Just got back from the dealership with my 2006 Silverado 2500 HD Diesel. The complaint was low power and smoke on acceleration. (No MIL) The problem supposedly is my fuel has a API score of 28 and GM recommends a minimum of 32. This is ULSD which is all they have. I always get my fuel at the same company lately, Speedway. Can someone shed some light on API scores and maybe recommend a company that sells good fuel. (Michigan)

It is my understanding that Shell, Texaco and Exxon deliver their own fuels, at least that is true for Gas, not sure about diesel. Speedway, Racetrac, etc are discounters and maybe they are exploiting the market for slightly less than premium fuels.

Found a good article here on fuel quality
http://www.shareyourstate.com/dieselfuel.htm

looks like name brand diesel from a high volume station is going to be best for our high tech turbo diesels.

Marathon owns Speedway.

All retailers end up selling refined products produced by others, including all of their competitors. Virtually all the oil companies have trading departments that buy and sell crude and refined. It can be a major profit center for them.

There's a Pilot Travel Center near you on I-96 and 66. You shouldn't have any trouble with fuel from there.

Thanks

That is true regarding the raw product, however the oil companies blend the gasoline product at the distribution centers for retail sale, this is where the product is brought up to a given companies specs. Companies that tout certain detergent or octane properties for their product tend to blend and deliver their own. However I have no idea what goes on with diesel

I have used Shell and it seemed like it ran better, but I thought I was imagining it. This fuel thing got my attention because if a retailer is selling diesel that may not be high quality, how do I know that the 92 octane I buy for my blower motor is good. I certainly don't want to damage my truck or boat engine due to ignorance. Not trying to get off topic though.

I have found on a recent trip down south that I was getting 2 to 3 miles per gallon better on the gas that I bought in West Virginia. My father in law swears that the gas he gets when he goes to Kentucky alwasy gets a couple miles per gallon better than the stuff we get here in Indiana. Anyone else experience this??

Anybody else have any complaints on the low sulfur diesel. My truck feels like there is less power, seat of the pants feel and mileage seems worse.

Everyone complains the low sulfur fuel gets worsemileage/less power. Stay away from cheap diesel,my truck runs better and seems to get better mileage from certain bp stations diesel which isn't available near me but I buy it when I can.
As far as 92 octane for your boat-YOU GOT TO GET IT RUNNING FIRST ,Smitty

Not all Diesels are the same!!

There's Diesel and then there's "Premium Diesel." Premium diesel isn't just some gas station marketing gimmick, the term premium and its requirements are controlled by government standards.

Regular Diesel as defined by ASTM D975 has a minimum Cetane rating of 43.0 and a lubricity enabling a maximum wear scar diameter of 520 microns as determined by ASTM D 6079.

Premium Diesel must have a minimum Cetane number of 47.0 and a lubricity enabling a maximum wear scar diameter of 460 microns as determined by ASTM D 6079.

These aren't the only differences, there's also improvements on low temperature operability, thermal stability and many others.

For best performance always try to find Premium Diesel.

And ULS diesel shouldn't really have any effect on mileage. It contains about 1.5% less energy density, which shouldn't be noticeable to most people.

Nick,are the cetane rating and the api score the same thing, Smitty