Diesel Fuel

[winnie]

I buy my diesel from a well known supermarket and collect points but a friend said that there diesel had no additives to protect the engine and should buy from a proper garage like, shell etc.

Is there any truth in this as I have been filling up from mainly the same supermarket pumps for years. 

[Randombloke]

Diesel is sold to a BS/EN standard. Cars are designed to run on fuel that meets this standard.

 

Which? magazine tested the higher performance and non supermarket branded fuels and the differences were tiny or non existent.

 

I tried the fancy Shell stuff in my previous C5 and there was no difference.

 

Up to you to read the manual about the fuels to use, and then buy those fuels.

 

Failing that ask Shell for the exact technical details of the extra additives over and above the relevant BS/EN and see how much they can tell you.

 

The main risk with all fuels is contamination. Providing that is avoided, there are, IMV, no risks to supermarket fuel.

 

 

 

 

 

[Johndouglas]

A guy who used to be on one of my other forums who sadly died before his time often wrote about diesel fuels. He was a petrochemical scientist and worked in The Hague as the UK rep to the European Standards Committee for all motor vehicle fuels. The points he often made when the topic came up were:-

1. All pump diesel in Europe is produced to meet the relevant EN standard - which you will see written on the pump body. EN590
2. The major difference between the supermarket fuels and the branded fuels is the exact nature of the additive pack added to the fuel when it leaves the refinery - common rail pump lubricants, injector cleaners, etc.
Normal Diesel............. This is a straight distillation fraction from crude oil, produced by the nearest refinery to the fuel depot - so for instance, diesel refined by Shell may be sold by any of the other retailers close to that Shell refinery. The major difference is the additive pack - which is brand specific - and the addition of bio-diesel.
Synthesised Diesel............The exception to this is the "synthesised" diesel fuels, such as BP Ultimate, Shell V-Power and Total Excellium. These fuels are manufactured in the refinery by joining simple petroleum hydrocarbons into an exact diesel fuel - you'll need some experience of university level Chemistry to follow what they do - so just accept that they are better - higher cetane rating, better additive pack, etc.
He usually pointed out that the engine must be a modern diesel that is able to retune itself to benefit from these fuels.
On the subject of after market additives, he wrote that products like Millers improve the cetane rating of standard diesel, but only when the engine is cold - interestingly it doesn't help a hot engine - so cold starting is usually quieter but no difference to a hot engine - and Millers does provide good, additional pump lubricity.

[winnie]

Thanks all for the reply's, as my old C5 that is getting on in years I will continue with Supermarket fuel.

I must admit it made good reading, you post.

Thanks again....

[john h]

I am currently dosing my tank with Millers Diesel Eco Max, hoping to notice some results however small, glad to see it adds benefit to the pump as a bonus