Diesel Fuel...Marine vs
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Marine fuel
Marine fuel is different from automotive only in the color of the dye for tax purposes. Marine is a pinkish red color and automotive is a gold color. They are the same cetane rating and sulfur content. Both work well in any diesel engine.
Marine fuel is different from automotive only in the color of the dye for tax purposes. Marine is a pinkish red color and automotive is a gold color. They are the same cetane rating and sulfur content. Both work well in any diesel engine.
The Main Difference
Bob is right, the marine diesel is dyed red to indicate that road tax has not been paid on it. Meaning if you are caught with red dyed diesel in an automobile on public roads, you will be fined handsomely.
Bob is right, the marine diesel is dyed red to indicate that road tax has not been paid on it. Meaning if you are caught with red dyed diesel in an automobile on public roads, you will be fined handsomely.
depends on the stations
I know some sailors get their fuel from truck stops so they know that it is always fresh fuel. Personally, I don't think it's that big of a deal. I fill up once a year and sure to have plenty of stuff growing in it before it's all used up. Next project is to clean the tank
I know some sailors get their fuel from truck stops so they know that it is always fresh fuel. Personally, I don't think it's that big of a deal. I fill up once a year and sure to have plenty of stuff growing in it before it's all used up. Next project is to clean the tank
ultra low sulpher diesel
I don't know the implications of this but at some point there is a mandate to have "ultra low sulpher" diesel. It is my understanding that the implementation schedule for off road and marine use is different than for road use. So, there could be a difference between what you get at a marina vs. a road station. The attached links have some info on this. http://www.sccaweb.org/june_1_2006.htm
I don't know the implications of this but at some point there is a mandate to have "ultra low sulpher" diesel. It is my understanding that the implementation schedule for off road and marine use is different than for road use. So, there could be a difference between what you get at a marina vs. a road station. The attached links have some info on this. http://www.sccaweb.org/june_1_2006.htm
Some Marina fuel is treated
Some fuel is treated with biocides etc at some marinas. The Panama City Marina pretreats their fuel. Some fuel isn't treated and is just plain old. The Grand Mariner in Mobile sold me some bad fuel that made me change my filters. Since I have used that fuel I haven't had any more trouble and my water separator is dry. Best advice is don't keep your tanks full. I keep mine about 1/4 full unless I know that I'll be motoring a lot. Fresh fuel has less time to grow bugs!!!!! If you get water in your fuel it will get stopped at the water separator and can be easily drained. But with old fuel you get bugs that clog up everything requiring filter changes. If you haul out for the winter it would be good to remove all of the fuel and store the boat with dry tanks. Not much can grow in dry tanks!!!
Some fuel is treated with biocides etc at some marinas. The Panama City Marina pretreats their fuel. Some fuel isn't treated and is just plain old. The Grand Mariner in Mobile sold me some bad fuel that made me change my filters. Since I have used that fuel I haven't had any more trouble and my water separator is dry. Best advice is don't keep your tanks full. I keep mine about 1/4 full unless I know that I'll be motoring a lot. Fresh fuel has less time to grow bugs!!!!! If you get water in your fuel it will get stopped at the water separator and can be easily drained. But with old fuel you get bugs that clog up everything requiring filter changes. If you haul out for the winter it would be good to remove all of the fuel and store the boat with dry tanks. Not much can grow in dry tanks!!!
No Substitute for...
There is no substitute for a GOOD FUEL TREATMENT!! Hammerdown DFT 1500 is the best in my opinion. No I don't work for the company. I am a professional mariner for over 20 years & have used plenty of dinosaur squezins over the years. Hammerdown is by far the best stuff. The only problem is they only sell it by the gallon so you will need plenty of power boat buddies to go in with you for some. One oz. treats 50 gallons of fuel!! Sometimes, marine fuel will have a lower flash point (140F) than auto fuel. Esp. in winter in the northern regions. The higher the flash point the better if you ever get a fuel leak in your engine room.
There is no substitute for a GOOD FUEL TREATMENT!! Hammerdown DFT 1500 is the best in my opinion. No I don't work for the company. I am a professional mariner for over 20 years & have used plenty of dinosaur squezins over the years. Hammerdown is by far the best stuff. The only problem is they only sell it by the gallon so you will need plenty of power boat buddies to go in with you for some. One oz. treats 50 gallons of fuel!! Sometimes, marine fuel will have a lower flash point (140F) than auto fuel. Esp. in winter in the northern regions. The higher the flash point the better if you ever get a fuel leak in your engine room.
