June 1 starts the beginning ....

[Alan]

...of low sulfur diesel production. As of tomorrow all refineries will be producing low sulfur diesel for all farm, industrial, and marine engines. It will produce 85% lower sulfur emissions but will also have lower lubricity. This new off-road fuel has a sulfur content of 500 parts per million, reduced from about 3,000 parts per million in the previous blend. By 2010, sulfur levels in most non-road diesel fuel will be reduced to 15 parts per million, making it possible for engine manufacturers to use advanced exhaust control systems that significantly reduce emissions.

 

[Warren Milberg]

In the metro Washington, DC and Ches Bay

areas, ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) began to be sold last summer. Most of the truck stops and other automotive fuel outlets have been selling 15 ppm sulphur ULSD for quite a while, which may be good for truckers with newish engines, and the environment. I'm not sure how well 20+yr old marine diesels will do on this new reduced sulphur fuel. I've been going out of my way to buy 500 ppm sulphur ULSD, which is still available in some rural/farm locations near my marina. I began mixing the 500 ppm ULSD with the older higher sulphur diesel late last year in the hope of slowly getting my 1986 Yanmar to accept it gracefully. My real concern is that the lower sulphur fuel will dissolve crud and gunk that has been minding it's own business in my fuel tank for a lot of years. That could result in a clogged fuel filters and a dead engine -- most likely in a place not of your choice. So far, my filters seem to be staying clean and the engine is running a good as ever. Hope this keeps up....

 

[Lori]

Lubrication question

RE: the lower lubricityA caterpillar diesel mechanic told me years ago to put transmission fluid in my diesel fuel to aid in lubrication (like 1/2 gallon per 15 gal tank). I never did it as it just doesn't seem right, but is there any validity to this and is it time to start?

 

[LancerDude]

Which brilliant Polititian came up with this one..

...atleast when they phased out Leaded Gasoline they did it over a 5 year span...why the need to change the Diesel Fuel mix so fast??They haveto know the new sstuff will kill older engines..or,perhaps thats the idea..gonna boost the sales of newer vehicles and engines by killing off the older ones. Totalitarian Elitist Bastards.

 

[Alan]

Yes

It will definitely aid lubrication. I'm not sure how it will affect emissions though. I have been burning #2 oil(w/higher sulfur) in my boat for many years. So far no leaks. The LSD(500 parts) and ULSD(15 parts) are going to be a problem for some older engines.

 

[LancerDude]

Boat Emissions...

..I'll worry about my boats emissions when they come around with a Tail Pipe Sniffer like they use on cars/trucks..and I'll wish them luck using it on my boat as the exaust exits right behind the prop...ANY VOLUNTEERS TO GO HOLD IT IN THE EXHAUST PIPE??? lol

 

[Alan]

They don't use sniffers anymore

Inspections are carried out via the OBD11 portal under your dashboard.That same technology is what is coming for boats also. Its already being used for outboard engines.

 

[Ross]

Alan, they still use sniffers on my '87 Volvo

wagon.

 

[Rick Webb]

OBD II

Is only on '96 and newer vehicles. I really can't figure out why the reader is not built into the car but other than that it works great. I hope the marine industry is going to a universal system rather than having to pay a dealer to hook up a laptop to read things like engine hours.Remember when leaded gas went away and we were all going to burn our valves seats out? Did anyone burn out valves as a result? I do not know of anyone who did. I think this will be largely the same thing.

 

[Ken13531]

Stop worrying !!!

A lot of fuss over nothing. Canada legislated ULSD fuel beginning 01 October 2006.Most refineries had it well before that.I have seen no ill effects or problems associated with the new fuel.I am running it in my old Universal (Kubota) and it starts & runs the same.I don't have any leaks either.Thousands of old trucks are doing the same.

 

[Alan]

Rick

The reader isn't built in for two reasons. It would add to the final cost and what would folks do with the info. If you want you can upload the data output to your laptop now. You would still need a pro to diagnose and repair the problem.

