$2.61/gal

[koda76]

Took a hundred years for Gas to get above a dollar, now the oil companies have closed 150 refineries creating a false shortage.
They are gouging us and it's getting ridiculous. It doesn't matter if OPEC up's production by 100%...there are not enough refinineries on-line to keep up with demand. What americans need to do is work from home and/or not fuel up for 1 day.
If everyone did this great gas-out day it would have there storage overflowing and they would drop prices.
Seems like the amount of federal and state taxes on a gallon of gas has also made up a large part of the price.
Just think, the people used to revolt when they were oppressed with such high taxes. They had a "tea Party" over a half a cent tax. Now if you were to utilize your civil rights to protest you could be labeled a terrorist. Sad,sad,sad

[beet1e]

Originally posted by Mini D
Nice to have a car that gets 30+ to the gallon right now.

Diesel is cheaper than gasoline for PUC vehicles (semis, commercial, etc).  For the public, it's heavily taxed so the price usually falls somewhere between 87 and 92 octane fuel (Usually closer to 92).  For PUC it is usually 10-15% less than 87.

MiniD

Aha! Your Mini is diesel, hence Mini D? I've had my Golf 1.9 TDi 6 months, and now that the engine is run in I can get 50+mpg quite easily, but a gallon here is about 4.54 litres.

That two-tier diesel pricing is something I dread as diesels become more popular and the government looks for new ways to make up the tax shortfall as more and more people switch from gas to diesel. We already have a two tier system: "Red Diesel" for marine use and all other non road use including farm vehicles that do not use the public road is available and costs less than half than road diesel.

[Skuzzy]

Diesel in Europe is a better grade than what is sold in the U.S.  Euro standards call for sulphur levels half of what is required here, which increases production costs.
Euro diesel sulphur requirements are getting more stringent, either this year or next year.  I forget which.

I'll have to dig the breakdown up again.

[Nilsen]

yup scsi.... they are upping the standards again for some reason, i think it has something to do with removing more of the particles that can cause cancer and other nasty lung stuff.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Diesel in Europe is a better grade than what is sold in the U.S.  Euro standards call for sulphur levels half of what is required here, which increases production costs.
Euro diesel sulphur requirements are getting more stringent, either this year or next year.  I forget which.

I'll have to dig the breakdown up again.

That's interesting. Road diesel pump price here can vary by about 6p/litre depending on whose product is being sold by the filling station. The best deal for diesel here is from Esso (sold in the US as Exxon) where, oddly enough, their product is branded ULS-2000 (ULS = ultra low sulphur). Makes it sound like the cheapest is the best.

I've been warned off buying "cheap" diesel from supermarket outlets. It's cheap because they don't always put in the additives that are needed to maintain smooth operation/clean injectors.

Does anyone here drive a diesel in a very cold weather state? I'm wondering if you ever have problems with fuel "waxing". The coldest morning we had here last winter was about 21°F, and I had no problems with starting/running.

[Nilsen]

i use diesel, and yes it gets very cold here, and no i dont have any problems

[storch]

If you do a little isopropyl alcohol goes a long way to keeping injectors clean and prevent waxing.  also cuts down on that green slime that builds up in the lines.  have been using it in my tractors for years and will swear by it

[txmx]

Originally posted by rpm371
Aww, Mongo straight!

Hey Boss can we have some more beans!!

[Skuzzy]

That green slime you are referring to is diesel mixed with water.  The alcohol will make that worse as alcohol absorbs moisture and when it evaporates, you are left with the moisture.

Beet1e, I would guess that the Esso diesel is devoid of many additives and that is why the costs are less.   It could also be they started with a naturally low sulfur crude.  Brazilian crude is very low in sulphur and some Euro crude is as well.
U.S. crude is pretty rich in sulphur and I suspect that is why there is no low-sulphur requirement in the U.S. for diesel.

[storch]

Skuzzy, The tractor in question is used sporadically.  the humidity here is very high.  by mixing the alcohol with the diesel fuel the hassel of having to remove the fuel filter/remove air from the system prior to starting seems to be eliminated. do you have any suggestions or a better idea?  this solution was proposed by my diesel mechanic and has worked fine.

[Skuzzy]

If you have a moisture problem, then alcohol can absorb the moisture, but it must be moved through the system quickly or it will simply redeposit the moisture someplace else in the system.

Not familiar enough with the tractor to make any recommendations.

Mechnical fuel pump?  Electric fuel pump?

One trick we used on our tractor was to keep the fuel tank heated.  This eliminated the moisture problem (coast of Texas).  It is a cheap solution and during the winter helped the tractor get cranking.

[Staga]

Here in Finland we have three (or four) different diesel-oils for sale in here: summer grade,  winter grade, special winter grade and if weather gets really gold also Arctic grade Diesel. Summer grade goes well to -5c -10c, some even down to -15c.

IIRC it's the paraffine which crystallizes in the fuel filter and prevents flow thru it when using summer grade in winters.

Friend used to drive a semi (well not a semi but a 25m "train") and his longest trips were to Kazakhstan.
French semi joined to their convoy with tanks full of some crappy mid-european diesel which, of course, choked the filter.
I bet that French driver was happy when my friend told him that he's having few hundred liters arctic diesel "Just in case"....

[txmx]

They have drains on your fuel filters just for that.

[airguard]

Originally posted by Staga
Here in Finland we have three (or four) different diesel-oils for sale in here: summer grade,  winter grade, special winter grade and if weather gets really gold also Arctic grade Diesel. Summer grade goes well to -5c -10c, some even down to -15c.

IIRC it's the paraffine which crystallizes in the fuel filter and prevents flow thru it when using summer grade in winters.

Friend used to drive a semi (well not a semi but a 25m "train") and his longest trips were to Kazakhstan.
French semi joined to their convoy with tanks full of some crappy mid-european diesel which, of course, choked the filter.
I bet that French driver was happy when my friend told him that he's having few hundred liters arctic diesel "Just in case"....

we got the same diesel oils in norway as you have staga, and we dont see any problems with dieselcars in norway either.

I was not aware that it was a diffrence that big between the middle euros and the skandinavian


Edit: the tossers need some -25c degrees iI guess to find out

[Staga]

btw if water is problem Here's the solution. Just simple fuel-filter/water separator.
If your local sparepart shops won't have one then find nearest marine shop, they should have them.