High sulfur diesel can be harmful to certain types of trucks, especially modern diesel engines equipped with advanced emissions control systems.
Here’s why:
Diesel fuel contains sulfur, but high sulfur diesel fuel is bad for your truck.
Sulfur in diesel fuel actually works as a lubricant for engine parts, however, high sulfur diesel reduces those lubricating properties and can affect the engine performance by causing friction on parts such as fuel injectors, piston rings and cylinder walls. Instead of lubricating it becomes corrosive, and that accelerated wear on components will decrease engine efficiency and increase the need for maintenance, thus leading to higher costs.
High sulfur content can create deposits and clogging in the fuel injectors, fuel lines and other parts, which consequently impairs fuel flow. With the spray pattern of the injectors thus disrupted, combustion efficiency is reduced, power output is reduced, and the responsiveness of the engine is reduced.
During combustion, the sulfur in diesel fuel contributes to the formation of sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfur trioxide (SO3) and particulates, which creates air pollution and may contribute to the formation of acid rain and respiratory problems. High sulfur diesel will obviously contribute greater levels.
Exhaust aftertreatment systems are fitted to modern diesel engines, such as diesel particulate filters (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to reduce emissions. DEUTZ’s engine and exhaust aftertreatment (EAT) are adapted to an optimum efficiency of the total system and therefore ensure minimum fuel, reducing emissions and total running cost.
If the fuel being used is high sulfur diesel there can be greater accumulation of sulfur in the DPF which will reduce its effectiveness and block prematurely. High sulfur diesel may also reduce the effectiveness of the SCR.
Diesel with a high sulfur content can contribute to corrosion of parts in the fuel system such as fuel lines, injectors and pumps.
High sulfur diesel contains up to 5,000 parts per million (PPM) of sulfur and is still used in some parts of the world.
The issues surrounding the use of high sulfur diesel have been addressed in many countries around the world, with the result that the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) containing 15 parts per million (PPM) or less has been mandated.
The sulfur content in New Zealand is 10 PPM.