zemun1234

Sunoco is replaced with Petrol Canada and I am wondering what's our alternative for diesel fuel. I am always using Sunoco due to it's the closest to Europe octant #.

I am using Shell now but I am not sure it's good enough ..

Any opinion about Petrol Canada vs Shell

240D 3.0T

Diesel is diesel, they all buy from the exact same place. The only difference is the additive package used by specific brands, which is added to the delivery tanker trucks at the loading terminal.

zemun1234

I cannot agree but ...First of all, I think it's difference between Europe vs USA/Canada diesel (in Europe - ~ 50-55 vs 40-45 octane, cetane #). Also, every MB service center is recommending Sunoco diesel vs other brand.
I am trying fill tank always on same place but once we get change, I am wondering what's alternative ...

I am not expert but I have enough knowledge that I can tell you are not right

240D 3.0T

Doesn't change the facts. I work 1/4 mile from a Suncor refinery and delivery terminal, I can clearly see how they operate and that every brand of station gets their fuel from it.

Humm....wonder why? Commercialism. Just the same as MB reccommends Mobil oils over any other brand.

Time to hit the books, you're getting behind the rest of the class.

harkgar

Are you talking about the station near Steeles-Warden? No problem. There are others. Go on the Sunoco website and see. Apart from Sunoco (which I use) Shell has Gold as well. I do not find a lot of difference between Shell and Sunoco.

zemun1234

I am in Etobicoke ...Generally speaking, I think Sunoco is better than Shell base on car response. Also, I am adding additive as well with octane booster.

It could be me but ....

harkgar

In summer I go el cheapo and pump Pioneer diesel. It may not be as good but quite a bit cheaper. I also use Power Service (PS) additive from Canadian Tire every few tanks. The HST is a windfall for our Big Government.

benyl

This is correct. This goes for Diesel and Gasoline.

The gas you buy from Shell or Costco is the same. The difference is the additive that each company puts into the gas (detergents and such).

I work in Oil and Gas.

MB probably has an agreement with Sunoco.

harkgar

Why do you think that MB has an agreement with Sunoco? My 2006 diesel owner's manual suggested "diesel fuel #2 or #1, ASTMD975 #2-D or #1-D" but no brands. I also note that "the engine is more susceptible to wear and damage if you use marine diesel fuel and heating oil. If you use such non-approved fuels and/or special additives, your warranty rights will be limited". This means the 2005 - 2006 engines can be fueled with marine diesel and heating oils if you are stuck with nothing else.

240D 3.0T

The same as they do with Mobil, advertising. Mobil pays to be Mercedes' "official" oil and Sunoco pays to be their "official" fuel.

Sathinas

I never understood why people who drive diesel powered vehicles (cars, pick-up trucks, SUV's), buy diesel fuel at car gasoline stations.

And by that I mean most gas stations don't sell a lot of diesel on a regular basis. That means the diesel they sell stays in the underground tanks for, potentially, months. You don't want that fuel in your engine.

Best place to buy diesel? Truck stops. Preferably at the semi truck islands, not the "car" islands, because most truck stops have separate diesel tanks. A busy truck stop may go through 5,000 gallons of diesel per day or more, meaning they get "fresh" diesel more often than does a gas station that may sell 5,000 gallons a month.

harkgar

Agreed. The problem is that not everyone lives near truck stops.

zemun1234

IMHO, you cannot compare truck engine with modern diesel engine - I think truck could take any liquid which it's not case with today diesel cars. Somehow, I think the cleaner diesel (not dirt etc) is from regular Sunoco, Shell,....pumps ..

240D 3.0T

You are completely missing what was said in his post. Please read it again.

Sathinas

What this gentleman said.

Uhhhh.... Why not?

What makes a car's diesel engine so much more special than a truck's diesel engine?

They both operate on diesel fuel, they both have fuel filters, they both have high pressure direct injectors, (most newer trucks even have common rail injection), they both have DPFE filters (the newer ones).

Aside from engine sizes, both displacement and physical mass, how are they different?

And a diesel engine can't take "any" liquid. It certainly can't run on water. Most newer common rail injection diesels (both cars and trucks) run fine on alternative fuels like biodiesel and even WVO.

As far as why you think that Sunoco diesel is the "cleaner" of the bunch, again is beyond me. Why would sunoco be as concerned about their diesel fuel of which they may sell a small percentage as compared to gasoline? Whereas a truck stop would be a lot more concerned about "good" diesel because that's how they make their money. Good diesel brings in truck drivers who spend money in the convenience store. Bad diesel sends those truck drivers elsewhere.

zemun1234

I understand that diesel is diesel and diesel car cannot run on any other liquid. I hope that we agree that diesel in Europe is not same as diesel in North America (at least, 'octane' # is not same - I think in Europe is ~50-55; USA 40-45). My point is related to that - not in some chemical formula

Let me ask question differently: do you think that every diesel in USA/Canada has same octane (I don't know what is equivalent term for diesel).
I am just trying get some knowledge and if 240T tell me to read books, I am too old for that

harkgar

There are only 2 grades of diesel in the Greater Toronto Area. Basic and "gold" or equivalent. I have not seen any other classification like that of gasoline octane. To answer your question, in the GTA at least, there is not the same number of classifications for diesel as there are for gasoline.

I still find Sunoco and Shell diesels best though I economize with Pionneer diesel in the summer.

zemun1234

I think my point about Sunoco vs Shell is that diesel is diesel but if you take diesel from Europe it would be 10 stronger than here in NA (55 vs 45). I think Petrol Canada has grade around 40 and it's the worst level. Sunoco is ~ 45 or so.
Generally speaking, if you take any ULSA diesel, it should be OK for car (same as bronze vs gold gas) but gold is gold )

lkchris

You listed the reason why--my town is overrun with diesel pickups.

I've ZERO worry about "old" diesel fuel and "car" stations.

lkchris

Which explains the "disconnect" with 240D 3.0T ... in Colorado and most of the USA there's only one and stations indeed all get it all the same place and I'm fairly certain there are not "additives added."

240D 3.0T

You are surely wrong. Its the only thing that makes each brand of fuel different.

The same is true of Canada's basic and "gold" diesel, the difference is the addition of cetane boosting additives in the "gold". In fact, to make your own "gold" fuel all you need is something like this: http://www.fppf.com/8cetaneimprover.asp

zemun1234

Finally ...let me ask my question again from post #1 ....

which diesel has the most additive in Canada and USA