How will the New Mandated Low Sulfur Diesel affect my 85 300D?

[Carrameow]

How will the New Mandated Low Sulfur Diesel affect my 85 300D? The new fuel contains 15 parts per million of sulfur, down from the standard of 500 parts per million.

I'm nervous because I've heard that even present Diesel Fuel already has less sulfur than these engines had when they first came out and that damage to the IP's are possible because the IP gets less lubrication...Time to add a quart of oil to each tank?

[lkchris]

500 ppm is NOT a standard.

Sulphur is NOT added to diesel fuel.

It's present in crude oil, "sweet" crude having less of it.

Your Mercedes injection pump is lubricated by engine oil.

[dannym]

We've had LSD here in Florida forever. I don't see how it can make a difference.

[Parrot of Doom]

We've had ULSD in the UK for years, nobody has done a thing to their cars and they're all running fine.

[Old300D]

Originally Posted by lkchris

500 ppm is NOT a standard.

Sulphur is NOT added to diesel fuel.

It's present in crude oil, "sweet" crude having less of it.

Your Mercedes injection pump is lubricated by engine oil.

The pump is ALSO lubricated with the fuel.

Add biodiesel to your fuel. As little as 2% restores lubricity.

[aklim]

On another list, I talked to a guy called Marshall Booth. He seems pretty confident that out IP should be fine and so do the mechanics at the dealership. Up till 99, they were oil lubricated but it seems the CDI cars are fuel lubricated. If they are fine, I would think ours are going to be ok. I also talked to a few diesel mechanics at the nearby service places and they feel that it will probably be ok. Guess I am going to sleep fine at night.

[WD8CDH]

LSD fuel is 500ppm or less ULSD is 15ppm or less. If you can't get biodiesel, a couple of % new cooking oil should do the same thing for lubrication. Probably best to use 2% VO and 5% kero in the winter.

[catmandoo62]

i'm with old300d run biodiesel and don't worry about it.

[aklim]

Originally Posted by catmandoo62

i'm with old300d run biodiesel and don't worry about it.

Yes but biodiesel is not always advailable and sometimes the price is way out of line.

[Old300D]

Originally Posted by aklim

Yes but biodiesel is not always advailable and sometimes the price is way out of line.

At 2% concentration, $3.00/gallon biodiesel is far cheaper than any commerical additive. One quart per tankful.

[aklim]

Originally Posted by Old300D

At 2% concentration, $3.00/gallon biodiesel is far cheaper than any commerical additive. One quart per tankful.

Know what? I never thought of it that way. Prairiefire Biofuels wants 3.68 for non members. I would say that the quart for a 24 gal tank would be about right to make B2 and that would work, wouldn't it?

[Hatterasguy]

Not worried in the slightist. If it does cause IP problems which I doubt, I'll just have it rebuilt. At 20 years old with 257k miles it owes me nothing, heck I might rebuild it in the next couple of years anyway.

Just drive or put an additive in your tank. There is nothing you can do about the sulfur in ULSD unless you have a source for marine or railroad diesel.

[Hatterasguy]

Marine diesel is going ULSD as well.

BTW I contacted Yanmar about this and got an ehhh well hmmm use and additive type answer. They just happen to sell one called lubricity just for this...hmm.