Marine engines and white road diesel

wizard

wizard

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I think it would be useful for those people using white road diesel to say what engines they are using them on, and what if any problems they may have had. Excluding the problem of lugging the cans!

This would certainly help those of us that might have to resort to road white in order to travel to France etc until (if) white fame free white diesel becomes available.
 
I've used white road diesel in a BMW D12 for the best part of 20 years now, with no problems. I use so little of it that I've never been bothered filling up at the pontoon. A few gallons usually lasts me a season.
 
Used white diesel for 19 years on two Yanmar engines without any problems. Danish and Swedish diesel that is, don't know if there may be any difference to UK road diesel.
 
I have been using UK DERV in my Yanmar 1GM (the old one, not a 1GM10) for several years, and apart from less diesel bug, I've noticed it starts more easily.
 
We have a few boats around in the Netherlands, the vast majority runs on white diesel for obvious reasons, including mine (VP2040).
Apart form reports about diesel bugs, I haven't heard great tragedies on the usage of standard road diesel. I get my diesel at road stations because of the higher turnaround in diesel at these stations. Haven't encountered the dieselbug myself, but I do use additives to prevent infection (at least that is what I hope to achieve).
 
This thread is the question I wanted to raise as well.
So far the replies have failed to give me reassurance.
Common replies indicate usage of road diesel over many years but it has been pointed out that recent introduction of biofuels may be a problem with older engines so the ancient experience may be negated. Another reply indicates that road diesel has been used without problems for many years then states that he hardly uses any.
So can we have some real answers please!! Will the 'new' road diesel be potentially harmfull with our elderly engines?
 
Since most marine diesel engines are derivatives of land-side engines of one kind or another, it seems unlikely that road diesel is going to damage the engine in any detectable way. The reported issues tend to revolve more around the new road diesels either being more vulnerable to degradation in storage, of possibly finding weak spots in the plumbing between the tank and engine.
 
Twister_Ken said:
History is not especially relevant here. Increased levels of bio-diesel have only been introduced into go-juice in the last year or so,
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I was thinking of introducing the white road diesel progressively in proportion rather than in one go to get the engine used to the idea :D

Does that sound like a goodplan?

(Definately do not want to miss out on the Scuttlebutt do this year plus the normal wine runs)
 
27 years on a Perkins 4-108. 7000 hours plus. All the diesel in Greece is the same as road diesel AFAIK and I have used jerry cans from the local filling station for the past 6 years. Engine runs sweet as anything!

Methinks all the shouting is somewhat misguided.
 
Maby,

I beg to differ.

Moderm marine engines and marinisations of modern vehicle and plant engines are unlikely to be affected as they were probably designed with low sulphur diesel (if not FAME) usage in mind.

The concern is mainly with old engines (say 30 years +) that were designed long before low sulphur diesel and FAME existed.
 
theoldsalt said:
The concern is mainly with old engines (say 30 years +) that were designed long before low sulphur diesel and FAME existed.
Click to expand...

How many of these are still about?
Would guess that most of these have gone to the great scrapyard in the sky.

Analogy: You don't seem to be able to get LRP petrol anymore, yet I still see classic cars on the road on a regular basis.

I'm sure a solution will be found for the old bangers, but to say no-one should stock white diesel with FAME because of the older engines is IMHO going too far.
 
France, Spain & Portugal have been our cruising ground for the last 10 years or so. During that time we've used white road diesel in Mitsubishi K4D (Thornycroft 80D), and now in a more modern engine. During our travels we have never met anyone who has had problems using white and bear in mind that tens of thousands of "Europeans" have been using it as standard with every type and vintage of engine.
 
Guapa said:
How many of these are still about?
Would guess that most of these have gone to the great scrapyard in the sky.

Analogy: You don't seem to be able to get LRP petrol anymore, yet I still see classic cars on the road on a regular basis.

I'm sure a solution will be found for the old bangers, but to say no-one should stock white diesel with FAME because of the older engines is IMHO going too far.
Click to expand...

Old bangers? Steady on Guapa. We don't all have the wherewithall to find 4000-6000 to re-engine. a small boat. If you live in a different world, good luck to you.
 
Red and White Diesel in an older Volvo

I have a Volvo MD5 in my boat, 34 years old. I have used red diesel in the UK and Channel
Islands and white diesel bought in France. There has been no discernable difference in
performance, starting or running. When I have had problems with muck in the diesel-blocked primary filter-it has always been with red diesel for some reason.
 
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