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Best diesel!

24K views 38 replies 22 participants last post by  DaddyWagon14 
#1 ·
We will be picking up our VW TDI soon and was wondering which company has the better diesel. We live in Wisconsin. I'm looking for clean and best MPGs.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Congrats! My personal feeling on this is to just go with a name brand...Hess, Shell...etc...you really won't notice any improved MPGs from one to another. As for the quality, as I said, if you stick with a name brand and don't fill up right after the truck was there because of the possibility of extra particulate (dirt) making it into your tank.
 
#4 ·
Another "cheeze-head" here. Got my '11 Golf at the end of November last year. After reading several threads on the earlier supposed HPFP problems, I have decided to stick with BP, Shell, Cenex, or Mobil (in that order) wherever possible. My wife's '07 Jeep has a Mercedes 3.0 CR V6 with 60k miles now, and she's been running whatever's cheapest all along with no noticeable problems. I don't know why the HPFPs in our 2.0 CRs should be any pickier than the pump in her car, but...who knows.
 
#7 ·
Is premium diesel offered in Wisconsin 47(cetane) My car performs better when I use it compared to 40cetane. I have had excellant results using www.stanadyne.com but check your owners manual if it can be used with your vehicle. I work for a large Utility. we have started using Bio, winter and summer blend,causing nothing but problems. It has ruined the tanks in our 450 & 550 fords, constant fuel filter clogging (( costly repairs)) I realize this is touchy subject but I will never use it if I have a choice. One time it gelled in the tanker and could not be unloaded.

I would like to get Chittys opinion on fuel and additives.
 
#9 ·
Another suggestion is a high volume station to ensure fresh fuel and less chance for error.
 
#11 ·
Don't worry about the cetane rating. This is an average rating anyhow and the number on the pump may be higher or lower than what's going in your car. The minimum in the US is 40. In most areas your going to see 40. If you see higher than 40, great. If you see lower than 40, I'd fuel up somewhere else...

Also, I've discovered that diesel, at least in the US is not necessarily supplied by the name on the gas station. For example. I've discovered that a number of HESS stations don't stock diesel supplied by HESS. They use a different supplier. Therefore, I would just try to stick with a name brand station, so that, if you have a problem it will be easier for you to get them to settle it with you...but don't count on what's coming out of the pump to be what you think it is (other than the fact that its diesel)
 
#13 ·
Don't worry about the cetane rating. This is an average rating anyhow and the number on the pump may be higher or lower than what's going in your car. The minimum in the US is 40. In most areas your going to see 40. If you see higher than 40, great. If you see lower than 40, I'd fuel up somewhere else...

Also, I've discovered that diesel, at least in the US is not necessarily supplied by the name on the gas station. For example. I've discovered that a number of HESS stations don't stock diesel supplied by HESS. They use a different supplier. Therefore, I would just try to stick with a name brand station, so that, if you have a problem it will be easier for you to get them to settle it with you...but don't count on what's coming out of the pump to be what you think it is (other than the fact that its diesel)
I fuel up at Citgo, it gets its oil from Venezuela. The station I go to is close to an interstate and trucks stop there all the time, so they must have fresh diesel.
Pride has the cheapest diesel, but I've heard they also buy the cheapest oil, which is perhaps the worst quality.
 
#15 ·
Also, I've discovered that diesel, at least in the US is not necessarily supplied by the name on the gas station. For example. I've discovered that a number of HESS stations don't stock diesel supplied by HESS. They use a different supplier. Therefore, I would just try to stick with a name brand station, so that, if you have a problem it will be easier for you to get them to settle it with you...but don't count on what's coming out of the pump to be what you think it is (other than the fact that its diesel)
Ditto that. In my area I've found the same supplier providing diesel to Hess, Shell, and Liberty.
 
#16 ·
Minimum cetane rating is 40, in my area Bp had premium diesel 47 cetane. which is supposed to have detergents that clean injectors,lubricity additive. I notice a slight power increase but the cost 4.15 gallon vs 3.65 deters me. When it is all said and done, we dont know what we are getting. I add 4 oz of stanadyne and change the filter reguarly. I use to ask gas attendants but they have no idea what your talking about.
 
#17 ·
Unfortunately, it's my experience that almost no diesel pumps have cetane labels so it's hard to know what you're getting. I can count on one hand the number of cetane labels I've seen, and they've all said 40.
Here in northern Virginia, I've yet to see a diesel pump without the cetane and ULSD stickers. Most are the minimum 40 cetane but Shell sells "premium" diesel with a minimum cetane of 45. I've not noticed any difference when using the Shell product.
 
#18 ·
Unfortunately, it's my experience that almost no diesel pumps have cetane labels so it's hard to know what you're getting. I can count on one hand the number of cetane labels I've seen, and they've all said 40.
I live in Canada so this is not for the OP. But where I live there are about a dozen stations that have diesel. Not one has a cetane label.

