Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Stupid fuel question

[cwarner]

Kind of an odd question but ...

When I go up north snowmobiling some of the gas stations have diesel and premium diesel. What is the difference? I usually just use the regular diesel.

 

[lschultz]

More $$

 

[cwarner]

Good answer !

 

[SEmerson]

It will not gel. But makes less power and cost more

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Some refineries produce Premium Diesel (Murphy Oil, whom is a client of mine) for the summer months. It has a higher cetane rating, more lubricity additives, stuff like that. During the winter months, Murphy makes their winter version. It is sometimes seen at stations as Arctic Premium or Polar Premium diesel. This is the same summer Premium mix with added anti-gel additives. During the peak cold months up here in MN, the local refinery claims it offers -35 degrees gel protection. It is all I run, and I add Power Service Arctic Express to every tank.



Basically they are better fuels. I notice an increase in power and mileage when I run good fuel. But the basic rule on fueling up with diesel is this: get your fuel at a place that sells a lot of diesel fuel. That way the stuff you're getting is fresh. I once filled up in Iowa at this little tiny gas station. Fuel was probably at least 6 months old sitting in the ground. The flowerpoke ran like **** for the entire tank. But maybe that is because it was a furd, dunno.

 

[Billy Diesel]

The biggest problem with "premium" diesel is that it does not have to meet any governed specifications to be labeled premium. It could have more additives, or it could be coming out of the same tank as the regular!



Premium diesel will still gel unless mixed with #1 or has anti-gelling additives to form a winter blend, as Duluth stated above.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

The only way to figure this out is to figure where your fuel comes from. I know every town has 10 different chains of gas stations, it doesn't matter. Shell, BP, Texaco, Conoco, whatever, they don't get fuel from their brand's refineries. They get fuel from which ever refinery or tank farm is closest. In Duluth and Superior, virtually all fuels, no matter what the gas station name, come from Murphy Oil Corp. So, for people living up here who want to know what they're pumping, they would be wise to look at Murphy's website. Same goes whereever you are. It is an issue of cost. If the Amoco station is closer to a Conoco refinery, they will, 99% of the time, purchase that Conoco fuel, even if they are transporting it with their trucks or a subcontractor's trucks.



People who, in the same local area, avoid the BP and go to the Amoco (just examples, use any station name you want here) because they think Amoco has better fuel, are dead wrong. Rely on where you are to see what is in your fuel, and only purchase from those stations that move a large quantity of fuel. Especially in the case of diesel fuels that can show algae growth and condenstation issues over time.