Diesel fuel is more efficient than gasoline because it contains 10% more energy per gallon than gasoline. But there are a few kinds of diesel fuel: Just as gasoline is rated by its octane, diesel fuel is rated by its cetane, which indicates how easy it is to ignite and how fast it burns. Diesel fuel is safer than gasoline because its vapors don’t explode or ignite as easily as gasoline vapors.
When exhaust from conventional diesel fuel was found to cause cancer, clean diesel engines
were developed. Although conventional diesel fuel-burning vehicles are still on the road, states
and the federal government enacted legislation that will eventually eliminate these older diesels
engines.
Standard diesel fuel comes in two grades: Diesel #1 (or 1-D) and Diesel #2 (or 2-D). The higher
the cetane number, the more volatile the fuel. Most diesel vehicles use fuel with a rating of 40 to
55.
You don’t have to worry about which type to use because all diesel OEMs specify Diesel #2 for
normal driving conditions. Over the road truckers use Diesel #2 to carry heavy loads for long
distances at sustained speeds because it’s less volatile than Diesel #1 and provides greater fuel
economy.
Diesel fuel also is measured by its viscosity. Like other motor oils, diesel fuel gets thicker and
cloudier at lower temperatures. Under extreme conditions it can become a gel, which limits flow.
Diesel #1 flows more easily than Diesel #2, so it’s more efficient at lower temperatures. The two
types of oil can be blended, and most service stations offer diesel fuel blended for local weather
conditions.
If you plan to drive in very cold weather, choose diesel fuel rated at least 10 degrees lower than
the coldest temperatures you expect to encounter. Consult your owner’s manual or engine
builder for more specifics.
"Red" Diesel Fuel is exactly the same fluid as No. 2 fuel that's used in diesel pick-ups, heavy-
duty trucks, buses and some cars on the road. The big difference is red fuel is used for engines
that power off-road vehicles, as well as machines like tractors and bulldozers that are used on
farms and construction sites.
Because of its price, which typically is much lower than the cost for No. 2 fuel, red diesel is
subject to a rebated tax. Although red diesel certainly will "work" in our daily diesel vehicles, using it on the street is not allowed. You could face high fines and penalties for tax evasion if
you are caught using red diesel on public roads.
Another type is Biodiesel. This diesel fuel is derived from agricultural materials and has the
potential to provide a clean-burning alternative to petroleum.
Rudolph Diesel’s first engine was designed to run on peanut oil. Henry Ford envisioned
plant-based fuel as the primary fuel for transportation, so he partnered with Standard Oil to develop
biofuel production and distribution.
However, currently the only type of biodiesel fuel that can be used in vehicles in the United
States and Canada without violating manufacturer’s warranties is B5, a blend of 5 percent
biodiesel and 95 percent regular diesel. Most diesel engines run just fine on blends of up to 30
percent biodiesel.
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