my Diesel quality study

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 12:00 am

so i was discussing possible reasons for poor performance of the new hilux, back in the ole talk forum. My argument was that the common rail system requirs absolute high quality diesel. I decided to check Trinidad's diesel quality. This particular pick up fills up diesel only at my company's diesel bond area. A transport company (name withheld) usually delivers diesel every two months to our storage bond. here's what i found:

sample from my diesel bond area. The little blotches at the bottom are water droplets inside with the diesel. Also notice the extremely dark colour of the diesel

Diesel drained from the sedimenter of the hilux. kinda not easy to see, but the distortion seen is actually the mixture of water and diesel. There was enough water to fill a 16 oz coke bottle

this pic tells a story. The hilux in question is a TBX 4x2 doing 25000kms. I believe the filter on the right was changed by TTTL two-three month ago. The otyher filter on the left is the new one i put in today. Tell me if this is normal??

It gets better. The diesel that flows from my bond passes through two water traps before it reaches into the vehicle.

hilux

Tomorrow i will post a comparison pic of diesel from my bond and diesel from the quickshoppe in cross crossing. A huge difference in viscousity, clarity, colour.

I have suspended my contract with my diesel supplier. Something is wrong somewhere

Rallyfignis · Postby **Rallyfignis** » February 16th, 2006, 1:41 am

Wow.

Very good investigating. Looking forward to your quik shoppe test.

bleedingfreak · Postby **bleedingfreak** » February 16th, 2006, 7:12 am

Good stuff brodda...

How OLD are those company tanks?

Postby **wagon r** » February 16th, 2006, 7:27 am

....i find the quality has dropped myself as my van is smoking more than it's used to and i do my best to ensure that it doesn't.

i know it's not the cleanest burning fuel but damn....

MaelstroM · Postby **MaelstroM** » February 16th, 2006, 7:35 am

awesome thread
this is what this site should be about
props to u man!!
keep it comin...

MaelstroM · Postby **MaelstroM** » February 16th, 2006, 7:40 am

http://www.diesel-fuels.com/bad-diesel-fuel.html

check the symptoms...

Symptoms...
Clogged and slimy filters
Dark, hazy fuel
Sludge build up in tanks
Loss of power and RPM
Excess smoke
Corroded, pitted injectors
Foul odor

symptoms look familiar?

Big Z · Postby **Big Z** » February 16th, 2006, 8:54 am

Nice work. Keep it going.

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 9:01 am

so, from this we may ay that diesel from the quick shoppe is good. However, i got a sample of diesel from a station in Santa Cruz, not a quick shoppe. The quality was dark, thick but had no water. It seems to simply vary. i will get some more samples. Hopefully in the end i can say where the best quality diesel is available

Postby **wagon r** » February 16th, 2006, 11:08 am

cool.....

cheese pie · Postby **cheese pie** » February 16th, 2006, 11:18 am

get proper samlpe bottles and take samples to carreri in uwi and ask them how much to do a water % analysis for you

X2 · Postby X2 » February 16th, 2006, 11:53 am

I dunno much about deisel quality, but an old time racer that works with me told me that from years ago (and possibly still) we in Trinidad get truck deisel (for rigs) only, which is why our deisel vehicles cough up so much black smoke. Could that be true ?

InDeForest · Postby **InDeForest** » February 16th, 2006, 11:59 am

One time I was helping my bro change the diesel filter in his hilux, and for kicks poured out the fluid that was just sitting in the filter, into a mayonaose jar and let it settle, it was so amazing, i kept that jar around for weeks showing everyone, of about 4" of fluid in the jar, about 3/4" was water, and about 1.5" that could only be described as mud

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 12:00 pm

dunno much about deisel quality, but an old time racer that works with me told me that from years ago (and possibly still) we in Trinidad get truck deisel (for rigs) only, which is why our deisel vehicles cough up so much black smoke. Could that be true ?

that's what i heard. However, i also heard np has started to 'brew' diesel to international automotive standards. anyone here from np??

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 12:16 pm

One time I was helping my bro change the diesel filter in his hilux, and for kicks poured out the fluid that was just sitting in the filter, into a mayonaose jar and let it settle, it was so amazing, i kept that jar around for weeks showing everyone, of about 4" of fluid in the jar, about 3/4" was water, and about 1.5" that could only be described as mud

that would eventually happen over a long period of time. the problem here is that the filter shown in the pic was not even two months old!!

bleedingfreak · Postby **bleedingfreak** » February 16th, 2006, 3:35 pm

^^ Do you think your company tanks might be the problem?

Postby **wagon r** » February 16th, 2006, 4:52 pm

.....loco....i have to back by you sometime next month for some more work but i'll keep montioring the diesel and see how it goes.

