Is Diesel Divided into 92 and 95 Octane?

[Roy]

Diesel is not divided into 92 and 95 octane; only gasoline is classified into 92 and 95 octane. Diesel classification standards: Diesel is divided into six grades based on its freezing point: 5, 0, -10, -20, -35, and -50. Diesel is used in the engines of trucks or buses. Diesel grade selection criteria: Choose based on temperature. When the temperature is above 4 degrees Celsius, 0-grade diesel can be used; when the temperature is between -5 and 4 degrees Celsius, -10-grade diesel can be used; when the temperature is between -14 and -5 degrees Celsius, -20-grade diesel can be used; when the temperature is between -30 and -14 degrees Celsius, -35-grade diesel can be used. Differences between diesel and gasoline engines: Ignition method: Diesel engines directly use the stroke to raise the internal environment temperature, causing the fuel to reach its ignition point for combustion, without requiring spark plugs. Gasoline engines, on the other hand, require electrical components for assistance. Fuel consumption: Generally, diesel engines are more fuel-efficient than gasoline engines. Noise: Generally, diesel engines are noisier than gasoline engines.

[VivienneLee]

That day I was puzzled when I drove long-distance for delivery and couldn't find the 92/95 labels at the gas station for my diesel vehicle. Later, I asked an experienced attendant and learned that diesel fuel isn't graded by those numbers at all. They pointed to the labels on the fuel nozzles and told me that the -10, 0 designations are the key indicators, representing the diesel's antifreeze capability. In summer, 0-grade is sufficient, but when driving to Northeast China in winter, -35-grade is a must. Last time, a guy tried to save money by using high pour-point diesel, and his fuel lines froze solid. Diesel grades must be chosen based on temperature—get it wrong and the engine won't start. It's completely different from gasoline's octane rating standard.

[DeLorenzo]

Old Zhang, who has been repairing trucks for twenty years, always likes to say, 'Don't mix up the gasoline and diesel grades.' He points at the fuel pump and explains that the numbers like -20 and 5 printed on diesel barrels represent the freezing point temperature. In the northern winter months, you have to use diesel with a negative grade, or the fuel filter will definitely clog up. Last time, a driver insisted on filling a diesel truck with 95-octane gasoline, and the entire fuel system had to be disassembled and cleaned, costing over three thousand yuan for nothing. When refueling, make sure to read the word 'diesel' clearly. No. 0 diesel is suitable for temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius, but if it's minus 10 degrees, you have to switch to No. -10 diesel.

[StJosephine]

A buddy who does transport asked me the same thing when he just got his new truck. I pulled out the manual and showed him that the diesel fuel grade is indicated by the freezing point, like '0' means it freezes at zero degrees. Using '0' grade all year is fine in the south, but when hauling goods to Zhangjiakou, you gotta switch to '-20' diesel in advance. Once he forgot to change the diesel, and the frozen fuel expanded and cracked the fuel line. So, diesel grades depend on the local minimum temperature. For gasoline, 92/95 refers to anti-knock quality, while for diesel, it's all about freeze resistance.