Grades of diesel?

[pat25d]

Hey all,

We just upgraded from an A3 where we were using 95/98 premium, to a TDI Golf Wagon.

Is there an equivalent of premium diesel that we should be using? Or is any old plain diesel the same?

[Transporter]

I use BP, it says "premium" but more importantly, it has the highest Cetane rating at least in SA. Also always use the additive with the fuel 100% of the time.

[pat25d]

I use BP, it says "premium" but more importantly, it has the highest Cetane rating at least in SA. Also always use the additive with the fuel 100% of the time.

What's the additive?

[Transporter]

Morey's Diesel Smoke Killer. There is a lot more info in the diesel section on using the additives.
http://www.moreyoil.co.nz/details.ph...11&productID=2

[Diesel_vert]

The octane number is a measure of petrol's knocking characteristics. I suppose the equivalent would be the cetane number (or cetane index), which is a measure of diesel's ignition quality.

Cetane number is measured using a reference engine, whereas cetane index is a calculated based on the fuel's density and distillation range, and the two apparently correlate well.

According to Caltex, the average cetane index of Australian diesel is well above the national (and European) standard of 46. BP states its diesel has a typical CI 51. If both statements are true, then I suppose it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to suggest that the CI of diesel fuel from other companies would be similar, give or take one or two points.

There are also diesel fuel blends with additional or higher dosage of additives and/or improved performance qualities, which are marketed as premium diesel (the Australian and European fuel standard makes no distinction between regular, premium or whatever for diesel). Examples include, but not limited to - BP Ultimate Diesel, Caltex Vortex Diesel, Shell Diesel Extra.

BP Ultimate Diesel has a typical CI of 52 (which is nice), but the IMO the unique selling point for these premium-branded diesel fuels is the boosted additive pack.

[Brian916]

Biggest thing I noticed in QLD with the BP ulitimate diesel, and in the ACT with Vortex Premium is the anti foaming agents work really well. It's nice to be able to put fuel in without having to have time for a 6 pack and cut lunch before you can put the last 10l in the tank. Hate waiting for the foam to disipate.

[Rosie]

I'm taking every oportunity to dump on BP, because NSW & VIC still haven't got Ultimate Diesel. I was in Melbourne last year and BP's own servo locator directed me to servos where not only was there no product, but the staff had never heard of Ultimate Diesel.

My wife and I both have new model diesels. We both use BP Citibank Mastercards to buy BP fuel exclusively. As it is about a year since I last inquired as to the availability of Ultimate Diesel in NSW and VIC I sent another email a couple of days ago. A prompt reply came back that NSW can expect to now have the product in mid to late 2012.

Well, BP can get stuffed! I won't be waiting another year, then wasting my time to send another message. As Ultimate Diesel is available in SA and QLD, but not NSW and VIC would seem to indicate where it is refined, and it would appear at face value that there's no profit in sending it to NSW and VIC. Never mind that over 40% of all diesel fuel in Australia is imported from Singapore, or that only one year on from the Deepwater fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico BP's first quarter profit for this year was US$7.12 B (US$61 M per day!!!). That tells me heaps about BP's alleged customer service policy. I'm cutting up the cards and going to Caltex Vortex. I doubt it'll affect BP's share price, but if enough people did the same, they might, just might, take some notice.