Diesel quality in Massachusetts

dj128 · 09-05-2013, 09:55 PM

Hello everyone, my wife is going to be getting a GL350 diesel (against my wishes), but I'm concerned about the quality of diesel fuel in Massachusetts. Do I need to be worried about Biodiesel levels here? How do I know if the gas station is using high quality diesel with less than 2% biodiesel? What is this Cetane number thing as well? Thanks everyone.

Pierre Louis · 09-06-2013, 06:54 AM

Having been on diesel forums for a long time, I don't recall any mention of problems with Massachusetts fuel quality. One can look this up also on the Internet as I suppose you have done.

Congratulations on the GL350 Bluetec - pray tell why you wouldn't like this - perhaps disdain for SUV's??? My only beef with one in the past when my needs were different was the price.

dj128 · 09-06-2013, 08:54 AM

Tried to convince the wife to wait to get the upcoming X5, but she wants a new car before the winter. Her Prius wasn't cutting it with 2 young kids. She also wanted a "green" SUV which I think is an oxymoron.

From my research online, it appears Massachusetts passed a law that required all stations to use a minimum of 5% biodiesel by July 2013, but not sure if this means they can use B20 if they want to. I stopped by a few stations and none of the attendants knew what I was talking about and there was no signage indicate the biodiesel content of the fuel.

floydarogers · 09-06-2013, 10:06 AM

IMO, bio-diesel has not been an issue. At the 5% level (pretty much all the stations in the US are selling 5% unless you shop around quite a bit) it's not a problem with lubricity or cetane. The only cars to have problems with fuel pumps (the main issue with lubricity) were VW TDI - and most of them have been attributed to miss-fueling (with gasoline).

Cetane, although important, is not as important as octane is in gasoline. Pretty much all diesel fuel in the US is basically the same cetane (minimum is 40, most is 45 or so). A higher cetane helps reduce rattle during warmup on cold days; that's almost the entire practical benefit of higher cetane.

No-one on this and other forums have ever complained about diesel availability; it's a non-issue.

Puerto Rican 335d · 09-06-2013, 11:05 AM

Correcto my fellow LEFt coast Floyd LOL Unlike MANY people that state there are NO diesel pumps around, is because they NEVER looked for them, same issue here in Puerto Rico people said the same but when i told where do truckers go to in their areas the would then oblige and say DAMN I never noticed it, duh!! there are DIESEL pumps every few miles here in Puerto Rico as the same goes in the sates NO BRAINER, people need to be educated AGAIN!! so dependent on gas and PRIUS's its pathetic jajajajja

F32Fleet · 09-06-2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floydarogers

IMO, bio-diesel has not been an issue. At the 5% level (pretty much all the stations in the US are selling 5% unless you shop around quite a bit) it's not a problem with lubricity or cetane. The only cars to have problems with fuel pumps (the main issue with lubricity) were VW TDI - and most of them have been attributed to miss-fueling (with gasoline).

Cetane, although important, is not as important as octane is in gasoline. Pretty much all diesel fuel in the US is basically the same cetane (minimum is 40, most is 45 or so). A higher cetane helps reduce rattle during warmup on cold days; that's almost the entire practical benefit of higher cetane.

No-one on this and other forums have ever complained about diesel availability; it's a non-issue.

+1

dj128 · 09-06-2013, 09:41 PM

In case anyone in Massachusetts was wondering the same thing, I spoke to someone at the Department of Energy Resources. There was some legislation back in 2010 to increase the levels of biodiesel in pump diesel, but it never passed. So long story short, diesel fuel in this state is safe to use and is most likely pure petroleum diesel, but they are allowed to use up to 5% biodiesel if they wish to based on some Federal regulation/law. But if you think you'll get an answer from the station attendant, good luck… =)

