BajaNomad

ULSD..DIESEL IN BAJA

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 7-19-2010 at 12:45 PM

Hola, this was also posted in the bajaponyexpress 3 website

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

Answer to question in BPE #858, July 15th. This is a resubmittal of my earlier comment to the BPE with an update
I have been doing some research lately on the diesel being supplied locally here in LB. After a couple trips to the Pemex I was finally given a telephone # for Pemex in La Paz where a very knowledgeable Pemex technician confirmed that Pemex is not yet supplying Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel (15 parts per million (ppm)) as required by diesel engines manufactured after 2006 in the USA. He confirmed that their Diesel is currently running between 420 - 460 ppm, which conforms to the 500 ppm that was the USA standard prior to 2007. He said "someday" Mexico would start supplying the Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel, but not yet.

I also talked to Cesar, the owner of the NAPA Auto repair shop in San Jose del Cabo, and he stated that Pemex was still not providing the Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel. He further stated that by burning the 500 ppm diesel in the newer engines is probably asking for problems sooner or later.

A further update to my earlier message........
I talked to a person who has a friend that drove a new diesel down to Mexico. The first time, he had no problems, the second time the engine quit. He had to have the vehicle hauled back to the USA where it cost him $12,000 US dollars to have the motor rebuilt.

DianaT - 7-19-2010 at 03:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BAJA.DESERT.RAT
Hola, this was also posted in the bajaponyexpress 3 website

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

Answer to question in BPE #858, July 15th. This is a resubmittal of my earlier comment to the BPE with an update
I have been doing some research lately on the diesel being supplied locally here in LB. After a couple trips to the Pemex I was finally given a telephone # for Pemex in La Paz where a very knowledgeable Pemex technician confirmed that Pemex is not yet supplying Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel (15 parts per million (ppm)) as required by diesel engines manufactured after 2006 in the USA. He confirmed that their Diesel is currently running between 420 - 460 ppm, which conforms to the 500 ppm that was the USA standard prior to 2007. He said "someday" Mexico would start supplying the Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel, but not yet.

I also talked to Cesar, the owner of the NAPA Auto repair shop in San Jose del Cabo, and he stated that Pemex was still not providing the Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel. He further stated that by burning the 500 ppm diesel in the newer engines is probably asking for problems sooner or later.

A further update to my earlier message........
I talked to a person who has a friend that drove a new diesel down to Mexico. The first time, he had no problems, the second time the engine quit. He had to have the vehicle hauled back to the USA where it cost him $12,000 US dollars to have the motor rebuilt.


Thank you RAT --- that is what two neighbors in BA told us so we told our son NOT to bring his 2009 Diesel to Baja---the older truck, OK.

But it seems that on this board it continues to be argued that the diesel fuel in Baja is OK for the newer diesel trucks.

Thanks for the specifics.

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 7-19-2010 at 03:36 PM

Hola DianaT,

last year, a neighbor of mine had trouble with his newer gmc diesel. he drove it 1 1/2 round trips to l.b. and when he was ready to drive to the states, it wouldn't start. he had it trucked to la paz to the dealer and they wouldn't let him unload it. he had a transportation company put it inside a big rig at a cost of $ 1,800.00 u.s. and in the states, they said it was a sulfer sensor. he did recover most of his transportation costs.

even with additives, unless put specifically in writing from the manufacturer, i wouldn't bring a newer diesel into baja sur. maybe with one of the big aftermarket fuel tanks ?

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

ULSD available in Baja...

BajaCactus - 7-20-2010 at 12:22 AM

Every gas station within Norther Baja has been selling ULSD (with 15ppm or less of Sulfur Content) for a few years now. Our last shipment at BajaCactus, yesterday, came with 3ppm of Sulfur Content.

Diesel in Southern Baja is LSD (with 500ppm or less of Sulfur Content)... I do not have the Pemex schedule for the upgrade to ULSD in South Baja, but last I asked they were already working on it.

I hope this complements your post.

Safe travels.

BajaCactus

[Edited on 7-20-2010 by BajaCactus]