Typically the thought process here is that diesel is for industrial, farm, and commercial usage. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps it's just trickled down from the old days. Europe had Diesel and Benz, while over here we pretty much had Ford start it all of, doing so with gasoline engines.

 

[Bailes1992]

I have heard about the Europe-quality diesel and always wish that would make it's way over here. @BMWTurboDzl hit it on the head, though. Diesel just doesn't have the same presence here, as much as I wish it did. Although every once in a while a little bit of light shines at the end of the tunnel. Like the Chevy Colorado having a small Duramax offering now. Along with the Nissan Titan (I think that's the correct model) having a small Cummins offering a few years ago. Although I think I remember reading that they're not doing that anymore.

Typically the thought process here is that diesel is for industrial, farm, and commercial usage. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps it's just trickled down from the old days. Europe had Diesel and Benz, while over here we pretty much had Ford start it all of, doing so with gasoline engines.

And let's not forget about the Old's 350 diesel that left a sour taste in a lot of peoples mouths!

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Typically the thought process here is that diesel is for industrial, farm, and commercial usage. I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps it's just trickled down from the old days. Europe had Diesel and Benz, while over here we pretty much had Ford start it all of, doing so with gasoline engines.

Reason - It's politically easier to spread the higher tax on diesel through the economy rather than hit the consumer directly at the pump via a higher gas tax under the premise that OTR trucks etc cause greater wear-n-tear. It's why the federal fuel taxes have remained unchanged since 1993 and forced states to carry the political burden of adjusting for inflation.

Off road diesel is not subjected to the same tax. This is diesel used a mechanized agriculture, mining, etc.

 

[whiplash473]

Off road diesel is not subjected to the same tax. This is diesel used a mechanized agriculture, mining, etc.

We've all got that one friend running red diesel in his truck.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

We've all got that one friend running red diesel in his truck.

Or in their furnace (oil burning furnaces are common in the NE US).

 

[dfarr67]

Or in their furnace (oil burning furnaces are common in the NE US).

Or a drip stove in NWT, dirty and expensive to run----but reliable and no electricity.

 

[b_b]

high turnover, and run an additive. you'll know you have fresh diesel and have proper lubricity.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Top Tier stations don't actually have to have TT diesel at every station
See FAQ #4

I'd go for the high turnover. The lowest prices are also usually the highest turnover as well.

Costco gas is a top tier gas: https://www.toptiergas.com/gasoline-brands/

Costco doesn't have diesel

 

[JohnnyG]

Nor should there have been with the higher levels of sulphur which provided the necessary degree of lubricity. Min Cetane was always and continues to be 40. When US transitioned to ULSD (circa 2008) a lubricity additive became necessary and bio in low concentrations (
Too bad the US car market was built around gasoline rather than diesel.

Exactly.

 

[Donald]

I use Exxon or Mobil branded diesel.

 

[k1xv]

High volume for sure. If they sold bad fuel, they wouldn't be high volume.

Sort of like the corollary of the Yogi Berra remark, "Nobody goes there any more because its too crowded".

 

[Linctex]

The International Harvester 6.9 V8 diesel in my 1986 F250 receives a steady diet of at least 20% (very finely filtered) waste oil in every tank. I would love to do an HFRR test on that blend.

My primary concern is cetane…
So l always add a cetane improver

 

[Donald]

Diesel fuel doesn't contain additives, so no need for the "Top Tier" gimmick.
It is important that the blend be correct and the proper winter grades are followed to prevent gelling of Biodiesel.

Pilot has a lot of truckers dependent on them providing the proper blends.

Exxon Mobil branded diesel does have some additives. It's all I use unless I forgot to fill up and need diesel and cannot locate an Exxon Mobil station.

Up until a few years ago Exxon Mobil stations just sold plain diesel, whatever the terminal supplied. Then the corp part of Exxon Mobil forced the stations to only sell Exxon Mobil branded diesel for on-road use.