What does No. 0 diesel mean?
3 Answers
No. 0 diesel refers to light diesel. Diesel is divided into light diesel and heavy diesel. Diesel is a light petroleum product, a complex hydrocarbon mixture, and serves as fuel for diesel engines. Diesel is mainly blended from diesel fractions produced through processes such as crude oil distillation, catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, hydrocracking, and petroleum coking. Diesel is widely used in large vehicles, railway locomotives, and ships, primarily as liquid fuel for diesel engines. Diesel has environmentally friendly characteristics such as low energy consumption and low pollution. It serves as the power source for tractors, large vehicles, internal combustion locomotives, civil engineering machinery, excavators, loaders, fishing boats, diesel generator sets, and agricultural machinery, and is the fuel for diesel engines in diesel cars, tractors, and other diesel-powered equipment.
I've been driving a diesel car in the south where winters aren't too cold, so No. 0 diesel has been my old reliable friend. It refers to standard diesel suitable for temperatures above zero degrees, working smoothly in moderate climates like spring, summer, and autumn—quick engine starts and decent fuel efficiency. I remember once on a business trip up north when I refueled with No. 0 without switching, and overnight temperatures dropped, causing the fuel to gel. The car took forever to start, nearly made me late, and cost extra for nozzle repairs. Since then, I've learned: if the forecast predicts subzero temps, immediately switch to -10 or -35 diesel—don’t cut corners to save small money only to invite bigger trouble. Environmentally, No. 0 meets emission standards, though older engines benefit from occasional additives to clean carbon buildup. Bottom line: at the right temperature, it’s cost-effective—just stay flexible with seasonal changes when choosing it.
As a car enthusiast, I particularly enjoy discussing diesel fuel specifics. Number 0 diesel is actually a light diesel designed for above-zero temperatures, with a low pour point around zero degrees, making it unsuitable for cold weather. In northern winters, negative-grade diesel like -35 must be used, otherwise the fuel will thicken and clog the fuel lines. During spring and summer, using Number 0 diesel feels great—the engine responds more sensitively, consumes less fuel, and is slightly cheaper, saving a few cents per liter on average. However, it has emission issues, producing slightly more particulates in older models, but adding a cleaner helps a lot. If temperatures fluctuate significantly, like during the spring-autumn transition, changing the fuel in advance or mixing in some anti-gelling agent works well. Modern diesel vehicles can handle various grades, but older cars require more caution.
