Thread: Alpine diesel What's in it?

Hi Guys
I wonder how a diesel would go on JET A1?????
I guess not long as it is a "dry coarse" feeling liquid compared to diesel.
I just love the smell of burning jet fuel
Andrew

Winter mix must work as we get -7 and -8 on a regula basis in winter. It might not be at that temp for long but I have never had to wait for the glow plugs. I just wait for the engine check at turn the key, instant start.

couple of years ago when in france we were having tempartures at night down around -15c
my 90 (200tdi) did not like starting had to be bumped started down hill every morning.
however once started plenty of smoke (unburnt fuel) lots of banging it went fine after a few minutes.
although i do find the 200tdi like to get a bit of warmth in them before behaving decently.
the 300tdi started fine and seemed to have no problem with
the diesal fuel used there.

We were camped up near Mansfield a couple of weks ago it got to -6 degrees that night.

In the morning three of the six diesels wouldn't start ( Jackaroos and a Hilux ). A bit of warm water over the fuel pumps and injectors and pumping the lift pumps manually eventually go them going.

The two 300Tdi Discos in the group started quite normally.
I had about 10% of alpine diesel in the tank and I run Moreys additive - don't know if that helped or not.

Just got mental pic of line of coaches in england as per Kando's description....... did u warm up your kippers on the fire too?????

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

Hi Guys
I wonder how a diesel would go on JET A1?????
I guess not long as it is a "dry coarse" feeling liquid compared to diesel.
I just love the smell of burning jet fuel
Andrew

See my post above - the kerosene referred to was in fact Jet A1. Seemed to go perfectly well in the GMs in those conditions (typically -30 to -60), but not too sure how it would go in other types of engine or more normal temperatures.

Also reminds me of the section on Arctic operations in the owners manual for the Cessna 180 I used to own. The cold start device fitted to it was simply a tap that fed straight petrol into the sump - there was a table with temperature versus time you turned it on. In the coldest conditions you added about 50% petrol to the sump, which thinned the oil enough to start, and as it warmed up the petrol evaporated off. Rather crude it struck me, but probably better than the alternative, which was to light a petrol fire under the engine!
John

The research has been done and the alpine diesel has a percentage of heating oil (kerosene) in it. As per the BP website.

I wonder how the composite fuel tanks in the Disco would like a little fire underneath it to warm it up. All would be good until it melts.

I remember my first diesel experience in Brisvegas many years ago the diesel fuel was a distinctive blue colour not the pale yellow (p155) colour it is now. Probably a high content of kero in that until it was regulated a bit more. Diesel was about 12 cpl and kero about 4cpl. Those were the days.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

See my post above - the kerosene referred to was in fact Jet A1. Seemed to go perfectly well in the GMs in those conditions (typically -30 to -60), but not too sure how it would go in other types of engine or more normal temperatures.

Also reminds me of the section on Arctic operations in the owners manual for the Cessna 180 I used to own. The cold start device fitted to it was simply a tap that fed straight petrol into the sump - there was a table with temperature versus time you turned it on. In the coldest conditions you added about 50% petrol to the sump, which thinned the oil enough to start, and as it warmed up the petrol evaporated off. Rather crude it struck me, but probably better than the alternative, which was to light a petrol fire under the engine!
John

Jet A1 works fine in any diesel. Jet A1 is basically refined kerosene. As Jet A1 does not have the same lubrication properties of distilate those maintenance engineers lucky enough to score a job that involves draining an aircraft fuel tank and get to keep the kero add a litre of engine oil per tank fill in their vehicle to look after the fuel injection pump.