T&T: Diesel Cetane

[Mark Richter]

<< Does anyone have a
manual, perhaps from a newer diesel's manual, which prescribes a certain
cetane level? Have you seen a pump with a cetane level on it?>>

My John Deere owners manual from 1996 states:
" The fuel must meet the following properties:  Cetane number 40 minimum.
Cetane number greater than 50 is preferred, especially for temperatures
below -20C, or elevations above 1500m."  There are more requirements for
sulfur content and guidelines for lubricity.

I'm hardly ever operating above 1500m, and my boat has never experienced
temperatures below -20C, so most any diesel fuel I can buy should be
adequate in cetane rating.  Diesel pumps, in my experience, rarely give the
cetane number of the fuel.  The exception is a few marinas that cater to the
high-performance boat crowd, who sell something they call "premium diesel".
It is just that; a high priced product that comes with a high cetane number,
and probably additives that we can add ourselves.  I never buy it.

Mark Richter, m/v Winnie the Pooh