Question for Dieseltech

[dextadriver]

First I am in uk but that should not make any difference
Living nearby is an elderly gentleman with a 2020 Kia diesel estate
A few weeks ago in a cold spell the car would not start , it was not a battery problem
The local family garage which is nearby fetched the car, they tested the injectors and found to be dribbling
New injectors were fitted and the engine started but was running very rough so it was taken to the main dealer in Newtown about 8 miles away
Coming up to date, the main dealer are reluctant to do anything to the car after the local garage have done work to it
The elderly gentleman told me that he fills up at the BP station at Newtown Where there are 2 types of diesel…
Ordinary diesel and super diesel
What is the difference?
Can any damage be done by using super diesel
That’s about it

 

[Hemmjo]

I do not know the difference between regular and super. I doubt the super will hurt anything. Just like yu can put hi octane gasoline in your low octane rated gas engine, wont hurt anything but your wallet.

BUT if the problem started in cold weather, the real issue is probably gelled fuel. Something like this may have prevented the problem. A lot of different brands available. $25 US treats 250 gallons.

 

[Jim.ME]

First I am in uk but that should not make any difference
Living nearby is an elderly gentleman with a 2020 Kia diesel estate
A few weeks ago in a cold spell the car would not start , it was not a battery problem
The local family garage which is nearby fetched the car, they tested the injectors and found to be dribbling
New injectors were fitted and the engine started but was running very rough so it was taken to the main dealer in Newtown about 8 miles away
Coming up to date, the main dealer are reluctant to do anything to the car after the local garage have done work to it
The elderly gentleman told me that he fills up at the BP station at Newtown Where there are 2 types of diesel…
Ordinary diesel and super diesel
What is the difference?
Can any damage be done by using super diesel
That’s about it

Dieseltech's answer will be interesting. I can't say that I have seen "Super" diesel here in the US.

Looking online to find out what Super diesel is in the UK it looks like it has some additives already in it that we purchase separately (such as the one in Hemmjo's picture) as an additive or conditioner and add to the tanks.

Have you gone online and researched the difference of the two types by manufacturers you have in the UK to see what they say the differences are in their blends?

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

My guess would be super is like #1 and the other like #2 diesel. Only a SWAG.

 

[Dieseltech]

I'd check the cetane rating, and use the highest available. I've seen regular and premium diesel at some stations here in the US but not often. US FARM fuel has the red dye to show the difference from ON ROAD fuel in that there's tax on road fuel, but not the farm use fuel. DON'T get caught with red dye in your road fuel as you WON'T like the fine...

 

[used red MN]

First I am in uk but that should not make any difference
Living nearby is an elderly gentleman with a 2020 Kia diesel estate
A few weeks ago in a cold spell the car would not start , it was not a battery problem
The local family garage which is nearby fetched the car, they tested the injectors and found to be dribbling
New injectors were fitted and the engine started but was running very rough so it was taken to the main dealer in Newtown about 8 miles away
Coming up to date, the main dealer are reluctant to do anything to the car after the local garage have done work to it
The elderly gentleman told me that he fills up at the BP station at Newtown Where there are 2 types of diesel…
Ordinary diesel and super diesel
What is the difference?
Can any damage be done by using super diesel
That’s about it

What was the temperature during the “cold spell”? Was the car outside or in a garage? If the car ran fine before the problem when it didn’t start in the cold that should not cause the injectors to go bad. I would hope what you call a “local family garage” would not take advantage of someone replacing something they really didn’t need. I would guess this car has a glow plug system, if they are not working properly that would lead to the engine running rough but the engine should smooth out once the engine nears operating temperature.

 

[dextadriver]

Strange… I have been talking with the owner, the main Kia dealer are going to do a compression test
The car is parked outside but that should not make any difference even in frosty weather
The owner is an elderly gentleman, maybe it’s missing out on a good thrashing
I had a diesel Peugeot bought second hand in 2010 which was rather down on power
After giving it a thrashing up a hill out of Newtown and leaving a cloud of black smoke behind it went a lot better

 

[adediesel]

what kind of temperatures are you having? is water freezing?

