Winter & Summer diesel Forums

jarcadia

As a newcomer to motorhoming we have spent many hours browsing these forums before purchasing and since having bought our Kontiki and found it full of information, not all useful but certainly interesting. I have not yet come across any mention of the difference in winter and summer diesel. With some motorhomes being laid up around this time of year they are going to have summer grade fuel in the system. There is a difference and the oil refiners change over from one to the other on or around 16th Oct. (except Ireland where I believe they only ever have winter grade). As we don’t intent to lay ours up, and we live in west Wales it shouldn’t cause us any problems but I thought perhaps others might be interested.

fjmike

Good point jarcadia, not that I intend laying up our van for the winter. I think motorhoming takes on something special in the winter months. The tourists are not so plentiful, you stand a chance of getting onto a CC site,site fees are less and if you go over on the continent the low lifes that prey on motorhomes during the summer don't seem to like the cold.The only downside is you use more gas Exclamation

spykal · Moderator

Hi Jarcadia

I remember the long queues of trucks with frozen up fuel systems back in the dim and distant past (winter1963 I think?) Drivers with burning rags on a long stick trying to warm up the fuel lines and filters......but we don't see that happen so much in the winters now. Is it because the winters are less cold or because the fuel comes with an additive,,,,a bit of both I think.

I do not think the spec of the diesel changes here in the UK during the winter, I am pretty sure that it is the same all the year round. Obviously in really cold countries it does change from type 2 to Type 1 but not only does that formulation not wax up so easily it also has 5% less efficiency so I think we would notice the drop off in miles/litre.

Anyway i am intrigued enough to have written off the email below to Shell customer services i will report back if i get a reply:

Hi

Can you tell me if the formulation of the Shell diesel supplied at the pump changes during the winter...does it have a winter additive? or is the composition of Shell diesel the same all the year round. If a winter additive is added, during which months is it added?

theflyingscot

hi guys

it's a good question , i thought all that diesel filter waxing was sorted nowdays but now im wondering if thats true .

i will keep watching for the reply mike Wink

BarryandSue

Good one Mike.

A while ago I noticed "wax" round the diesel filler, and then twigged that it was a small blob of silicon, smeared on to make the cap easier to remove/replace! D'oh! Laughing

BillD

Hi Jarcadia,
You've stirred up an interesting one. I must admit I thought there was an additive in all year round now because lorries drive all over the place so quickly these days. You could be in Scotland in mid winter and in a day or so be in Spain.

I shall be interested to hear the reply to Mike's question - asking the 'horse'.

SidT

Hi Folks. I have just rung the Oil Distributer that I worked for before I retired and the answer was yes there is still winter and summer grade diesel, ( they are now on winter grade)
Cheers Sid

Geoffh

If you are laying up, or just cutting down on use, something really worth having in your diesel tank is an additive from a boat chandlers to stop algae growing.

Keep the tank as full as possible to cut down the amount of condensation from the oxygen filling the void.

A couple of years ago I was plagued by blocked filters. Tanks removal and a steam clean was the only cure £250+ !!

I now use it right through the year. My haulage company owning neighbour, makes his drivers fill up to the brim every night to keep the fungus at bay.

Geoff

wilecoyote

Blimey! I wish I could still have summer deisel in my tank during winter.. the MPG would be out of this world if I did Mr. Green