Longer term maintenance with Diesel engines.

Question to Australian New Zealand members.
My curiosity is getting the better of me of late, as to what your doing as to pre-maintenance of keeping your engines, and fuel supply clean .

1. As the Mercedes Sprinter engines will exceed one million k's if maintained .
2. Extra low Sulfur fuel 51 Cn cetane 10 p/pm.
3. Ultra low sulfur fuel 47/8 Cn cetane 15 p/pm.
4. Winter/ Alpine grade fuel ! Do you take extra precautions to take into account, low temps/[this depends on your geographic location.]
5. Do members use an approved upper cylinder lubricant.?
6. Alcohol based or non alcohol based lubricants.?
7. Oil synthetic or mineral or part synthetic. MB approved.?
8. Oil change! Do you uses an approved engine flush.prior to an oil change?.
9. Are you happy with your fuel return for economy, bearing in mind different van weight configurations do reflect on mileage per 100 kilometers to the liter returned.

• Richard

Extra low Sulfur fuel 51 Cn cetane 10 p/pm Same as Au.
Alpine grade only used for fixed generators on high mountains. Don,t use it in Sprinters.
No upper cylinder lubricant used.
Alcohol only used to lubricate the throat.
Mobil Delvac MX 15W-40 in 2000 313.
2011 315 Lube , Don,t know. too new. 39300ks to go til next oil change
No flushing oil used
Don't care how much fuel used /km. Cheaper than running a 2L car on petrol! Part of costs of owning vehicles.

Cheers

Ross

Ross there is a reason for this thread. Quote don't be too sure Alpine grade and or Alpine grade bio diesel it's not in your tank as to a 28 day grace period in New Zealand for change over of Tank refills.

NZ Government spec for diesel. Note the different cloud points for various parts of NZ, summer and winter. Yes there are special requirements for High alpine sites as I previously said. Biodiesel is becoming available here but is limited to fleets only at present. Is there an issue with the increased sulfur in winter fuels when kero is added?



Schedule 2
Requirements for diesel


rr 9, 15, 17(3)
Property Limits Test method
Fatty acid methyl esters (% volume)1 5 maximum EN 14078
Density at 15°C (kg/m3) 820 minimum
850 maximum ASTM D1298
Distillation—95% volume recovered at (°C) (T95) 360 maximum ASTM D86
Cetane 51 minimum cetane index, or 51 minimum cetane number and 47 minimum cetane index2 Cetane number: ASTM D613 or ASTM D6890
Cetane index: ASTM D976
Water content (mg/kg) 200 maximum IP 438
Total contamination (mg/kg) 24 maximum IP 440
Colour (ASTM colour) 3.0 maximum ASTM D1500
Cloud point (°C) and cold filter plugging point (°C)3 Summer maxima: Auckland and Northland: +6 cloud point; rest of New Zealand: +4 cloud point.
Winter maxima: +2 cloud point and –6 cold filter plugging point Cloud point: ASTM D5773 cold filter plugging point: IP 309
Sulphur4 (mg/kg) 50 maximum
10 maximum on and from 1 January 2009 IP 497 or ASTM D5453
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (% mass) 11 maximum IP 391
Filter blocking tendency 2.5 maximum; fuel must be of acceptable filterability so that it is fit for common purposes IP 387 or ASTM D2068
Lubricity—HFRR wear scar diameter at 60°C (μm) 460 maximum IP 450
Viscosity at 40°C mm2 per second 2.0 minimum
4.5 maximum ASTM D445
Oxidation stability (g/m3) 25 maximum ASTM D2274
Carbon residue (on 10% distillation residue) (% mass) 0.2 maximum ASTM D4530
Copper strip corrosion (3 hours at 50°C) Class 1 maximum ASTM D130
Ash (% mass) 0.01 maximum ASTM D482
Flash point (°C) 61 minimum ASTM D93

1 Regulation 10 provides that the fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) must comply with Schedule 3: Requirements for biodiesel.

2 The cetane index is not applicable for diesel blended with biodiesel.

3 These are maximum criteria; cold flow properties of a fuel must be fit for common purposes in the region and the season in which it is sold. Diesel that complies with the previous season's quality, and that is stored in a filling station tank to which fewer than 3 deliveries of diesel have been made since 6 weeks before the beginning of the season, is regarded as complying with this specification. Sales for marine use may be summer grade at any time of the year.

4 The limit for sulphur does not apply to sale for marine use.

Using only Vortex premium diesel and Mobil 1 full synthetic, but without any additives, flushes etc. SEQld doesn't need alpine blends.
Happy enough with fuel economy but it dropped suddenly from 9 to 10 litres/100k a while back, with accompanying loss of power. I thought it might have been crook fuel but it hasn't recovered, and I haven't been able to find any splits in turbo hoses. No whistle either, and no engine codes have been recorded. Injector cleaner made no difference. I've learnt to live with it for now. Will chase it again one day when I get time.
cheers
Mike

Mike there are three types of upper cylinder lubricants. One: As to non alcohol based additives, add a few caps per tank,such as Reline R 85 Keeps the injection and fuel system clean.

Two: As to Wynn's add 350 mil per tank,more reactive and keeps the fuel and injection system clean it has a 5 point cetane boaster. prevents and or quietens the diesel knock, when fuel is marginal on quality.

Three: As to Liqui Moly add 250 mil per 70 liters of fuel good for 5 thousand kilometers this is the most cost efficient upper cylinder lubricant. protects fuel system against corrosion less chatter and nailing and smother running...This is the best available for keeping the engine running dead quite.

I'm 40 thousand kilometers between oil changes,[over due] and off on a 1200 kilometer trip When I come back I'll again uses an engine oil flush. to rid of heavy contaminants that may be at the bottom of the sump.

The van will be loaded so it will be a good time to do another fuel economy test. as to a non stop 600 hundred K trip. Hobart to Marrawah Mt Cameron. on the North West Coast.

Thanks for the additives info Richard, and enjoy your trip. Personally, I'd be waiting for it to warm up a bit more before camping out in Tas.
I'm off to Newcastle next weekend, then again a month later, then Victoria 3 weeks after that. Should be enough to try out the additive.
Mike