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Old 06-02-2002, 10:21 AM
Wayne Lindholm Wayne Lindholm is offline
Human Spirit
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 56
Thanks for the comments - This helps in a couple of ways -

The Crystal Flash at US131 exit would be fairly handy, especially when heading down state or back. I'm glad to hear some Shell stations offer two diesels - from what I've learned searching for premium diesel in Minnesota, this would 'minimally' mean that the premium offering is a mid-range, (42-45 cetane) with some type of additive offering - if not a full blown premium (47-50 cetane), also with an additive package.

Minnesota does not require cetane posting either. This, combined with a very weak federal definition of 'premium diesel', leaves lots of room for penny pinching retailers to abuse the term premium. I post a comment I made on the TDIClub forum regarding premium diesel regulation (which includes the website for the feds who set the standard).

Motor On!

How can a retailer can sell 40 cetane diesel and label it as 'premium diesel'? The law currently states that only 2 out of 5 requirements need to be met to be considered 'premium'. [From the NCWM regulations <http://ts.hist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/h130-02/engreg.pdf> they are: 1: Energy content minimum of 138,700 BTU/gallon, 2: Cetane Number of 47.0, 3: Low Temperature Operability from Oct 1 - March 31, 4: Thermal Stability minimum reflectance measurement of 80% and 5: Fuel Injector Cleanliness, a CRC rating of 10.0 or less and a flow loss of 6.0% or less bla, bla, bla] . . . So, for example, a retailer could purchase regular #2, 40 cetane, low sulpher diesel (one requirement met) then add a simple fuel stabilizer such as 'OTR' (a second requirement met) and presto, they can legally label the pump as premium diesel!
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Wayne
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