What is the best "brand" of diesel to run? I know there is a "Top Tier" designation within auto manufacturers (GM, BMW, etc) for certain brands of fuel that contain the proper amount of additives (per auto mfg, not Big Oil/Fed). I've been buying Shell fuel for my C5 Corvette (420rwhp/394tq) and it hasn't given me any of the issues that are linked to bad fuel (fuel gauge, injectors, etc).

I'd like to prevent fuel issues as much as possible with my next (first) duramax.

Buy it from a station that sells a lot of diesel.

Never buy from a station out in the boonies when travelling.

Ok, thanks for the advice, "fresh" makes sense.

Sounds like all diesel is created equal? I kinda find that hard to believe. Anyone have any information regarding fuel quality, cetane rating, etc from one brand to another? Sounds like fuel quality is a big concern!

Oh, I don't believe all diesel is created equal. It's just that you'll have a hard time knowing from area to area, town to town, city to city, state to state, which refiner is delivering to what serivice area. Further, I expect that even each refiner has batches of fuel that are "better" than others ...

Overall, the best you can hope for is fresh fuel, and that is most likely to be found at high-volume service centers like truck stops, etc.

I also try to buy from stations that sell a lot of diesel. Its kind of handy for me since I have a truck stop ten min. from my house. If I'm away from home I try to hit stations near the interstate. Where I camp there arent a lot of choices so I take what I can get and I keep a couple of extra fuel filters in the truck just in case.

I only get fuel from Petro Pass! With the idea of the higher volume stations. I just changed my fuel filter today with about 145,000 kms on it.It wasn't clean but not full of crud not one sign of water either. I figure that if I have to change fuel filters tooo often it would detract for the cost savings of any cheaper fuel. I do carry extra filters but haven't had to use them. :D

Shell is known to have better gas generally, I know from boosted cars we are able to run higher boost, petro can being lower then the rest of the pack generally..

I also know a guy who burns oil (heating oil being essentially diesel) And he said when he switched to shell heating oil, cleaning the furnace became much easier/less often, and it hardly sooted at all compared to what it used to be (I'd have to see who's fuel he used to run)

I think the low sulfer keeps the furnace a bit cleaner. I'm sure brand plays a role but the low sulfer content fuel has now is a big reason furnaces are running cleaner.

diesel is diesel, trash that gets cleaned up some to put in our engines, jumbo jets and furnaces....we pay top dollar for crap that is a byproduct of the refining process of gasoline from crude.:mad: In a nut shell with some stuff left out and no chemistry crap that is hard to read.

Diesel is not a by-product of anything. Just less refining to make. Later! Frank

What is the best "brand" of diesel to run? I know there is a "Top Tier" designation within auto manufacturers (GM, BMW, etc) for certain brands of fuel that contain the proper amount of additives (per auto mfg, not Big Oil/Fed). I've been buying Shell fuel for my C5 Corvette (420rwhp/394tq) and it hasn't given me any of the issues that are linked to bad fuel (fuel gauge, injectors, etc).

I'd like to prevent fuel issues as much as possible with my next (first) duramax.

Best bet is to run a good quality fuel additive with EVERY TANK that addresses cetane, lubricity and anti gel. I use Stanadyne

I exclusively buy my diesel from Hess.

buy from a high volume station and watch your cetane ratings

I exclusively buy my diesel from Hess.

I bought fuel from a Wilco/Hess last tank full. While I was there, I noticed the pump had a sticker stating "Minimum Cetane 45" on it. The fuel truck had just pulled in before I did and hadn't started the delivery yet. I walk over to ask him about the quality of the fuel and he said Wilco/Hess is trying to get a better name for itself and it's fuel quality. He said I should notice a difference in power due to the higher cetane rating since every other local fuel company's diesel has a cetane rating of 40. I didn't notice a difference until I filled up yesterday at a Shell. Definitely wasn't as peppy off the line.

Run homemade bio. :D Better, cleaner, and cheaper.

Run homemade bio. :D Better, cleaner, and cheaper.

I agree with ya!

Ive bought some diesel on the coast and noticed while pumping the last little bit (fill it til u can see fuel) that the diesel appeared clear. Everywhere else i have been it was greenish...whats the difference?

I'm currently running the Power Systems diesel kleen or their white bottle suppliment+cetane. Thanks for all of the good ideas and hints guys...sounds like:

-keep it fresh
-keep it clean
-add lubricity/cetane every tank

I already ordered the 2micron filter and base setup, plus new OEM filter so hopefully I can keep up with our crappy fuel!

thx!!!

Ive bought some diesel on the coast and noticed while pumping the last little bit (fill it til u can see fuel) that the diesel appeared clear. Everywhere else i have been it was greenish...whats the difference?

That was the water. :eek::D

I also try to stick to stations that move a lot of fuel.

Well I'm not driving a one ton but I do have a brand new Jetta TDI and I have been doing the same research to figure out what is best to fill up with. My conclusion, there is NO definitive answer! Everybody has their own favorite station. I do not yet.

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A few things to note: From what most people are saying, the US has a minimum cetane rating of 40. Well that is troubling because Europe has a minimum cetane rating of 51. My car was designed in Europe and therefore I have to assume it prefers this higher cetane fuel.

In canada I hear stations are required to post minimum cetane ratings on their pumps, much like we do with octane ratings in the US. Unfortunately we don't have the same luxury in the US with cetane ratings (and WHY is that??). I cannot find any sources that disclose what the minimum cetane ratings are for each brand of fuel, either.

