Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel - Regs & Discussion

[murphyslaw]

would a "hard parts" ip be affected by the lack of lube in ulsd?

[More Power]

The recent article we produced on the ULSD and the new emissions systems contains a discussion about 1982 to present GM diesel fuel injection systems.

Jim

[cowboywildbill]

Sounds like the stuff we went thru when all of the gas went from leaded to unleaded. We had to buy lead subsitute's. Until the valve seats were changed.
Gee I wonder if somebody sells sulfur sustitute ?

[SoTxPollock]

Jim, great article on the clean diesel fuel.
Side note, there is a typo on the date. Unless your dmax is a back to the future vehicle you couln't have attended it in August of 2007. I know things move slower in the south, but not that slow, its only April here.

[More Power]

Good catch! I guess I had 2007 on the brain....

I'll have a new article on the web site before long that shows the LMM components and describes how the new emissions system operates. I recently got an opportunity to shoot some photos.

I was a little surprised that the new diesel particulate filter isn't serviceable, and that more of the exhaust system is welded together. This might be due to a wish by GM to prevent tampering - though the interconnectivity of the exhaust system and the electronics will prevent much alteration anyway. It'll be interesting to see how the aftermarket responds, and how long it'll take them to produce products for the LMM (or any new diesel).

Jim

[convert2diesel]

Just a question about the chemistry. Having just returned from our annual 3,000 mile trek to the deep south (Ottawa - Florida return) I have been reviewing my mileage figures and discovered that somewhere I seem to have lost about 2 MPG on average. The two previous trips with this combination (6.2 na in a Buick Roadmaster with a 3,000lb camper out back) I got a consistant 28 MPG (IMP gal) throughout the trip. This time it worked out to 25-26 MPG.

This is the first time I have done the trip exclusively on ULSD. When they strip out the sulphur more then likely all of the other aromatics come with it. Is it possible these components added BTUs to the fuel? Up here in Canada we have yet to see ULSD on a consistant basis (or at least they are not advertising it) and this is the first time I could be sure I was using it. The car ran like a champ and I did use Power Service additive except for a couple of tanks of B5 but I can't seem to account for the drop in mileage.

Has anyone else noticed a similar difference?

Bill

[More Power]

I've read where the new ULSD contains about 1% less density, which could translate to a similar percent lower fuel economy. The local driving I'm doing here in Montana with ULSD hasn't produced much of a change in fuel economy. The last tank in our 2001 GMC produced about 17.5-mpg, which is normal for local driving (based on the prior 6 years of driving the same truck).

I suspect some fuel station owners are hesitant in labeling their pumps with ULSD stickers because of the fine that could be imposed if a sample is taken and they fail the 15-ppm sulfur limit. All of the stations I know about around here have been getting ULSD since about June of last year. It could take some time for the older fuel to be completely flushed out of the system, unless the station sells a lot of diesel fuel. Waiting a while before installing the new stickers may be an insurance policy against non-compliance.

Jim

[Dakster]

Good catch! I guess I had 2007 on the brain....

I'll have a new article on the web site before long that shows the LMM components and describes how the new emissions system operates. I recently got an opportunity to shoot some photos.

I was a little surprised that the new diesel particulate filter isn't serviceable, and that more of the exhaust system is welded together. This might be due to a wish by GM to prevent tampering - though the interconnectivity of the exhaust system and the electronics will prevent much alteration anyway. It'll be interesting to see how the aftermarket responds, and how long it'll take them to produce products for the LMM (or any new diesel).

Jim

I looked underneath my new truck today and noticed that the entire exhaust system is welded together. No "Off-Road" only pipe is going to replace the DPF easily...

Like you said electronics will most likely prevent it, but with programs that re-write ECM/PCM code, that can always be changed too...

Since the DPF should have a life expectancy of 200k miles give or take, cutting it off, cleaning and rewelding wouldn't be that big of a deal. By then, if this motor is truly like the LBZ I can see replacing the exhaust system, repgramming the computer, etc... By law, you can't tamper/modify a working, under warranty exhaust system and I doubt the DPF has a 200k warranty...

BTW, the selling dealer made me sign a "I won't tamper/remove emmission components from the Truck paperwork..."

[xtrempickup]

reading all about the diesels, ive found both Ultra low sulfur and the low sulfur diesel in my area. I own a 6.5L Turbo diesel with 155K miles on it. Question is. NJ starts mandatory Emission inspection on all diesel trucks and cars starting in 2008. So question is, with the ultra low sulfur diesel, Am i supposed to be able to meet some kind of emission standard for my truck that the state is gonna make up since up until now, They have never tested diesels for emissions at all. i find my truck runs fine, cleaner with either as when i got it they were still using the 550 standard diesel and have slowly switched around me to either the low or the ultra low. i run whatever is cheapest, havent seen problems with either. will the lubicity of the ultra low and low take its toll on the injection system of these trucks at all

[More Power]

Your 6.5L TD will need to meet the emissions certification for the model year it was built. It will also need to be equipped with all of the emissions control devices it came with from the factory (i.e. cat converter) to pass a "visual" test. My guess is that they'll only be measuring exhaust opacity during a constant load and snap throttle test. This'll be done on a dyno of some sort. I doubt they'll analyze the gases, but that might be something to look for in the future.

Jim