Another test for the BS meter

[petera]

Is there any benefit in paying extra for "premium" diesel over standard diesel?

[cookiesa]

I found in Adelaide that on BP premium I got an extra 30-40kms (depending on weather mostly) over "main brand" diesel. We don't buy "cheap" fuel as a rule, I have seen the results. But the few times we have had it in the tank (cheap diesel) there is a definate difference in power

[Blknight.aus]

atm yes but only because its not allowed to have a % of bio in it unless its advertised.

Stock diesel is permitted to have up to 10% bio in it without having to advertise the fact.

[land864]

Wasn't there a whole thread on here some time ago , particularly about Caltex Vortex Diesel and engine/injector clean and us Vics bemoaning the fact that we couldn't buy it?
About a month before I sold the Defender I dosed it up with Chemtech Diesel Power and I'm sure it went better after a tank?

[isuzurover]

atm yes but only because its not allowed to have a % of bio in it unless its advertised.

Stock diesel is permitted to have up to 10% bio in it without having to advertise the fact.

Sorry Dave, you are incorrect. All diesel in AU is permitted to have up to 5% BD without labelling.
Diesel Fuel Quality Standard (http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/standards/diesel/index.html)
In Europe it has been increased to 10%, and we will likely follow suit here soon. The bio is necessary to improve lubricity in low sulphur fuels.

BP in WA do not add Bio to any of their diesel, however NFI about other states.

Back on topic - the "premium" diesel should have a higher cetane number and possibly increased lubricity.

[cookiesa]

They are required to label it in South Australia at the pump. The laws vary between the states as to what the labelling laws are.

The diesel fuel standard purely permits the blending, you need to dig deeper in to the fuel standards

[RR P38]

I am pretty sure that the fuel we buy from the No name suppliers is from Singapore and is a much lower standard of fuel than the fuel that we buy which is refined here in Aussie ie from the large oil companies.
Obviously both fuels must meet a certain standard and i would expect the local fuel to be consistently at or above that which is required.

[Blknight.aus]

Sorry Dave, you are incorrect. All diesel in AU is permitted to have up to 5% BD without labelling.
Diesel Fuel Quality Standard (http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/standards/diesel/index.html)
In Europe it has been increased to 10%, and we will likely follow suit here soon. The bio is necessary to improve lubricity in low sulphur fuels.

BP in WA do not add Bio to any of their diesel, however NFI about other states.

Back on topic - the "premium" diesel should have a higher cetane number and possibly increased lubricity.

thats the overall minimum standard, check out the lines on that page for
Water and sediment 0.05 vol % max 16-Oct-02 ASTM D2709
Water (all diesel containing biodiesel) 200 mg/kg (max) 21-Feb-09 ASTM 6304

[Dirty3]

Is there any benefit in paying extra for "premium" diesel over standard diesel?

I don't know if I was dreaming or when I recently put in a tank of the Caltex Vortex Diesel, the car appeared to have more off the line grunt & it doesn't blow smoke with the Vortex. Anyone noticed this and why the difference. Can anyone shed some light on this? Especially blowing smoke with standard diesel fuel?

[gps-au]

I don't know if I was dreaming or when I recently put in a tank of the Caltex Vortex Diesel, the car appeared to have more off the line grunt & it doesn't blow smoke with the Vortex. Anyone noticed this and why the difference. Can anyone shed some light on this? Especially blowing smoke with standard diesel fuel?


Must have something to do with the % premium caltex now charge for some credit cards.... (which is why I don't use it)

[discowhite]

ive got over 10 000k's logged in my fuel book, only using std caltex diesel and vortex diesel. there is a deffinate klm advantage using the vortex ( average 15L/100 towing std and down to 13.5L/100 vortex), power also is up. but in saying that ive now just got a BP fuel card (caltex arnt everywhere) and after 2 tanks on BP diesel i cant comment on the klm differance yet but power is up on both forms of the caltex diesel.

(2.7tdv6 D4 towing 900kg at 110-115kph.)

cheers phil