Can someone please confirm or deny if MB specifies a minimum cetane rating for the late 70s through early 80s MB diesels at 45 minimum?

thanks
Joe

I have seen numorous comments about cetane numbers, but have never seen a diesel pump listing a cetan rating. According to my car's owner's manual, the only thing mentioned about fuel is about using diesel #2 or #1. It mentions adding kerosine to help prevent geling, but nothing about a min. cetane. I just buy diesel from a gas station that sees alot of truck business. There additives to raise the cetane level in your fuel. Red Line Diesel Catalyst is one such product, you can get it a Pep Boys.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

240Joe,

You worry too much! I've been a MB mechanic for almost 30 years and have owned more diesels than I can remember.Just go to the nearest and cheapest station and put fuel in it.I would also take the advice of the previous post and go to a station that has fresh fuel. Happy motoring and try to worry about something important. See ya.

Peter
















p

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

I totally agree with Autozen. If you can't find cheap diesel fuel, pour whatever else in the tank that you think might burn.

These cars are tolerant of any diesel fuel you can put in as long as it has no water in it. Change the fuel filters about every 25,000 miles and sleep well.

Good luck,

I agree with the foregoing HOWEVER,

The better the fuel, the better the performance. There are a few stations which have diesel fuel with cetane ratings that approach 50. My cars runs substantially better (acceleration better, better mileage, etc.) with improved fuel. I recently went on a trip from CHicago to upstate New York. Over the same terrain, same speed, same time of day, same general weather, i got 44.7 mpg with premium diesel + redline whereas I got 40 mpg with regular diesel + redline. Further, the car was substantially more responsive with better fuel.

just my $0.02.

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Jovan

'84 (11/83) 190D 2.2 5-Speed; Silver/Blue; Motor No. 00354, 402k mi (340+kmi mine)

'89 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe; Black/Black; 53kmi
'05 BMW 530i 6-Speed; 302kmi
'19 Range Rover; 30kmi

jobab

What made me ask the question is exactly your observation. I've been on a recent quest for fuel ecomony improvement on my 240D auto. I've increased it from about 25 mpg to 30, and now I'm running about 32, over the same roads, pretty much same conditions, etc.

I went from 25 to 30 by adjusting the valves which were long overdue (about 75kmiles ), and now I've started to use fuel conditioner, and it's up to about 32.

I buy fuel at the same place all the time, and it's very fresh judging by the amount of trucks going in and out of the place, and the foam (if that's an indicator).

If I truely have got from 30 to 32 with the conditioner, than it more than pays for itself with the improved fuel economy, and I get the other benefits of improved starting and what seems like smoother power.

Thanks all
Joe

Right now I am in Virginia visiting my folks, and all the Texaco stations have diesel rated at 45. Up my way in N.J., at the Mobil station I get my diesel, there is no rating listed. My father tells me that any diesel is at least 40 and of course anything higher is better.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member