What grade of fuel is diesel?
2 Answers
Diesel is a fuel graded as 90, 93, or 97. It is a light petroleum product and a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, serving as the fuel for diesel engines. Diesel is primarily produced by blending diesel fractions obtained through processes such as crude oil distillation, catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, hydrocracking, and petroleum coking. It can also be derived from shale oil processing and coal liquefaction. Diesel is categorized into light diesel and heavy diesel, widely used in large vehicles, railway locomotives, and ships. Precautions for using diesel include: 1. It is strictly prohibited to mix diesel with gasoline for lighting or as fuel for kerosene stoves; 2. Diesel must undergo sedimentation and filtration to remove impurities before use to ensure the proper functioning of the diesel engine fuel supply system.
I've been driving a diesel pickup truck for transport for ten years. Diesel fuel isn't graded like gasoline with numbers like 92 or 95. Its rating is solely based on the freezing point temperature, commonly seen as No. 0, -10, -20, -35, etc. The number indicates the minimum operating temperature. For example, No. 0 diesel works fine above 4°C, while -10 grade can handle down to -5°C without waxing. If you stubbornly use higher-grade fuel in cold weather, the fuel filter will clog up in no time – I learned this the hard way last year in Northeast China. Remember to check the negative number when refueling in winter; northern regions need at least -20 grade.
