In comparison to normal #2 diesel, premium diesel has a higher cetane number, improved lubricity, and detergents that help clean injectors. The ignition delay of a fuel is measured in cetane. For faster start-ups and less pollution, more cetane equates a shorter delay and improved ignition quality.
Does premium diesel make a difference?
The higher the octane number, the more efficiently the gasoline burns, resulting in more power for less fuel burnt. It may also contain detergents or other additives to keep the inside of the engine clean.
Your engine’s specifications, as well as your driving style and conditions, will determine the level of improvement you can expect from premium unleaded gasoline.
Some engines, usually in higher-performance cars, require premium unleaded at all times, and if you use normal unleaded, you will notice a reduction in performance and fuel economy. These engines are characterized by narrower tolerances and a poor response to lower-octane fuels.
Most conventional petrol-engine passenger cars are perfectly happy to run on standard 91-octane unleaded gasoline, so the question becomes whether paying a little more for premium unleaded would provide you noticeably greater performance and/or fuel economy.
Many engines will experience very little difference depending on your driving circumstances; if your driving is mostly city commuting and school runs, you won’t see any substantial gains. You may notice more significant variations if you drive more aggressively or on open roads.
What is premium diesel?
Premium diesel fuel, on the other hand, is usually of higher quality and burns more effectively. It may also contain chemicals that aid in the cleaning of the engine and increase cold-temperature performance.
For a single tankful, the difference in performance and economy between premium diesel and normal diesel is usually less than the difference between premium unleaded petrol and regular unleaded.
Premium diesel, on the other hand, may help your engine operate smoother and cleaner, which can enhance both performance and efficiency over time. This may be more obvious in older or higher-mileage engines than in a fresh new car with no sediments in the engine.
Although some owners claim that premium diesel has helped them minimize the frequency of diesel particulate filter warnings and issues, we are unaware of any scientific studies to support this claim.
Try it and see
The easiest method to find out if premium diesel or premium unleaded petrol are right for you and your automobile is to try three tanks of each and see if there is a noticeable and consistent difference.
If you don’t notice any difference in performance and don’t seem to be getting more mileage per tank, you’re generally better off continuing with standard gasoline or diesel.
If you do detect a difference, consider if the higher expense (which can be up to 10p/litre) is justified.
Premium fuel or a bottle of additives?
Alternatively, you can fill your tank with a bottle of specialized fuel additives. There are several types depending on whether you want to improve performance, save money, or do both.
Why should I use premium diesel?
Premium diesel has a higher cetane rating, which implies a faster start-up time and better ignition quality, as well as less emissions. It also means less wear on your batteries and starter.
Can I put premium diesel in my car?
Spending money isn’t a problem for you? By minimizing friction and keeping intake valves clean, filling your car with premium fuel on a regular basis will help extend the life of the engine’s critical components. Additionally, certain machinery demands a bit extra; for example, because of the particular way a rotary engine runs, owners of cars like the Mazda RX-8 advised using only premium fuel and premixing some oil into the tank to keep things nice and lubricated.
Unlike gasoline engines, diesel engines do not benefit from higher octane fuel, thus premium diesel includes cleaning agents in the mix to remove sooty deposits and oil build-ups inside the engine.
Premium diesel is especially effective on older, poorly maintained ‘oil burners,’ which may have a higher-than-average carbon build-up. Using a premium diesel will flush out any soot, oil, or carbon build-up in the car’s fuel system and engine.
Should you choose premium diesel?
Using premium fuel in a brand-new diesel car will do nothing because all of the engine components are already clean and working properly. If you drive a diesel with a lot of miles, it can be worth it to fill up a tank with premium fuel every six months. This will remove any build-up in the fuel system by flushing it.
Have you recently purchased a used diesel vehicle? If you want to give your fuel system a thorough cleaning, use premium diesel next time you fill up. However, it is not always worth the extra money to fill up with premium diesel.
We are regularly questioned whether premium diesel fuel is superior to standard diesel fuel in the course of our business. And our quick response is invariably a loud yes “Yes,” says the speaker. However, additional information is needed to answer the other major concern about premium diesel fuel, which is whether it is worth the extra price.
Premium diesel has more detergent and additives than regular diesel, which helps to improve the combustion performance of an engine. Using a premium diesel usually results in a gain in performance and/or MPG, as well as lower engine emissions and other benefits, depending on engine design.
Yes, premium diesel is superior to regular diesel. Is the extra price tag, however, justified?
We are not so sure about it. The fundamental issue is that, given the huge increase in cost per litre, premium diesel fuels might be so much better. The additional detergent now offered is insufficient to keep most gasoline systems and engine types clean, and it does not aggressively remove existing deposits. Unfortunately, we’ve discovered that diesel vehicles that only run on premium diesel fuel continue to deposit. Not so much in the fuel system as much as in the combustion region, emission components (EGR, DPF), and intake manifolds, intake valves, and other areas. Using a premium diesel in these places will surely postpone the accumulation of carbon deposits. However, don’t expect miracles in terms of cleaning results. Fuel system pollution, biological degradation, and carbon build-up rise as the percentage of bio-diesel increases. Regrettably, current fuels are insufficient to meet these concerns.
Please keep in mind that there are legal constraints, such as the old BS EN590 specification, that limit the types of additives that can be used in fuel. Those rules, however, have no bearing on whether premium diesel, as it is manufactured now, is a fair value for the money you spend at the pump.