What I've been doing
Is buying my fuel from a very busy truck stop and keeping my tank as full as posible to prevent condensation build up,I put a bioside treatment with the fuel and every spring I empty the tank and throw it in my oil burner fuel tank (24 gals.)and refill with fresh fuel.
Is buying my fuel from a very busy truck stop and keeping my tank as full as posible to prevent condensation build up,I put a bioside treatment with the fuel and every spring I empty the tank and throw it in my oil burner fuel tank (24 gals.)and refill with fresh fuel.
The sulphur content is likely different...
As Richard points out the US (and most of the rest of the world) is phasing out high sulphur diesel. Depending on where you are the marine diesel from the fuel dock is likely to be high sulphur diesel while the road diesel from a gas station is probably either low- or ultra-low sulphur. The pump should have a sticker on it saying which type you're getting. I've been running the boat on low-sulphur road diesel from a gas station with no problems but who knows what will happen with the ultra-low stuff coming later this year. Oh, you can also run bio diesel too if you want so I'd guess the engines are fairly tolerant.
As Richard points out the US (and most of the rest of the world) is phasing out high sulphur diesel. Depending on where you are the marine diesel from the fuel dock is likely to be high sulphur diesel while the road diesel from a gas station is probably either low- or ultra-low sulphur. The pump should have a sticker on it saying which type you're getting. I've been running the boat on low-sulphur road diesel from a gas station with no problems but who knows what will happen with the ultra-low stuff coming later this year. Oh, you can also run bio diesel too if you want so I'd guess the engines are fairly tolerant.
SULFUR
Sulphur us used for lubrication of the injector pump and injectors. also used in drive axles of cars and trucks (that is why rear end lube smells so bad) there are lubricant additives for diesels available. newer diesels in cars and trucks will axcept low sulphur levels but i guess we will see if our yanmars and westerbeaks will be ok.
Sulphur us used for lubrication of the injector pump and injectors. also used in drive axles of cars and trucks (that is why rear end lube smells so bad) there are lubricant additives for diesels available. newer diesels in cars and trucks will axcept low sulphur levels but i guess we will see if our yanmars and westerbeaks will be ok.
Its all about the money
Road diesel has a road tax. Isn't it legal to burn offroad diesel in your "offroad" boat. Its the same stuff without the tax.
Road diesel has a road tax. Isn't it legal to burn offroad diesel in your "offroad" boat. Its the same stuff without the tax.
California
Some years ago, the CARB decided that it wasn't going to wait for the rest of the US to start using low-sulfur fuel, so they mandated that road use diesel have low sulfur content. They ignored warning about the new fuel having poor lubrication properties compared to the standard stuff that everyone else uses. The low-sulfur California only fuel did enough damage to fuel injection pumps that there was a class action suit and the state bought a bunch of engines, fuel injector pumps and pump overhauls. From what I've heard the newer low sulfur fuel retains the lubrication needed for older injector pump designs and should be no problem for marine use. The difference now is the dye used based on the taxes paid.
Some years ago, the CARB decided that it wasn't going to wait for the rest of the US to start using low-sulfur fuel, so they mandated that road use diesel have low sulfur content. They ignored warning about the new fuel having poor lubrication properties compared to the standard stuff that everyone else uses. The low-sulfur California only fuel did enough damage to fuel injection pumps that there was a class action suit and the state bought a bunch of engines, fuel injector pumps and pump overhauls. From what I've heard the newer low sulfur fuel retains the lubrication needed for older injector pump designs and should be no problem for marine use. The difference now is the dye used based on the taxes paid.
Biodiesel is a lubricant
I read that biodiesel has good lubrication properties. The alcohol that they attach to make it sticks to metal unlike regular dino diesel. Fat is three fatty acids attached to glycerol. To make biodiesel you exchange methanol or ethanol for the glycerol(transesterfication)They also sell additives that are supposed to provide lubrication and boost cetane. I bought some at Wal-mart and add it regularly. I have no ideal if it helps.
I read that biodiesel has good lubrication properties. The alcohol that they attach to make it sticks to metal unlike regular dino diesel. Fat is three fatty acids attached to glycerol. To make biodiesel you exchange methanol or ethanol for the glycerol(transesterfication)They also sell additives that are supposed to provide lubrication and boost cetane. I bought some at Wal-mart and add it regularly. I have no ideal if it helps.