 

[Rick Webb]

Pro? My Behind

Any monkey can be trained to change parts. I bought the scan tool for about $80 and now working on the car is easier now than when we dealt with points and such. Yes there is much more to go wrong but things break less and now you have a better idea where to start. The OBD II diagnosis most problems for you then go around the corner to the parts shop by the part and then look for something that looks like the part you just bought and do the trained monkey routine.Another couple of example not to go to the "pro" we have had two issues with my wife’s Lincoln a couple of years ago while on a trip back from New Jersey it would idle rough and the "Check Engine" light came on. I hooked up the scan tool knew it was the EGR Valve and made a call to the dealer to get it fixed two days later they get me in tell me it is the EGR Valve and they have to order the part. I could have gone around the corner bought the thing and been done in twenty minutes. A month ago it was the same story with the alternator I was about to go buy one and make the drive out to Biloxi make a conjugal visit and fix the car but the thing was $400 so she just took it to the dealer to fix the car under warranty. Again they had to order the part and it took them three days to get the car back to her.This should be even more applicable to boats as you should be prepared and able to get yourself out of a jam and get home on your own anytime you venture away from home.I really think this whole idea of someone else working on your car is a fad and will never catch on.

 

[RAD]

Here's a link that might be helpful

Also I've thought of putting a #2 fuel mix for the boat but I'm going to look into this Stanadyne stuff cause it also has other positives for the fuel besides lubricationAny one have a comment?

 

[LoriPetersen]

Ok, #2?

Ok, I have to ask...when you say #2 oil are we talking about 2-stroke oil?

 

[Alan]

Lori

#2 oil is home heating oil. It's the same as diesel but with a red dye added to denote the fact the federal road use taxes have not been applied, and of course now it is higher in sulfur than the new LSD and ULSD.

 

[Brian M H23]

Lubricity?

Coming from a 4 stroke mechanic...what is this big fuss about "lubricity"... a diesel engine injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber and it ignites instantly, the fuel does not do any lubricating!! A normal gas engine, the fuel travels through (at least part of) the intake manifold, but the only moving part there is the valve - which is the big deal with leaded gas. The lead would coat the valves and kind of "replace" wear on them. That is why supposedly you cannot run unleaded on a lead engine - the valve guides may wear faster. In reality, with modern engine oils the wear isnt even noticable.The sulfur does even less "lubricating" on the diesel..I wouldnt worry about putting it in your engines. It doesnt have new, stronger detegents or anything..just the same old fuel with less sulfur. It's not like putting synthetic oil in a 50,000 hour motor and having your seals dissolve...

 

[Alan]

Brian

If you're a "4 stroker" then you should realize that the lubrication in question is for the injection pump NOT the engine. The injection pump must convert liquid fuel at STP into a high pressure liquid of around 2500 psi. The injection pump gets its lubrication from the fuel as it is compressed much the same as an electric in tank gasoline fuel pump does.

 

[Brian M H23]

oops

Thanks for that Alan- I hadn't even given any thought to the pump. To clear myself I will admit I never mentioned I do much work on diesel! hmmm... do the injection pumps run significantly hotter on the new fuel (i know that are not immersed like a standard EFI in-tank pump) , and would some sort of pump cooler stave off problems?

 

[Alan]

Brian

Heat to the pump isn't really an issue, it's the internal lubrication for the high pressure plungers where the problems (if there are any) will arise. These plungers travel up and down inside a cylinder much like a piston in an engine but under much higher tolerances. Any degradation to these tolerances will lower the pump pressure and therefore affect the ability of the injector to produce a proper spray pattern needed for complete combustion.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Alan! Stop it!

You're taking all the answers! Leave some for the rest of us! Lubricity of diesel oil became a concern many years ago when the first low sulfur fuels were introduce in various foreign countries. (We're just now getting around to it) Anyway, those early methods of sulfur removal also removed too much of the lubricating oil and engines suffered as a result. The stuff on the market, here and now, is safe for all engines. Sulfur has NO value! It's a crude-oil pollutant. Good riddance!