Do the stations in your area post the cetane of their diesel?

The vast majority of diesel pumps in my area don't have the cetane number posted... only a few Hess stations do, with an orange rectangular sticker similar to the yellow sticker used to post the octane ratings on the gas pumps.

Related to this question is this article I found:

Engine makers push minimum 43 cetane for North American diesel fuel

I guess it's self-evident that the two proposals mentioned -- one to boost the minimum cetane for all U.S. diesel fuel from 40 to 43, and another to require the cetane number to be posted on all diesel pumps -- didn't get approved. However, the article also mentions this tidbit:

National Conference of Weights & Measures (NCWM) already requires marketers of "premium" diesel to post a minimum 47 cetane number on the retail pump. Any U.S. diesel fuel claiming to be "premium" not only must be at least 47 cetane, but also meet lubricity, low-temperature operability and thermal stability limits (see Diesel Fuel News 2/3/03, p 7).

That's news to me, because Gulf states that their "Dieselect Premium Diesel" has a minimum cetane of only 45, not 47, and I've never seen a cetane number posted on any of the pumps at Gulf stations offering "Dieselect". I'll have to take a look at the pumps at a Shell station offering their "Premium Diesel" in my area, but it's 20 cents/gallon more than Dieselect, so I don't think it's worth all that extra expense just to get a slightly higher cetane rating.

I wonder if "Premium diesel" is intended for truckers and others that "hop up" their rigs with performance mods, requiring a higher cetane?

TM

I just shop at high volume stations for price......

About the Premium definetion, although it says National Council of Weights and Measures, it's up to the states to adopt MCWM, and most don't.

boost minimum cetane number in North America to 43 rather than 40, to address customer complaints over cold-start white smoke, combustion noise and odor.

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Note what the EMA does not say about higher cetane. Nothing about power and fuel economy. I think that says a lot.

NO -- not in georgia

Nope, not here in the DFW, Texas area.

I've been calling the office of the local chain for a week, trying to get them to tell me the specs of their premium diesel. No luck yet - the lady I talked to was trying to be helpful but couldn't find any info on their invoices or orders that showed cetane rating or blend. (I was hoping for B5, after reading that premium diesel is often D2 with a dose of BioD in it.)

Just about every diesel pump in my area(Midlothian, VA) has the cetane rating on the pump. I have really been looking since we'll probably be getting a TDI soon.

Once in a while I'll se a cetane rating, usually at a Hess station. Most stations have no posting and virtually all attendents have no idea what I'm talking about when I ask them about it. We are a unique breed so to speak...

Cetane rating

In central NY the pumps all post minimum 40 cetane. I receintly asked the station owner about the fuel. It was 30% kero - 70% D2 and 42 cetane. Does anyone know if the D1 component raises or lowers the cetane?

I have never seen a cetane number posted anywhere in Washington State, although many Shell stations label their diesel as 'Premium'.

I didn't see any numbers while on a trip to central California last summer either, although I only had to fill up once on the trip from Seattle to Stockton (priceless )

Does anyone know if the forthcoming ULSD requirement is going to include anything about a minimum cetane rating (above 40!) and/or requiring the cetane number to be posted on diesel pumps? If it doesn't, that's just stupid. If we want consumers to accept today's modern diesel-powered automobiles, then the availability of diesel fuel has to be upgraded to today's modern standards as well.

I see plenty of stations where the gas pumps are brand new and have high-tech digital keypads and displays, while the lone diesel pump is a rusty old mechanical relic that looks like it hasn't been replaced or even repainted since the early '70s. It's no wonder that consumers have a negative impression of refueling a diesel car, if they have to use a pump like that! The only saving grace is that with a high-mileage, long-range diesel vehicle, they won't have to refuel that often.

Also, is there anyone here who can give us a European perspective on this? With the massive popularity of diesel cars over there, I'd assume that fuel stations in Europe have lots of diesel pumps, and the composition of their diesel fuel (i.e. cetane rating, sulfur content, biodiesel blends, additives, etc.) is explicitly defined, so drivers know what they're getting, instead of just generic one-size-fits-all "diesel fuel".

vwestlife said:

Does anyone know if the forthcoming ULSD requirement is going to include anything about a minimum cetane rating (above 40!) and/or requiring the cetane number to be posted on diesel pumps? If it doesn't, that's just stupid. If we want consumers to accept today's modern diesel-powered automobiles, then the availability of diesel fuel has to be upgraded to today's modern standards as well.

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ULSD has little bearing on cetane number and there are no ULSD requirements cetane posting. ULSD is an EPA function. Cetane is not an enviromental issue. Labeling requirements is a state function.

