by What types of fuel exist, and what is their main difference?
Fuel for cars is a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained by refining oil with additives that improve performance characteristics. When developing a vehicle, the manufacturer aligns the optimal operating mode of its components with a specific type of gasoline or diesel fuel.
Gasoline
Diagnosis and repair of the fuel system of a modern car’s gasoline engine are expensive. Therefore, car owners prefer to refuel their vehicles with quality gasoline, even if it is more expensive. The type of fuel to be filled is indicated by the manufacturer in the vehicle’s passport.
The numbers in the gasoline markings AI-80, AI-92, AI-95, or AI-98 indicate its octane number. The difference between types of gasoline is determined by its properties, the most important of which is detonation resistance. It is denoted by the octane number. The more efficient the design of the internal combustion engine, the more compression the fuel mixture must withstand without igniting without a spark. The higher the octane number, the more compression the mixture can withstand.
Diesel Fuel
To check the quality of diesel fuel, especially if purchased in bulk, it is better to familiarize yourself with its passport, which is required to be presented upon the buyer’s request at both the filling station and the wholesale supplier.
A laboratory analysis can be performed. In diesel, the combustible mixture ignites from compression. The faster this process occurs, the higher the cetane number of the diesel. The best fuel has this indicator at 45-55. In addition to the cetane number and the “summer” marking (used only at positive temperatures), “winter” (can be poured into the tank up to −20°C), and “arctic” (maintains properties up to −50°C), the diesel fuel passport indicates its viscosity.
In summer, quality diesel should have this indicator within the range of 3-6 cSt, and in winter – 1.8-5 cSt.
How to understand by yourself what gasoline is of high quality?
Repair of the gasoline engine’s fuel system will be needed significantly less often if only quality fuel is poured into the tank. Which gasoline you bought can be determined by following simple rules:
- Quality gasoline is colorless.
- Additives do not change its smell.
- If you drop good gasoline on a clean white sheet, it will completely evaporate, leaving no trace.
- A small amount of manganese crystals dropped into gasoline will color it pink only if there is water in the composition.
- To determine the presence of resins in the fuel, ignite its drop on glass. A brown or yellow residue after burning indicates resin in the composition, and soot indicates a benzene impurity.
How to determine diesel fuel quality without instruments?
The repair of a diesel fuel system will take much more time than a self-conducted examination of diesel fuel by the “old-fashioned” method (if there is no opportunity to go to a laboratory):
- Quality fresh diesel fuel is usually light yellow without suspensions and sediment. Its surface has a violet or blue tint.
- Poor-quality diesel poured into a transparent container will darken, sediment, or stratify into fractions within a day.
- The same method can be used to determine the presence of water in the fuel.
When settling, it will sink to the bottom.
- Diesel fuel passed through a paper filter will leave a small slightly greasy light spot. The bigger and darker this spot, the more foreign impurities there are.
- A drop of good diesel fuel, rubbed between your fingertips, leaves an oily feel on the skin and greasy yellowish stains on a paper napkin.
How to choose a gas station?
The cost of diesel or gasoline at a good gas station will not be significantly lower than that of competitors. The expenses on too expensive and exclusive fuel are often not justified. The optimal solution is to go with gasoline or diesel manufactured in accordance with GOST. To verify that the fuel quality matches the seller’s claims, you can review its characteristics in the passport.
A large flow of customers at the gas station guarantees that gasoline and diesel here will meet standards. A mandatory condition is that the gas station must be located in a large settlement. A queue at a single village gas station only indicates that drivers have no other choice.
What are the dangers of using bad fuel?
Unplanned diagnostics of the diesel fuel system and its subsequent repair are not the worst consequences of using low-quality fuel. Regular refueling with poor quality diesel can lead to engine failure. Using fuel with a low cetane number will result in rapid diesel wear, while a too-high number will reduce efficiency, increasing diesel fuel consumption.
Sulfur in fuel serves as lubrication for engine components and should be sufficient, but not more than 1.5%. Water in diesel will lead to fuel pump repair or replacement. Poor quality gasoline disables spark plugs, the catalyst, the electric fuel pump, clogs the filter and nozzles (or carburetor), deposits carbon on the valves and pistons of the gasoline engine, and eventually causes it to break down.
How to choose a repair shop for fuel system repair in Kyiv?
Diagnostics and repair of the diesel or gasoline engine’s fuel system are better carried out only at verified stations. We offer our clients:
- computer diagnostics with modern equipment;
- a price that will not change during the work process;
- quick repair of your car’s fuel system and other units without delays;
- inexpensive quality spare parts;
- a convenient location of the repair shop.
Good fuel is a guarantee of maintaining the operability of most vehicle units.
If you refuel with poor-quality gasoline or diesel fuel, drain it, wash the tank and fuel system. If you have a receipt, you can order an assessment of the fuel sample purchased at the gas station. If low quality is confirmed, the gas station will be obliged to compensate you for the damage caused.