No more mixing road and marina stuff
Rich from Redondo Beach is right, there's a new standard for diesel that boaters need to pay attention to. The new standard diesel for road use has less "lubricity" than standard high-sulfur diesel: you don't want this stuff in your boat because it will score the injectors, and you don't want to put the marina stuff in your (newer) diesel car/truck because it may gum up the works there. And since it isn't crystal clear how we will know when the marinas are carrying the new type of fuel, everyone needs to get in the habit of adding an additive to their tanks. Identify additives that restore lubricating properties as well as deals with killing bio contaminants.
Rich from Redondo Beach is right, there's a new standard for diesel that boaters need to pay attention to. The new standard diesel for road use has less "lubricity" than standard high-sulfur diesel: you don't want this stuff in your boat because it will score the injectors, and you don't want to put the marina stuff in your (newer) diesel car/truck because it may gum up the works there. And since it isn't crystal clear how we will know when the marinas are carrying the new type of fuel, everyone needs to get in the habit of adding an additive to their tanks. Identify additives that restore lubricating properties as well as deals with killing bio contaminants.
clean-diesel.org
According to the above website diesel producers should add lubrication and corrosion inhibitors to the S15 and S500 diesel fuel before it is sold at retail. They say that the process to remove the sulfur reduces lubricity. It may be a pain to switch but I am all for cleaner air. It makes me sick to think about breathing in all of that soot that trucks and buses spew into the air. City buses seem to be the worst. But dump trucks are bad too. Last night driving home the whole highway seemed to be full of 18 wheelers. Some spewing considerably more soot than others. I hate to think about all of that black soot in my lungs...even worse in my 5 year old grandson's lungs.
According to the above website diesel producers should add lubrication and corrosion inhibitors to the S15 and S500 diesel fuel before it is sold at retail. They say that the process to remove the sulfur reduces lubricity. It may be a pain to switch but I am all for cleaner air. It makes me sick to think about breathing in all of that soot that trucks and buses spew into the air. City buses seem to be the worst. But dump trucks are bad too. Last night driving home the whole highway seemed to be full of 18 wheelers. Some spewing considerably more soot than others. I hate to think about all of that black soot in my lungs...even worse in my 5 year old grandson's lungs.
Labels...
When buying diesel, look for the labels on the pump in the link below in order to know which sulfur level fuel you are actually getting. It is my understanding that the requirement to transition to ULSD diesel will not become effective for marine/offroad engines until the summer of 2007. If you buy your diesel at truck/stops or gas stations, they may be selling the newer low sulfur fuel as early as October 15, 2006. Again, look for the labels on the pump when you buy fuel.
When buying diesel, look for the labels on the pump in the link below in order to know which sulfur level fuel you are actually getting. It is my understanding that the requirement to transition to ULSD diesel will not become effective for marine/offroad engines until the summer of 2007. If you buy your diesel at truck/stops or gas stations, they may be selling the newer low sulfur fuel as early as October 15, 2006. Again, look for the labels on the pump when you buy fuel.
Diesel Heater
I am using the red dyed marine diesel in my boat with a Perkins M30 diesel and no problems. I am thinking of adding Stanadyne as the ultra low sulphur fuel becomes available in the State of Washington. This same fuel is also used in our diesel powered heater. Will additives harm the heater?? Aybody have experience??
I am using the red dyed marine diesel in my boat with a Perkins M30 diesel and no problems. I am thinking of adding Stanadyne as the ultra low sulphur fuel becomes available in the State of Washington. This same fuel is also used in our diesel powered heater. Will additives harm the heater?? Aybody have experience??
Old fuel, and keepign tanks full.
Someone mentioned "somfuel...is just plain old," I assume referring to marinas. I don't know why this would be the case. My marina regualrly runs out of both diesel and gas, so I'm pretty sure it's fresh fuel; I've seen the delivery trucks many times. Also, keeping the tanks empty - "fresh fuel has less time to grow bugs." This is nonsense too. "Bugs," or algae, require water to grow, and it grows at the fuel/water interface. Keep your fuel dry and you won;t have "bugs." Easiest way to keep it dry is to make sure no water is making it past the filler cap, and to keep the tanks full! Thanks to all on the info about low sulphur fuel, I had no idea.
Someone mentioned "somfuel...is just plain old," I assume referring to marinas. I don't know why this would be the case. My marina regualrly runs out of both diesel and gas, so I'm pretty sure it's fresh fuel; I've seen the delivery trucks many times. Also, keeping the tanks empty - "fresh fuel has less time to grow bugs." This is nonsense too. "Bugs," or algae, require water to grow, and it grows at the fuel/water interface. Keep your fuel dry and you won;t have "bugs." Easiest way to keep it dry is to make sure no water is making it past the filler cap, and to keep the tanks full! Thanks to all on the info about low sulphur fuel, I had no idea.
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