So, what should you do if premium diesel isn’t worth the extra money and normal diesel isn’t up to par? To ordinary diesel fuel, we recommend adding a high-quality diesel fuel conditioner with combustion catalyst technology. This will often result in a fuel that outperforms premium diesel while also being less expensive per tank. This is supported by extensive testimony as well as research evidence. More comprehensive fuel conditioners include technology to clean and remove existing deposits, lubricate the diesel pump, remove water, prevent fuel degradation or contamination, reduce emissions, improve performance, and increase MPG, among other things.
It’s simply a matter of evaluating the advantages of premium diesel against the advantages of a fuel conditioner, as well as convenience and expense.
In this topic, there is also the matter of consistency to consider. It’s not uncommon to find fuel of varying grade from the same gas station. According to our understanding, fuel merchants and refineries have distribution agreements in place that require gas stations to sell fuel from the nearest refinery in the area, regardless of brand. The additive packets are then applied at the refinery or directly into the station gasoline tanks in some cases.
Similarly, there is a difference in the price of gasoline. Octane testing on a regular basis will reveal remarkable discrepancies in fuel octane. It tests at 95.6 one week, 96.8 the next, and so on. As you may expect, this makes testing octane boosters exceedingly difficult due to the inconsistency of base fuels.
A piece of advise we’d like to provide is to “Know” your local gas station. Purchase fuel at stations with a high turnover of fuel whenever possible. Avoid filling your car from tanks that are low on fuel or that have recently been filled, since this can cause deposits and moisture to settle. Come return later if you spot a tanker. The inherent faults and irregularities found in our fuels should be protected by a fuel conditioner.
Please note that we will be producing a video in the future illustrating one of the tests we do to determine the cleaning strength of fuels and fuel additives.
What is the best grade of diesel fuel?
The most common diesel fuel grade is #2, which is widely available at most gas stations throughout the world. This chemical composition contains the most energy components and lubricating qualities in a single blend and provides the best fuel performance currently available. The majority of scientists agree that #2 diesel fuel will safeguard injection pumps, seals, and other critical engine components.
Because it does not require the same level of refinement to create for sale, #2 is usually less expensive than #1. The disadvantage of #2 diesel is that it has a tendency to thicken into a gel when the temperature drops. During the winter, this frequently leads to sluggish starts and other issues.
Do diesels need to be driven hard?
The energy required to push you ahead is generated by burning this fuel in a car’s engine. Because diesel is less flammable than gasoline, it must be burned using a technique known as “compression ignition.” To burn diesel, it must be subjected to extreme pressure.
This pressure, which isn’t required in gasoline cars, puts extra strain on the engine and many of its components. What’s the end result? Parts deteriorate more quickly and fail more frequently.
What is the cleanest diesel fuel?
Cleaner diesel fuels, improved engines, and effective emission controls all work together to achieve near-zero emissions of tiny particles and smog-forming chemicals like nitrogen oxides (NOx). Clean diesel is a significant technology for better air, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and a sustainable environment around the world because of its demonstrated energy efficiency and ability to use renewable fuels.
A new generation of diesel includes cleaner diesel fuel, improved engines, and better emissions management. It’s a squeaky-clean diesel.
Cleaner Diesel Fuels
Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which contains 97 percent less sulfur, is now the industry standard for both on- and off-highway diesel engines across the country. Using this cleaner diesel (ULSD) reduces diesel vehicle and equipment soot emissions by 10% right away. Sulfur reduction in diesel fuel is similar to the removal of lead from gasoline in the 1970s.
Cleaner diesel fuel allows for the development of a new generation of advanced engines and emission control devices that would otherwise be unable to function efficiently due to greater sulfur levels in diesel fuel.
There’s more to cleaner diesel fuel than just petroleum diesel. Diesel engines can run on advanced biofuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50%.
Why is diesel technology so fuel efficient?
To generate useful mechanical energy, a combination of the fuel’s energy-rich characteristics and the completion of its combustion. ULSD is a petroleum-based transportation fuel with the maximum energy density, meaning it has more energy per gallon than other options. According to the US Energy Information Administration, only a few transportation fuels can match diesel’s energy density. Advanced biofuels, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel, have far higher energy densities than other options.
Advanced Engines
Diesel is the most fuel-efficient internal combustion engine on the planet. It outperforms gasoline, compressed natural gas, and liquefied natural gas in terms of power and fuel efficiency. Learn more about the diesel engine’s history.
The major distinction between gasoline and diesel engines is fuel combustion. Spark plugs fire gasoline engines, whereas compression ignites diesel engines. The combustion of air and fuel occurs inside the engine under pressure and heat caused by compressing the air-fuel mixture so tightly that it spontaneously combusts, releasing energy that is transferred to powering the wheels of a vehicle, the piston’s motion, and creating mechanical energy.
Electronic controls, common rail fuel injection, variable injection timing, improved combustion chamber architecture, and turbocharging, among other advanced new technology, have made diesel engines cleaner, quieter, and more powerful than previous cars.
Effective Emissions Control
Following decades of study and development, a range of emission controls are now available to meet near-zero emission requirements.
The introduction of cleaner diesel fuels for on- and off-road uses is a critical component of the clean diesel system’s near-zero emissions goals. With the introduction of lower sulfur diesel fuel, a variety of exhaust aftertreatment options such as diesel particulate filters (DPF), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) with the use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) that is sensitive to sulfur levels in the fuel became available.
Through retrofit capabilities, various emission control systems may be installed to enhance emissions from older diesel engines. Learn more about how to upgrade older vehicles and equipment to minimize emissions.
What type of diesel should I use?
The more volatile the gasoline, the higher the cetane number. The majority of diesel cars run on fuel with a grade of 40 to 55 octane. Choose diesel fuel that is rated at least 10 degrees lower than the coldest temperatures you expect to experience if you want to drive in really cold weather. For more information, consult your owner’s handbook.