So unless I read ON THE PUMP or get direct word from the brand/station that there is a cetane rating of around 51, I will continue to add my Power Service additive and hope for the best. Man I wish I had a better solution.

Also, what's this 2micron filter you're talking about??

Well I'm not driving a one ton but I do have a brand new Jetta TDI and I have been doing the same research to figure out what is best to fill up with. My conclusion, there is NO definitive answer! Everybody has their own favorite station. I do not yet.

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A few things to note: From what most people are saying, the US has a minimum cetane rating of 40. Well that is troubling because Europe has a minimum cetane rating of 51. My car was designed in Europe and therefore I have to assume it prefers this higher cetane fuel.

In canada I hear stations are required to post minimum cetane ratings on their pumps, much like we do with octane ratings in the US. Unfortunately we don't have the same luxury in the US with cetane ratings (and WHY is that??). I cannot find any sources that disclose what the minimum cetane ratings are for each brand of fuel, either.

So unless I read ON THE PUMP or get direct word from the brand/station that there is a cetane rating of around 51, I will continue to add my Power Service additive and hope for the best. Man I wish I had a better solution.

Also, what's this 2micron filter you're talking about??

IIRC, hes talking about the additional filters D-Max users are putting on their trucks in addition to the oem fuel filter. It helps prevent garbage from getting in your system and makes fuel safer for your fuel system IMO.

There are huge arguements for and against it but i run 2 additional filters on my truck, a 10 micron water separator and a 2 micron before the oem filter.

I got this email from a Texaco fuel technician:

Some companies marketed “premium diesel” before an industry definition for what "premium" meant was established. Because of this, there had been some confusion on what, if anything, made "premium" diesel different from other diesel.

On July 16, 2003, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) created a new definition for Premium Diesel.

To qualify as a Premium Diesel the following four properties of the fuel had to be met (ASTM is the American Society for Testing and Materials):

a) The cetane number must be 47 or greater (using ASTM D 613 test method)

b) The thermal stability must be sufficient to meet a minimum reflectance limit of 80% (as determined by test ASTM D 6468)

c) The fuel must show suitable low-temperature operability by passing either the Cloud Point Test (ASTM D 2500) or Low Temperature Flow Test (ASTM D 4539) at the tenth percentile minimum ambient air temperature for the region and time of year where the fuel will be sold. Ambient temperatures for areas are noted in ASTM D 975

d) The lubricity must be sufficient to produce a scar no larger than 520 microns in diameter as determined by ASTM D 6079 (HFRR)

If the diesel meets theses requirement it will be posted on the pump that it is a Premium Diesel.

Most of the time all Chevron & Texaco Diesel meet the Premium requirement therefore you might not see the premium designation.

Texaco or Chevron Branded Diesel
Cetane Number:
· In general, the processing required to reduce sulfur to 15ppm also reduces the aromatics content resulting in an increase to the cetane number.

In the United States, the properties of diesel fuels are under the auspices of an industry organization, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The ASTM Designation for diesel is D 975 -Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel Oils. D 975 sets limits (requirements) for the values of these properties. Most of the requirements of D 975 are the minimum ones needed to guarantee acceptable performance for the majority of users. In addition, the specification recognizes some requirements established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to reduce emissions. Chevron abides by all of these specifications.

The Cetane number limit (minimum) is 40.
There is a Federal cetane spec. for Ultra Low Sulfur Grade No. 1-D and 2-D (Grade No 2-D would be the one used in most all on-road vehicles). D 975 requires an aromaticity of 30 % vol. max. or a cetane index of 40 min.. Our understanding is that this is a Federal requirement and did not originate with ASTM. Typical Chevron production excluding California and Hawaii is 48 cetane. Chevron guarantees product limits only; typicals are average properties, and higher and lower values are to be expected.

Typical California Chevron production is 52 because of additional requirements of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for vehicular diesel fuel.

Typical Hawaii Chevron refinery production is 61.

Their is no maximum ASTM Cetane number limit.
U.S. average cetane is 45. There is no way to tell what the "at the retail pump" cetane value would be and is not required to be posted by law, as is the case for gasoline octane minimum rating.

ULSD will not change these typical averages much. Not lower. Maybe a little higher. (1-2).

Energy Content:
· In general, the processing required to reduce sulfur to 15 ppm also reduces the aromatics content and density of diesel fuel, resulting in a reduction in energy content (BTU/gal).

· The expected reduction in energy content is on the order of 1% and may affect fuel mileage.

http://www.chevron.com/products/ourfuels/prodserv/fuels/diesel_products.aspx (http://www.chevron.com/products/ourfuels/prodserv/fuels/diesel_products.aspx)

I would make sure you do not fill up when you see a fuel truck at the station or leaving one,The stations are allowed so much water in the tanks before they have to pump them out.Same goes with gas.

This is all very useful information. Unfortunately we don't have Chevron or Texaco here in the northeast (maybe an occasional Texaco, but the only one nearby went out of business a few years ago). Chevron/Texaco are considered top tier gasolines....so is Shell. I wonder if the Shell's up in this area have better quality diesel? Most all show 40 cetane....and right now Citgo's are runnning $.30 cheaper per gallon than Shell and others....I know Citgo isn't the best fuel but for $.30-$.50 per gallon savings....I've been filling up with them lately.

95% of the time i get diesel at hess, 2.5% at bp, and 2.5% at mobil