You can ask the cashier, they should have some documents for the fuel they sell.
Have asked cashiers in a bunch of them. They don't have a clue what I'm asking about. :dunno :panic:
 
#19 ·
I know that biodiesel is a touchy subject with some folks but keep in mind that VW says that anything above B5 will void your warranty.

I look for non-bio in my area and coincidently the closest truck stop (Petro) to my house sells non-bio.

I used to fill my gasser all the time at the BP right across the street from this Petro but their diesel is bio-something-% and there's a sticker on the diesel pumps that states that this diesel is non BP supplied and that BP will not warranty it. I don't know exactly what that means but it can't be good.
 
#20 ·
see Toptiergas.com

Your VW manual will point you to toptiergas.com which lists approved gasoline brands for VW, BMW, Toyota, Honda, GM, etc. The website does not list approved diesel brands, but I would imagine these brands have complete additive packages for diesel as well.

I also use Stanadyne Performance formula with each fill-up.
 
#21 ·
Wimpog,


Some states require posting the cetane rating at the pump. I live in CT which currently doesn't. I'm working with my local State Rep to pass a bill in CT requiring posting the cetane rating as well as regulating the use of the word "premium" as is the case in several states.

We have local stations posting "Premium Diesel" when inquiring with the corporate office, the diesel sold has only a cetane rating of 40 which IMHO is deceptive. In states where the word "premium" is regulated, typically the cetane rating is >/47.
 
#22 ·
Wimpog,


Some states require posting the cetane rating at the pump. I live in CT which currently doesn't. I'm working with my local State Rep to pass a bill in CT requiring posting the cetane rating as well as regulating the use of the word "premium" as is the case in several states.

We have local stations posting "Premium Diesel" when inquiring with the corporate office, the diesel sold has only a cetane rating of 40 which IMHO is deceptive. In states where the word "premium" is regulated, typically the cetane rating is >/47.
I saw no stickers at the Citgo station I fill up my car. I'll ask the cashier next time.
Is there a certain recommended by VW cetane value?
Why is US diesel different than European? Is it cleaner for the environment? I though that's what the DPF was for - to make exhausts cleaner.
 
#23 ·
I saw no stickers at the Citgo station I fill up my car. I'll ask the cashier next time.
Is there a certain recommended by VW cetane value?
Why is US diesel different than European? Is it cleaner for the environment? I though that's what the DPF was for - to make exhausts cleaner.
There is no recommended cetane by VW.

In Europe, diesel is not necessarily "better" its just more consistent (and contains better lubricating properties). In the US, as sulfur content has been reduced more and more as mandated by federal standards, the need to replace sulfur with another form of lubricity for fuel systems became important. Right now, it is up to the supplier of the diesel to ADD their own lubricity additive. There is no standard for lubricity, other than that the supplier needs to do something to provide for it. This is why most people have come to the conclusion that they should use their own additive to compensate for a POSSIBLE, yet unknown, lack of lubricating properties within the diesel they are buying.

Too many people make the mistake of talking about "quality" of diesel. Diesel is diesel. Yes, the AVERAGE cetane rating may be different, but this is an almost meaningless variable for our cars being that no matter where you go cetane is going to be somewhere between 35 and 55. You'll see average ratings of 40 in most places and premium in some places is 47. Its basically meaningless. Unless you get diesel has an unusually high percentage of water, or other contaminent...its all the same. But standards have been set in those areas to hopefully prevent those kinds of things.

When people talk "quality" many times they are really talking lubricity. Lubricity is important, especially on engines that have a HPFP, like our CR TDIs. Because of the lack of some kind of adequate standard with lubricity in the US (not to mention the lack of disclosure by the suppliers to let the consumer know the minimum lubricity in the fuel they will receive) some diesel will fall short, and cause undue wear on our fuel system (namely the HPFP) and some diesel will carry grossly more lubricating characteristics than we require (which doesn't cause a problem, its just unnecessary).
 
#24 ·
Generally the higher the cetane rating the better. Typically it's 40 at most filling stations.

In some states "Premium Diesel" must have a minimum cetane rating of 47.

I've called Shell, Mobil, and other companies to inquire about what stations carry diesel with cetane ratings higher than 40. I was told I'd have to call each station to inquire. When asked, very few stations have a clue what I'm talking about.

See toptiergas.com (as referenced in my VW Owner's Manual) for brands that meet strict gasoline requirements (and likely have complete diesel additive packages as well).

Personnally I use Mobil, Exxon, or Shell and add Stanadyne Performance Formula with each fill-up. Unfortunately (true) premium diesel isn't sold in my area; at least not yet until we have more voices asking for it.
 
#26 ·
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