MOT. time again.

Well that's another MOT passed with no advisories. Bearing in mind its a 1996 duetto I am both relieved and delighted.
On a different tack, with reference to a much earlier thread about adding some two stroke oil to the diesel tank. We have found no great difference to performance although my wife thinks the engine does sound a bit quieter. Fuel consumption has stayed the same at 32mpg driving at a steady 60mph where conditions permit. 

Great news Brad

Aaaaaarrrrrggh!  

The EU and government scientists spend millions of pounds devising a European Standard for diesel fuel ....

.... then the diesel engine manufacturers produce engines that can run for many, many hours on the specified diesel fuel ....

.... then the oil companies spend millions of pounds calculating what they have to refine to produce diesel fuel to the required standard ....

.... then the oil companies spend millions of pounds to build refineries with diesel fuel blenders to produce the diesel fuel ....

.... then the oil companies sample the blended diesel fuel almost continuously to make sure that it is to the correct specification ....

.... then the government spends millions of pounds to employ inspectors to sample and test the diesel fuel to ensure that it is on specification ....

.... then the distributors of diesel fuel spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to make sure that the diesel fuel isn't contaminated before delivery ....

.... then the owner of a diesel powered motorhome sticks 2-stroke oil into the motorhome's diesel fuel tank.

Aaaaaarrrrrggh!  

If you are going to put any additive into your diesel fuel please use a registered and approved diesel additive; not 2-stroke oil or anything else that has not been properly tested.  

Best regards,

Hi folks, and thanks for your comments.
Dutto, you, and others, present a comprehensive argument for not messing with diesel fuel. However, many people on The Transit Forum believe that the addition of 250ml of two stroke oil to a tank full of diesel has some benefits and I could see no objection to giving it a try. I tried it on two tank fulls and as inferred earlier I found no noticeable difference and won't be bothering again. That said there are many long term and in some cases hard driving owners on the The Transit Forum who swear by it, so I guess that as in so many aspects of life it comes down to personal choice. 

Blossom wrote:Hi folks, and thanks for your comments.
Dutto, you, and others, present a comprehensive argument for not messing with diesel fuel. However, many people on The Transit Forum believe that the addition of 250ml of two stroke oil to a tank full of diesel has some benefits and I could see no objection to giving it a try. I tried it on two tank fulls and as inferred earlier I found no noticeable difference and won't be bothering again. That said there are many long term and in some cases hard driving owners on the The Transit Forum who swear by it, so I guess that as in so many aspects of life it comes down to personal choice. 

Hi there,

The British Standards and the EU Standards are produced and put in place to protect the consumer; whether they are for diesel fuel or any other product.

In the case of diesel fuel some of the finest minds in engineering have conducted extensive research before devising standards that deliver consistent excellence without damaging a diesel engine.

The following requirements are some of the critical elements of diesel fuel:

Cetane Number

Similar to a minimum Octane number for petrol there is a minimum Cetane number for diesel fuel of 49.  Depressing the cetane number can prevent proper ignition and cause deposits of carbon to form; damaging cylinders, pistons valves and (where fitted) catalytic converters.

Flash Point

The flash point is that temperature at which a liquid gives off vapours that can be ignited.  The EU specification is set at 55 degrees celsius.  Reducing the flash point can cause pre-ignition and subsequent damage to the engine's cylinders, pistons and valves.  It can also cause an engine to catch fire more easily if there is a leak.  (Please don't confuse the Flash Point with the Auto-Ignition Temperature.)

Carbon Residue and Ash

Carbon residue and ash are those constituents of diesel fuel that either cannot be burned in an internal combustion engine (e.g. asphalt, heavy metals etc).  A high ash content will wear away the cylinders, pistons and valves of an engine.

Viscosity and Pour Point

The ability for the fuel to flow (viscosity) and the temperature at which it will not even pour are both critical, especially in winter.  High viscosity will overload the injection pump and if the ambient temperature reaches the pour point the fuel cannot flow to the pump.

Changing any elements of the British Standard will put the engine at risk of damage.

I'm not sure what you mean by "personal choice"?  

To me "personal choice" is deciding to use Texaco diesel instead of BP diesel or never buying your fuel from a supermarket; whereas mixing up your own untested diesel blend on the anecdotal "evidence" of people who are probably unaware of the Standards, let alone the damage that can occur, has an entirely different description.

Best regards,


References:

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PS

The platinum crucible used to measure the ash content of diesel fuel (worth about a years wages) had to be signed out and in to the laboratory safe every time it was used.

Like many procedures, people got complacent and only paid lip-service to the "sign out - sign in" procedure.  It didn't matter right up until the day that the Laboratory Superintendent went to the safe to get the crucible out for a test; and was horrified to discover that it was missing.

He ordered a complete shutdown of the laboratory whilst the people on shift searched the place; but after a three hour search he decided that the crucible had been stolen.

Everyone who worked in or regularly visited the laboratory (including your's truly) were under suspicion ....

.... until a Laboratory Assistant noticed that the new sugar-bowl on the mess-room table looked very much like the missing platinum crucible!

Those were the days! 

Hi Dutto.
Thank you again for another comprehensive and factual reply.
By "personal choice" I simply mean the individuals right to choose. We all know people who smoke, eat deep fried mars bars etc, when there is much evidence that such things should be avoided, but they are happy to continue, be it in ignorance, a belief it will do no harm, or just a wish to give it a try for themselves. 

Oh, sorry I forgot to Post ....

.... "Congratulations!!" on passing the MoT!!         

Always a "one for the good guys" moment.   

Best regards,

One of the factories I used to visit regularly produced continuous cast bars of gold an platinum about 6" wide and 1/2" thick. 

Hi this thread was started about MOT's. Can we please keep to the subject?


Regards

Micky