09-05-2013, 09:55 PM	#1
dj128 Private First Class 13 Rep 152 Posts Drives: '09 335i E92 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Brookline, MA iTrader: (1)	Diesel quality in Massachusetts Hello everyone, my wife is going to be getting a GL350 diesel (against my wishes), but I'm concerned about the quality of diesel fuel in Massachusetts. Do I need to be worried about Biodiesel levels here? How do I know if the gas station is using high quality diesel with less than 2% biodiesel? What is this Cetane number thing as well? Thanks everyone.
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09-06-2013, 06:54 AM	#2
Pierre Louis Captain 158 Rep 866 Posts Drives: 2016 535d Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Savannah GA iTrader: (0)	Having been on diesel forums for a long time, I don't recall any mention of problems with Massachusetts fuel quality. One can look this up also on the Internet as I suppose you have done. Congratulations on the GL350 Bluetec - pray tell why you wouldn't like this - perhaps disdain for SUV's??? My only beef with one in the past when my needs were different was the price.
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09-06-2013, 08:54 AM	#3
dj128 Private First Class 13 Rep 152 Posts Drives: '09 335i E92 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Brookline, MA iTrader: (1)	Tried to convince the wife to wait to get the upcoming X5, but she wants a new car before the winter. Her Prius wasn't cutting it with 2 young kids. She also wanted a "green" SUV which I think is an oxymoron. From my research online, it appears Massachusetts passed a law that required all stations to use a minimum of 5% biodiesel by July 2013, but not sure if this means they can use B20 if they want to. I stopped by a few stations and none of the attendants knew what I was talking about and there was no signage indicate the biodiesel content of the fuel.
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09-06-2013, 10:06 AM	#4
floydarogers Curmudgeon and Pedant 690 Rep 3,489 Posts Drives: 2010 335d, 2014 328d Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bellevue, WA iTrader: (0)	IMO, bio-diesel has not been an issue. At the 5% level (pretty much all the stations in the US are selling 5% unless you shop around quite a bit) it's not a problem with lubricity or cetane. The only cars to have problems with fuel pumps (the main issue with lubricity) were VW TDI - and most of them have been attributed to miss-fueling (with gasoline). Cetane, although important, is not as important as octane is in gasoline. Pretty much all diesel fuel in the US is basically the same cetane (minimum is 40, most is 45 or so). A higher cetane helps reduce rattle during warmup on cold days; that's almost the entire practical benefit of higher cetane. No-one on this and other forums have ever complained about diesel availability; it's a non-issue.
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09-06-2013, 11:05 AM	#5
Puerto Rican 335d Brigadier General 229 Rep 3,489 Posts Drives: Montego Blue 335d Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Puerto Rico(Dominican Republic 03/2017) iTrader: (0)	Correcto my fellow LEFt coast Floyd LOL Unlike MANY people that state there are NO diesel pumps around, is because they NEVER looked for them, same issue here in Puerto Rico people said the same but when i told where do truckers go to in their areas the would then oblige and say DAMN I never noticed it, duh!! there are DIESEL pumps every few miles here in Puerto Rico as the same goes in the sates NO BRAINER, people need to be educated AGAIN!! so dependent on gas and PRIUS's its pathetic jajajajja __________________ RENNtech Flash(Lenny Wu)/WAGNER IC Enkei Rajin 18"/Execuhitch Hitch/Koni FSD Soft Ride Bike Rack/Brava Synthetic Motor Oil(Made in Puerto Rico)/Meth(in the works)/CBU done w Andrew EGR Race Pipe (whoa! what an animal it is now)
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09-06-2013, 09:41 PM	#7
dj128 Private First Class 13 Rep 152 Posts Drives: '09 335i E92 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Brookline, MA iTrader: (1)	In case anyone in Massachusetts was wondering the same thing, I spoke to someone at the Department of Energy Resources. There was some legislation back in 2010 to increase the levels of biodiesel in pump diesel, but it never passed. So long story short, diesel fuel in this state is safe to use and is most likely pure petroleum diesel, but they are allowed to use up to 5% biodiesel if they wish to based on some Federal regulation/law. But if you think you'll get an answer from the station attendant, good luck… =)
	Appreciate 0 Quote