....yuh could imagine the sediment in the tank.... :shock:

Sanctifier · Postby **Sanctifier** » February 16th, 2006, 8:32 pm

Team Loco wrote:...i also heard np has started to 'brew' diesel...

NP doesn't refine any fuels, they only blend lubes and grease.
Petrotrin is the sole refiner/wholesale supplier of fuel here.

NP or Unipet.. same gas... Only difference is in retailers' handling...
btw I run a gas station... :wink:

I use external "Water Alert" filters on pumps to prevent water contamination; check every load, and check tanks every day.
Yup one on diesel pump too.. ordering a second soon.

Ahmm Loco you didn't say if the tank was overhead or underground.
If its underground, buy a tube of "color cut" paste from NP. There are 2 kinds so buy the "Water finding" type. Borrow a hand pump and pump out water (and sediment) first then make a daily check with color cut for a week. That will tell you if you have a leaking tank or not.

If its overhead... clean your tank... and at least use the color-cut to check contractor's compartments for EVERY delivery.

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 11:32 pm

the tank is above ground. I am aware of potential condensation etc etc, The tank is designed to allow for drainage of water. it is frequently cleaned, at least my guys say they clean it. An omega product treatment it also added to the tank. there are like two water traps on the pipes also.

Postby **Team Loco** » February 16th, 2006, 11:37 pm

bottle on left- diesel from my bond, bottle on right- NP quickshoppe cross crossing.....

Sanctifier, my diesel storage tank is clean.....double check today.... i am convinced it comes like that straight outta the delivery truck....which itself may be dirty

Sanctifier · Postby **Sanctifier** » February 17th, 2006, 4:46 am

Then use external "Water Alert" filters on pumps to prevent water contamination.
They are expensive ... but cheaper than fixing/replacing your diesel engines.
Check with Pump distributors locally (headache) or 'google' and order from US "jobbers" in petroleum industry.

BTW meanwhile, contact the contractor at the Quick Shop and use him for your supplies instead.

ProjectAlteredBeast · Postby **ProjectAlteredBeast** » February 17th, 2006, 11:52 am

hmmmm....good points there, thinking about getting myself a hilux but now i'm starting to worry about that diesel.

bleedingfreak · Postby **bleedingfreak** » February 21st, 2006, 6:58 am

^^^ You kinda mad or what.... forget the diesel problem... We all have diesels... I have problems from time with fuel... It's all about maintenance... Don't let this discourage you.

It sends up some flags in my head, but that's all

Like, you want to start posting "gasoline horror stories" or what? :mrgreen:

toyoman · Postby **toyoman** » February 21st, 2006, 3:46 pm

TEAM LOCO.....is it rahamuts that fill your diesel tanks, because they fill the tanks by us, and soon i will be using that diesel in my hilux... (got the van friday and it still has 3/4 tank diesel)

MG Man · Postby **MG Man** » February 21st, 2006, 5:26 pm

Postby **Team Loco** » February 21st, 2006, 5:32 pm

TEAM LOCO.....is it rahamuts that fill your diesel tanks, because they fill the tanks by us, and soon i will be using that diesel in my hilux... (got the van friday and it still has 3/4 tank diesel)

nice. you suppose to get like 700kms to that first tank of diesel

Postby **Team Loco** » February 21st, 2006, 5:40 pm

So, what we have seen so far is that we just cannot trust some sources of diesel. One solution for me is to look at my diesel bond and it's location/ condition. This i have done. I visited the ministry of energy, (i believe that's the proper name) and got specs as to how a diesel bond is to be set up. It's a 12 page document.My diesel storage according to what i have read, is about 85% correct.

However, it's not everytime i will fill up there. Therefore instead of concentrating on purity of that source, i am going to upgrade the filtration system in my hilux. When i am done installing, i will post the results

Val · Postby **Val** » February 21st, 2006, 7:19 pm

my only advice (since all our company's new vans are smoking like chimneys under full throttle), is to keep using Jectron (or similar I guess) fuel additive to try to assist in keeping the fuel system clean. So far, i gone up to using it every fill up. If you leave these sediments too long, they clog up your fuel pump, strainer and even injectors, and blue smoke walaah! :evil:

Postby **Greypatch** » May 23rd, 2007, 8:32 am

Therefore instead of concentrating on purity of that source, i am going to upgrade the filtration system in my hilux. When i am done installing, i will post the results

any update pallies...excellent thread man

aviboy · Postby **aviboy** » May 23rd, 2007, 4:24 pm

my bro have a TBY 2.5 hilux and it dont give ne trouble doing 30,000+ km.... but i think the dielel we get here really affects the performance because i hear sum1 said that diesel supposed to be clear and here it does be brown almost black.. correct me if i am wrong.