DiscoAtom
Member Since: 28 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 142
  
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| Sulphur Content in Caltex Diesel |
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Was surprised to learn that Caltex diesel contains a higher sulphur content than other suppliers. At the start of this year, the authorities relaxed the mandated suphur content regulation for Caltex because they did not have the manufacturing capacity to produce low sulphur diesel!! According to the magazine I was reading, Caltex is in the process of upgrading their refineries to produce mandated suphur content diesel.
I'm glad I do not use Caltex diesel, not because of the higher sulphur content, but because I find they are more expensive than most. '06 Disco 3 TDV6 SE Buckingham Blue
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 4th Dec 2006 10:42 pm |
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LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 916
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I had a concern about the black smoke that appeared from my D3 (and I was using predominantly Caltex diesel) but after the enhancement (LR applied software/hardware checking/updates) it was reduced dramatically.
Still using the same fuel but now my consumption has steadily increased so it is going for a check-up soon.
Recently read about a new fuel called SunDiesel that sounds promising but need to know more.
Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
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| 4th Dec 2006 11:55 pm |
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DiscoAtom
Member Since: 28 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 142
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Leigh - I believe sulphur is unhealthy for catalytic converters but not sure if it is contributing to your rising fuel consumption, ie.clogging your catalytic converter. Is your oil consumption rising too? Black smoke normally is a result of abnormal oil consumption. I just put in a litre of oil in mine and it has just clocked 9k. Haven't checked if mine blows black smoke.. '06 Disco 3 TDV6 SE Buckingham Blue
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| 5th Dec 2006 12:29 am |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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Blue smoke normally means oil consumption.
Black smoke in a diesel usually means too much fuel being injected.
Mine put out black smoke under load before enhancement. Not now! Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 5th Dec 2006 2:50 am |
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DiscoAtom
Member Since: 28 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 142
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Oops..got the smoke colours wrong. I stand corrected. '06 Disco 3 TDV6 SE Buckingham Blue
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| 5th Dec 2006 3:46 am |
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Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
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Neither of my cats were converted during the time I had the Diesel Defender. They are still heathens. Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
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| 5th Dec 2006 5:15 am |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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Didn't someone else here have a problem with excessive oil consumption?? I'm too lazy to search. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 5th Dec 2006 5:49 am |
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LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 916
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DiscoAtom, the smoke would appear at the traffic light grand prix. And usually I noted it when the lights of the car behind were filtered in my mirrors by my exhaust particulates as they dispersed into the atmosphere.
Jamo is right. The black smoke is associated with too much fuel being injected (and therefore being wasted) although I haven't really noticed any greater output of the smoke despite my increase in fuel consumption. Oil consumption is stable. Neither up nor down.
Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
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| 5th Dec 2006 7:31 am |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
 
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The diesel D3's do have catalytic converters fitted,
if there is an increase in exhaust black smoke, get the dealer to check for a DTC related to the air mass sensor (can't remember the exact DTC number), had this once on mine - no dash warning just an increase in smoke output and a slight reduction in power. A clear & re-read sorted it
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| 5th Dec 2006 12:53 pm |
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LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 916
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Thanks for the heads up TFC. I will be getting mine checked soon. Just a few hundred more kilometres and I get the 24 000 km service.
Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
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| 5th Dec 2006 1:01 pm |
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jonesy63
Member Since: 17 Oct 2006
Location: Didn't we have a lovely time, the day we went to ...
Posts: 848
 
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Tony wrote:Neither of my cats were converted during the time I had the Diesel Defender. They are still heathens.
Gee... some people might not like the refineries, where they make fuel with cat crackers! 
My father-in-law helped build the Caltex refinery at Kurnell and then worked there in the tank farm for about 38 years. I might ask him to investigate this issue - as I will be exclusively using Caltex diesel with the lease fuel card.
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| 5th Dec 2006 10:56 pm |
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discodownunder
Member Since: 30 Dec 2005
Location: Hillarys, Perth
Posts: 51
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Should i be worried, i use Caltex 90% of the time as those nice people at Woolies give me a discount!!!! being new to a diesel i am not really au fait with its make up. Should we use someone elses? 2005 Disco 3 HSE in Zambezi + Ebony, Sat Nav, Active Locking Rear Diff and Cool Box
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| 13th Dec 2006 11:50 pm |
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DiscoAtom
Member Since: 28 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 142
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One of the reasons high output European diesels were not imported in Australia earlier was due to the high sulphur content on Australian diesel. I am not sure on this but I think, the a high sulphur content is detrimental to the catalytic converter.
The sulphur content issue with Caltex was at reported at the start of this year, I'm sure they would have upgraded their refineries by now. A recent article in a 4WD magazine have also indicated that they a including biodiesel (2% ?) in their diesel. '06 Disco 3 TDV6 SE Buckingham Blue
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| 14th Dec 2006 1:35 am |
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jonesy63
Member Since: 17 Oct 2006
Location: Didn't we have a lovely time, the day we went to ...
Posts: 848
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DiscoAtom wrote:One of the reasons high output European diesels were not imported in Australia earlier was due to the high sulphur content on Australian diesel. I am not sure on this but I think, the a high sulphur content is detrimental to the catalytic converter.
The sulphur content issue with Caltex was at reported at the start of this year, I'm sure they would have upgraded their refineries by now. A recent article in a 4WD magazine have also indicated that they a including biodiesel (2% ?) in their diesel.
OK - I just found the following article:
http://www.caltex.com.au/about_news_detail.asp?id=858 which states: "The refinery's diesel hydrotreater unit is producing diesel to the new standards of a maximum 50 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. This will reduce further to a maximum of 10ppm in 2009 (down from 500ppm in 2005)."
The article also mentions that the upgrade works have completed in both Lytton and Kurnell.
There are also pages which give specifics on their "ultra low sulfur" diesel:
http://www.caltex.com.au/products_oil_detail.asp?id=293
as well as their "new generation" diesel (which contains 2% biodiesel):
http://www.caltex.com.au/products_oil_detail.asp?id=332
I just had a look at the BP site and they also claim a max of 50ppm Sulphur.
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| 18th Dec 2006 8:14 am |
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