Hi, everyone...
I just bought a Brand new 05 d-max... i was wondering which company makes a better quality diesel FUEL. I recently took my truck out to the river, outside temp was 110 and i got 12mpg.. at home where the temp is 80 i got 18mpg....
also what kind of engine oil do you recommend?

I try to run Conoco fuel as much as possible since it does not have any Mid East oil blended in. Shell Rotella in the crankcase and don't ask me why because I really don't know other than it meets or exceeds mfg spec.

Where are you located? Certain regions around the country have some grades of premium diesel available, ie BP Diesel Supreme, Amoco Premier, etc. Some people like running varying %s of biodiesel if locally available.

Do a search on which oil to run. It's been debated countless times. You'll be hard pressed to find a poor CI-4/CI-4+ oil out there.

BTW, :welcome:

i am located in southern california

can any one explain why my fuel milage gets worse in the heat??? thats wat the DIC indicates

welcome aboard.. try a quick search for fuel and what not.. there have been many threads about which is the best and who uses what.

Personally..I used to use Texaco...I switched to Chevron and get +2 mpg better.

as for your DIC... I wouldn't trust the info although they are accurate, nothing replaces doing a manual hand calculation.

Whichever fuel you choose to use - you might want to add a lubricity additive until the beginning of 2006. Our trucks require 450 micron wsd lubricity spec. New federal spec will be 520 micron. Alot of the fuel is not getting lubricity additive from mfgr now due to pipeline cross contamination that occurred (jet A being contaminated with lubricity additive). It won't be fixed until they install equipment at distribution points to add the lubricity additive.

Use stanadyne lubricity additive or b2 or b5 blend biodiesel to ensure that you have fuel with sufficient lubricity.

BTW, My first choice is chevron; Second choice is shell.

For oil - chevron delo 400. Don't go with a synthetic for california temps, it's a waste of money. The wear protection is determined by the additive package, the additive package in a synthetic is no better than a conventional motor oil. The additive package is depleted at the same rate in a conventional motor oil as it is in a synthetic; So the argument that you can go longer oil change intervals with a synthetic really doesn't hold water.

- jeff

I seem to have the best luck with Chevron Diesel and Shell would be my second. odly enough the Chevrol station is some of the cheapest diesel around these parts . Still not as low as the Samrock people.

I've run Chevron, ARCO, Shell and now I'm going to a place called RTC fuel in ElCajon. I haven't noticed any difference in any of them including the BIO I've been using. I use Primrose Power Master 405 since new and have had no fuel issues in 26k miles. Driving habits and hilly terrain vs flat makes a difference on your fuel mileage.

thanks everyone for the replies.....
will i really have to add a "lubricity" to the fuel? is CA effected?

Yes. '07 you'll have to get it smogged too.

Hi, everyone...
I just bought a Brand new 05 d-max... i was wondering which company makes a better quality diesel FUEL. I recently took my truck out to the river, outside temp was 110 and i got 12mpg.. at home where the temp is 80 i got 18mpg....
also what kind of engine oil do you recommend?

You can get any Diesel fuel - whereever is the cheapest place! Places which sell a lot (the big Truck stations) have normally fresh fuel.

On a recent 5k mile trip from the south to the north and back I used any fuel available, made no difference at all what the label said - BUT I run out of my Power Service and THAT made a BIG difference! Get Power Service (the grey big bottle from Wally World) and you are good to go! :ro)

Truck stations are my primary fill up points, diesel has little time to sit and grow stuff in their tanks. Also use Power Service. I'm not touching the syn versus dino oil issue. Plenty of intel on the DP about that, also bobistheoilguy.com is a good place to find intel. I tow heavy so I run syn, OK I touched it! ):h

Congrats on the truck, and welcome to the DP. JJ :)

Don't buy fuel right after the station has its tanks filled.
When they have their tanks filled it stirs up the sediment in the bottom of the storage tank.
Give it a few hours to settle.
My local station gets their delivery in the morning and I fill in the afternoon

thanks for the tips everyone.....
do i have to add any fuel injection cleaner once in a while? or any lubricity additives?

Don't buy fuel right after the station has its tanks filled.
When they have their tanks filled it stirs up the sediment in the bottom of the storage tank.
Give it a few hours to settle.
My local station gets their delivery in the morning and I fill in the afternoon

Although very logical its not easy to know when the gas station filled their tanks and somethimes I need the fuel now and not in a few hours....:)

thanks for the tips everyone.....
do i have to add any fuel injection cleaner once in a while? or any lubricity additives?

Many fuel providers will not have enough (or any!) lubricity additives in their fuel until jan 2006. My advice would be to add stanadyne lubricity formula until then...

I go with a different philosophy about fuel stations. Brand and quality first - and my definition of high volume is different than some. Chevron fuel is best, period - as long as it's not priced so high that they don't sell any (which is the case of a local chevron station here) and it's on a busy street - I'll buy it there.

BTW, from what I recall, where someone died on the road a mile after filling up - many fueled at a truck stop...

- jeff

Southern California is especially bad right now..IMHO.

This is because ARCO and Valero in the LA area have already been producing the ULSD....but I do not know what if any additives they are adding...remember...they do not have to do it till next year.

Since Jeff already pointed out cross contamination is occuring...then who know what we are getting. It makes sense the new fuel is out now because it takes a while to fill the pipe.

So if you are in SoCal...I would definitely be concerned...or just stay away from ARCO.

Valero...they could sell to different people...but Chevron would be a good bet because they have local refinery in El Segundo.

Oh yea...do use Lubricity additives.

Many fuel providers will not have enough (or any!) lubricity additives in their fuel until jan 2006. My advice would be to add stanadyne lubricity formula until then...

I go with a different philosophy about fuel stations. Brand and quality first - and my definition of high volume is different than some. Chevron fuel is best, period - as long as it's not priced so high that they don't sell any (which is the case of a local chevron station here) and it's on a busy street - I'll buy it there.

BTW, from what I recall, where someone died on the road a mile after filling up - many fueled at a truck stop...

- jeff

I disagree on that but maybe I got bad fuel in Tucson AZ - there was a horrible diesel knock, I corrected adding Power Service...

ek98

Everybody has their opinion about what are the best fuels and oils for their trucks. Eventually you are the one who has to decide what you use in your truck.

As for me, I only use Chevron fuel and Oil (Delo 400) as well as the fuel additive, Chevron Dieselmotive fuel additive.

There is a difference in fuel, although each state mandates the base refined fuel, each company has an additive package which changes the way fuel burns. I know in gasoline Chevron has the upper hand IMHO. I tend to believe that diesel should be no different.

Cost is important, but I have Chevron distrubitor locally here who has a truck stop next to the main fuel distribution terminal for our area. His prices are some of the best in town, even over the cheapest places in town, so why not use it!!

Let us know which way you finally decide to go.

Oh and BTW, there are also oil filters and such you have to decide on also. It seems that for air filters, the AC filter your truck comes with is one of the better choices, and in my opinion the AC oil filter is probably also one of the better ones to go with. (AC Duraguard PF2232)

Welcome to the wonderful world of truck ownership

John

Red works fairly well! :joke:

go to a station that busy or sells a lot of fuel i think is more important

thanks everyone for the replies.....