Quality

[trev]

Is it a valid statement that the more expensive fuel (40p per lit) is of a much higher quality than the cheaper stuff (heating oil/gas oil/diesel ??) and does it make any difference to your engine.
ie is it worth paying for what is purported to be 'the best'.

Trev

 

[hlb]

Dont think that just because you've payed 40p your getting any better stuff. Diesel at my marina is 37p but only 30p for 500 litres. Same diesel.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[Geoffs]

I think Haydn is right, high price doesn't necessarily mean higher quality. However, if bought from a reputable outlet, someone like MDL (OK ready for flames!), you probably are getting better fuel. It will be lower sulphur and higher cetane number, which will mean less smoke and lube oil longevity.

Without doubt, paying lower 20's pence per litre, it will be cheaper heating oil. Not necessarily a bad thing, but engines may well be smokier, and more frequent oil changes desirable. But with the average engine use seemingly about 100hrs per year, oil changes not a problem.That's the equivalent of less than 5,000 miles in a road vehicle.

Cetane improver fuel additives may well help smoking, expect to pay about 1p per litre of fuel for an additive, so could still be quids in.



Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'

 

[VMALLOWS]

I'm quite certain that quality is totaly unrelated to price. We may think that 20p/litre is 'cheap'...but this is still huge compared to what farmers pay for an identical product (around 10p/litre at a pump........probably much less in bulk).
The ballance we pay is simply 'marina profit / convenience'.

Diesel engines will run on any diesel. If you want to pay more for 'environmental' reasons, of course thats your choice.

Incidentally, the source that Port Solent uses must vary........last-but-one had terrible shellfish smell; last one hardly had any smell at all!. At least they have a good turnover.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Cant agree with your comment about heating oil. I've bought fuel this season varying in price from 20.5 to 34 p/l and not noticed any difference in engine performance or smoking. The difference in price is all about those suppliers with some degree of captive market and/or low volume charging more for the same product. If there was any appreciable difference in quality, it would have been all over the boatie mags years ago

 

[Guest]

Get it right ....

The average Boat engine is fine on Red .... in fact ULSD / City Diesel may be not so good for it.

As to suggestions that quality depends on price is bumkum ! Its purely profit-margins against quantity / what they can get away with.

Red Diesel is usually based on 0.2% Sulphur Residual Gas Oil, before often Straight Run 0.2% .... same as diesel supplied before reduction of sulphur levels etc. to cars / trucks, but with addition of Red Dye to stop illegal use.

The Heating Oil type is based on Heating Oil that is 'Residual Gasoil' ..... very similar but actually normally not the same product.

Want to argue .... I don't !! But I own and run Petrochemical labs !!

 

[markc]

Re: Get it right ....

Do we need to know the difference, if so, how can we (as consumers) tell what we are buying - or should we not worry?

M

http://www.geocities.com/jinto100/Jintopics.html

 

[Guest]

I pologise - Had a few beers then !

Tone of my last was bit unfair !!