 

[dextadriver]

what kind of temperatures are you having? is water freezing?

When car failed to start it was very cold but mild now

 

[Hendrik]

Did the last fill take place during the summer months? This diesel fuel type may gel at low temperatures, whereas "winter diesel" has anti-gelling additives added.
Here, in The Netherlands (climate similar to the UK), the service stations are usually change their diesel blends twice a year.
Just a thought.

 

[used red MN]

When car failed to start it was very cold but mild now

What in C? Or approximately.

 

[dextadriver]

What in C? Or approximately.

Not sure exactly but definitely in the minus region but plenty of diesel vehicles coping with it

 

[miangus]

Alot can depend on fuel quality. Like gas there is summer diesel and winter diesel. If the gentleman didn't drive much he may have had a summer blend which gelled in the fuel filter. When it comes to gelling, the temp difference can be just a few degrees. My dad had trouble with his 3020 one year. He had it on a heater so it would start right up but plug the filters. The filter would coat with what looked like pink Vaseline. The solution was to take the filters inside and let the fuel in them melt add a gt of gas to the tank and let it idle for a few minutes. This was before 911 was common. The warm return fuel will heat the fuel in the tank enough to melt the diesel crystals which form in the tank.

 

[dextadriver]

Alot can depend on fuel quality. Like gas there is summer diesel and winter diesel. If the gentleman didn't drive much he may have had a summer blend which gelled in the fuel filter. When it comes to gelling, the temp difference can be just a few degrees. My dad had trouble with his 3020 one year. He had it on a heater so it would start right up but plug the filters. The filter would coat with what looked like pink Vaseline. The solution was to take the filters inside and let the fuel in them melt add a gt of gas to the tank and let it idle for a few minutes. This was before 911 was common. The warm return fuel will heat the fuel in the tank enough to melt the diesel crystals which form in the tank.

This has been mentioned before, a full tank would do maybe upwards of 800 miles so it’s possible there’s summer diesel in tank

 

[paul]

We are trying very hard to eliminate the possibility of fuel gelling as the main cause of all this. A diesel with an old half clogged filter, with a summer blend of #2 diesel, and perhaps biodiesel added 2-20%, sitting in the vehicle for a couple months and some water condensed in the tank, will cause the fuel to gel and clog the filter any time below freezing.

Changing the filter will eliminate 80% of those problems. Draining out any water, and treating the fuel so it doesn’t gel down to well below freezing will solve all of those problems.

You aren’t helping us by not really answering the questions well. I understand it’s a friends car and you might not have the exact details. But, we are trying to start with the basics and move on to the next possible problem…

We would assume the mechanic would have looked for all this, so we are hoping you can say yup, these things were checked out.

 

[dextadriver]

I have passed on details that I know… but there’s an update… earlier the owner told me that he can’t wait any longer as he is moving house so he has bought another car , I asked about the Kia he replied when it’s sorted he will be open to reasonable offers so if it gets fixed so I will see what happens.

 

[dextadriver]

Strange things are happening regarding the car in question…. either the main dealer can’t or won’t fix it , very strange

 

[john in la]

In the USA they make premium #2 diesel.
It has nothing to do with winter summer blends or #1 diesel.
Premium #2 is suppose to run cleaner so it helps the injectors and fuel pump.

Just like some people will only run premium gas in their car some people will only run premium diesel in their tractor.

 

[dextadriver]

An update…. The problem was a bent conrod which scored the bore . The owner told me when it started there was large amount of black smoke
The car had been standing for 2 days maybe long enough for a dribbling injector to leak into cylinder to cause hydraulic lock
The repair is covered by warranty

 

[Hemmjo]

Good to know!!!