Well, as you know I am new again to putting diesel in a car. Well I am a moron and accidentally put highway diesel in my 85 300SD. Wasn't paying close enough attention. Is this going to be detrimental to my car or is that it's just not legal to put in a passenger car. Car is still running great!
What is this low sulphur warning I am seeing on a few pumps?
Do I need to worry about that too?
Thanks for the help.

You have absolutely nothing to worry about..... Highway Diesel is just regular diesel fuel......


The stickers you have been seeing on diesel pumps is basically just to let you know that they have lowered the sulfur content of diesel fuel.

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1983 Mercedes 300D
Atlanta, GA

I believe the posted "warning" about the low sulfur fuel is to contrast it with the "no sulfur" fuel that is going to come for 2007 and later model year Diesels. Not sure if there will be "no" and "low" sulfur offered at the same place and the same time. The stickers I saw merely note the fuel contains some relatively small number of parts per million of sulfur and that even such low concentrations are illegal for use by, and could damage, 2007 and later model year Diesels meant for "highway" or over the road use (vs. farm use, or construction site use, possibly). It is perfectly ok for any earlier model year Diesels. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Cool, thanks buds! Was worried and feel like an idiot. Usually not brain dead, maybe it's the heat.(lol) The filler didn't fit right in my tank, should have told me something but didn't. I have noticed when I put in "normal" diesel that sometimes the filler isn't fittin right in the tank. But I guess things change from 1985 to the present. Is low sulfur diesel gonna lower the performance or quality of the fuel?

The only thing different in low sulfur diesel is that it doesnt have the same lubricity that the higher sulfer diesel has.

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1983 Mercedes 300D
Atlanta, GA

My question is, since the 2007's are on the brink of release, when will this fuel be updated for those cars?

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1989 300E 144K

I was confused about this as well. I know the manufactures just aren't gonna up and quit making diesels. Interesting point!

Off topic for a second.... I went along with a friend of mine while she was shopping for a new 320CDI.

One of the questions I had for the salesman was when and where would the new diesel fuel be available. His answer was he didn't know. So, my followon was to ask if they expected people to take delivery before the new fuel was really available. And his answer was "good question", and "no".

So.... Your mileage may vary, but I think owning a 2007 CDI will be almost like owning a model year 1975, the year no lead was required. (early on, you had to look for fuel. After a while, it wasn't an issue.)

A Valero gas station in East Moriches Long Island has a sign for "truck diesel". There is no difference except that you have to know to go around to the side of the building to the "truck diesel" pump. The pump has the small tube that fits past the reducer plate on my 1985 300TDt's tank. The only difference is if you don't know to drive around to the side, you purchase regular diesel at about $.07 more per gallon. Go figure.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

There have been lots of discussions about these issues - do a search on "ULSD" if you are interested in the particulars. ULSD is being phased in now and is supposed to be widely available by the fall.

If you are driving a MY 2007 Diesel you will need to verify the pump you are using to refuel is dispensing ULSD, Federal law currently requires all retail pumps to identify the sulfur content via a sticker on the pump. About half the stations in my local area are already pumping ULSD and it seems like more are being converted over everyday.

Another off-topic, and slightly amusing: I was driving past the dealership the otherday, and on thier brand new LCD sign (we're talking HUGE), they were boasting "2007 E320 CDI, 38 mpg!" That's great milage, but I don't think people buying a $40k car are really all that concerned about fuel prices/economy

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1989 300E 144K

Apparently, people were interested in fuel mileage when they paid $30K for early 80s 300D's. BTW, I think a new CDI costs closer to $60K, than $40K.

Whats "Highway diesel? No 1 or no 2???

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Most of the stations that have the LSD signs are probably pumping out ULSD anyway. They have to flush their tanks with several batches of ULSD in order to get it in spec. The sticker is probably just to exclude them from liability in the event someone fuels up their 2007 Diesel and then comes back and gives them a hard time. I would expect most of these stations to keep that sticker on there until the government requires them to change it.

The same reason most mfrs aren't making Diesel passenger cars for 2007. During the changeover...i am sure more than a few people will accidentally fuel up using LSD instead of ULSD which will damage the PMF for the new 2007 Diesels. Then you can bet people would be playing the blame game. It's best for them to just wait until the switch is fully set in, before they start rolling out the vehicles with this new emissions equipment. When someone drives a 60k car, they are probably a lot more likely to pay attention to what type of fuel they put in...but you can bet it will still happen. Not only that, but in VWs case, they are going to be switching away from the pump dusse (unit injector) system, and moving to a common-rail setup for the 2008 TDI models. This is due to the fact that the unit injection models are unable to meet light-duty emissions requirements.

Just my two cents.

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2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD (OM642)

Also there is off-road diesel (no highway tax$) and truck diesel high volume pumps. If you fill from a high volume pump DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE PUMPING!!!!!!!!!!!!! These pumps pump around 20 GPM.
My '79 300SD filler neck won't take some pump nozzles but to h!@!! with them, I burn WVO!