While Diesel varies in cetane, I doubt any refiners would want to commit to anything above the ASTM minimum. Since they won't change the stickers with each shipment, they will have to post the lowest value - 40. If the cetane were guarenteed above average, then I thik they would want to advertise that.

vwestlife said:

I see plenty of stations where the gas pumps are brand new and have high-tech digital keypads and displays, while the lone diesel pump is a rusty old mechanical relic that looks like it hasn't been replaced or even repainted since the early '70s. It's no wonder that consumers have a negative impression of refueling a diesel car, if they have to use a pump like that! The only saving grace is that with a high-mileage, long-range diesel vehicle, they won't have to refuel that often.

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I hear that. Plus sometimes you have to walk or drive a half mile just to get to the inside of the store to pay. I do some traveling and it's awfully inconvenient to walk inside when all the gassers are using pay at the pump on the nice new pumps. I know of only one station in my area that has updated diesel pumps and that's our Murphy USA/Wal-Mart station. They don't even post the cetane number either. I've only seen one sticker in my life and I think it said "41."

In California you cant buy deisel with a rating of 52 at Arco and it is low sulfur.

Product Specification - West Coast ECD®

• West Coast Material Data Sheet - ECD®-1

PropertyTest MethodLimitAsh, wt. %, max D-482 0.01Carbon Resid, 10% Btms, wt.%, max D-524 0.35Cetane Index (typically) D4737 52.5 Cetane Number (typically) D613 54Cu Strip Corr., 3 hours @ 122 oF, max D130 3Distillation D-86 T 90%, oF 540-640 Final Boiling Pt., oF, max 698Flash Point, oF, min D-56 140Gravity, oAPI D287 38Lubricity, micron wear scar, (typically).D-6079450Lubricity, g minD-60783100Stability, mg/100ml, max D-2274 1.0Sulfur, ppm D-5453 15Viscosity, cSt @40 oC D-445 1.9-4.1
Product Specification - East of Rockies ECD®

Western NY. All the stations around here post cetane ratings. Hess almost always posts 42. The rest post 40. I've never asked for an ASTM spec sheet, but I almost always add a bit of PS, which I'm sure helps.

In NH (and pretty sure VT too) they usually post cetane ratings too. Mostly 40. Very few Hess stations in NH, except down south.

I have not seen any cetane ratings in Fla. I wsih the stations would post them!

Nevah, evah, seen a cetane rating posted in my life!

Cetane in the E.U.

The cars we have here in the EU are mainly diesel powered, due to considerably lower "euro / km" ratio, compared to gasoline, wich is much more expensive in most of EU.

EU regulations estipulate a minimum cetane rating of 52, most fuel sold in my country is rated 53. MAX Sulphur allowed is 50ppm. Diesel fuel must include at least 2% of biodiesel per volume.

There is also 'premium' diesel, wich is sold 6 eurocents more per litre than regular diesel(about 1,08 euro/litre). This fuel's cetane is rated at very least 55 to get that 'premium' classification, and oil companies claim they sell it with about 57 cetane rating. This fuel reduces fuel comsumption, engine noise, wear, smoke &also increases engine power. This can be noticed by the average driver, it's not like switching from 95RON gasoline to 98RON gasoline, where NO diference is felt by the driver...

Biodiesel must rate at least 55(not sold in my country, but will exist in Germany or UK, possibly also France)

Cetane ratings aren't posted in the fuel pumps, unlike the octane ratings for gasoline, but companies will advertise it.

ALL european modern diesel powered cars wouldn´t be able to burn kerosene(not sold) or diesel fuel with less than 50 cetane, only older models with higher compression ratios and/or indirect injection. Japanese cars will tolerate 45 cetane as minimum, but will do a lot better with better fuel!(increases in power&torque are really noticeable, and the engine is much less noisier with higher cetane fuel)

The average power one could expect from a modern diesel engine would be around: 2l engine- 160hp(max torque, average 350 N/M); 1,5l-100hp(max torque, average 240 N/M), and premium fuel will add about 5% more hp&torque to it, unfortunantly the price difference 'eats' away the fuel saving.

The statement "#2 diesel" automatically references to ASTM specifications. I believe 40 cetane is the minimum permitted in the specification. It has been several years since I looked this up and obtained a copy of sthe specification so it migfht have changed somewhat but I really doubt it.

no ratings here....

I don't see ratings anywhere through Colorado or Wyoming.... bummer that.

I've never seen any postings in Idaho, and Lord knows i've looked! Sadly I can't buy fuel by cetane, so I just go by price.