BajaNomad - Update regarding Mexican Fuel and late model Diesels

Update regarding Mexican Fuel and late model Diesels

MexicoDiesel - 11-14-2015 at 10:59 AM

For almost 8 years I have been gathering data on the behavior of diesel powered motorhomes, vans, and pickup trucks while in Mexico, where most of the diesel fuel is still LSD (Low Sulfur Diesel), up to 500 ppm.

Unfortunately, ULSD (Ultr-Low-Sulfur-Diesel), 15 ppm, is available only in border cities/towns, the Northern Baja, Mexico City, and Monterrey.

In particular, my present database (November 2015) contains detailed information about the effects of Mexican LSD on the emissions systems of Ford Powerstrokes, Dodge RAMs, and GM Duramax systems for model years 2007.5 through 2015.

Owners will be pleased to learn that none of these vehicles for model years 2007.5 through and including 2012 have any significant issues while using Mexican diesel. There may be occasional blue smoke during regeneration cycles, as sulfur compounds in the emissions system are burned off, and 2011/12 Duramax powered pickups may display “BAD DEF” and speed limitation warnings from time to time, but I have never encountered a confirmed situation of any of these vehicles becoming disabled or going in to “limp mode” due to sulfur in Mexican fuel. A regeneration cycle ALWAYS occurs and burns off the sulfur compounds before a serious speed limitation problem develops.

For 2013 through 2016 Duramax powered vehicles, management of the situation is required because these pickups can go in to limp mode unless regenerations are forced when “BAD DEF” messages appear. There are, however, 6 volunteers stationed across Mexico, including me, who can quickly provide information on how to force those regenerations and return the vehicles to normal operation. It is better to be prepared in advance though, so owners of 2013 and later Duramax pickup trucks should contact me at whitetmp@aol.com BEFORE entering Mexico.

Feel free to contact me if you need/have additional information, either via a private message, or directly to whitetmp@aol.com

I have attached an article providing a little more detail.

Attachment: Mexican Diesel and Your Pickup Truck Word Count 999.doc (23kB)
This file has been downloaded 383 times

Ford 2015 and later possible fuel issue in Mexico

MexicoDiesel - 11-14-2015 at 11:05 AM

Further to my post about Mexican diesel fuel, there is a possibility that 2015 and later Ford Powerstroke pickups may develop serious issues while using Mexican diesel fuel. The following information come from my owner experience database:

(a)
Last January the owner of a 2015 Ford diesel F350 took a caravan tour south to Cabo. He had no issues while towing his fifth wheel trailer along the caravan route. However, after arriving in Cabo, he left the caravan group and traveled to La Paz where he stayed for several weeks with the trailer parked while he drove the truck around town.

(b)
After a few weeks the truck had its engine light come on and the owner continued to drive the truck until it went into limp mode. No dealer in Mexico can service Ford pickup late model diesels so he called a dealership in the States which canceled the warranty on his almost new 2015. He ended up bringing a delete kit into Mexico and removing the entire factory emissions system.

(c)
The puzzling thing about this case is that I have no other examples of any Ford, of any year, going in to limp mode on Mexican diesel, and we have no way of knowing whether this owner's issue was caused by sulfur in the fuel, or by the unrelated failure of an emissions system component.

(d)
As a result of the confusion about this case, I am now recommending, until there is more data available, that owners of 2015 and later Ford diesel pickups bring an Edge CT2 tuner with them into Mexico, because the Edge CT2 can force a regeneration to burn sulfur out of the system.

(e)
Owners should use the Edge CT2 to force a regeneration if the engine light or any other emissions message comes on - a regeneration is all that is required to fix the temporary sulfur poisoning. It is important to call Edge at 1-888-360-3343 and make sure to order the correct model for the model year. https://edgeproducts.com/ (I do NOT make any commission for the sale of Edge products).

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EDGE DOES NOT WORK ON GM VEHICLES.

Please feel free to contact me at whitetmp@aol.com if you can add information or have questions.

Evidence that all of the diesel in Northern Baja is ULSD

MexicoDiesel - 11-14-2015 at 11:09 AM

There is now significant evidence that all of the diesel fuel in the Northern Baja is ULSD because of the following:

1.
Last April I personally sampled and had tested in the USA some diesel fuel from the Pemex at El Rosario. It was confirmed as ULSD from the USA or Japan.

2.
A contractor who does work for Pemex recently sent me a copy of the fuel distribution map for Pemex. That map confirms that all of the fuel in the Northern Baja is distributed from the tank farm at Ensenada.

3.
According to a Pemex tanker driver, all of the diesel fuel at the Ensenada tank farm comes from the USA via pipeline, or Japan via tanker.

4.
On the way south in October of this year I filled my 2015 Silverado 3500HD, plus it's supplementary tank, with diesel from the last Pemex in Northern Baja, just north of the border with BCS. I then used GM test equipment to monitor the emissions during the rest of the drive to Los Barriles. The emissions were consistent with burning ULSD, not LSD. In addition, staff at the Pemex said their fuel comes from Ensenada. (The GPS coordinates for the station are N 28.00469, W 114.01167, about a mile north of the BCS border).

5.
In early November I filled my truck with diesel from one of the Pemex stations in Los Barriles. The emissions are now out of spec, which is consistent with burning LSD. This confirms the information on the Pemex distribution map which shows all fuel in the Southern Baja (BCS) coming from Mexican refineries, distributed out of La Paz.

mcnut - 11-14-2015 at 11:46 AM

Excellent research and documentation!
Thanks for all your effort!

Bruce

Whale-ista - 11-14-2015 at 11:52 AM

Thank you interesting report and observations. Very helpful for people with newer diesel vehicles.

What about those of us with older diesels? I have a 1997 Ford diesel Powerstroke. I have yet to take it into Baja.

When I do, will I need to be concerned about using diesel fuel in BCS?

msteve1014 - 11-14-2015 at 12:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

Thank you interesting report and observations. Very helpful for people with newer diesel vehicles.

What about those of us with older diesels? I have a 1997 Ford diesel Powerstroke. I have yet to take it into Baja.

When I do, will I need to be concerned about using diesel fuel in BCS?

No, your van was built to use the fuel they still have in BCS.

You will get more problems, long term, from the fuel in BC and the U.S.A.

elgatoloco - 11-14-2015 at 12:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

We have a 1999 7.3 Powerstroke and never an issue with diesel fuel in BCS or anywhere else. Truck has 316,000 miles and many of them in Baja.
Don't ask me about putting gasoline in the tank in error, twice?!

:saint:

msteve1014 - 11-14-2015 at 01:00 PM

If you are going to run gasoline you should use a fuel additive, ATF or rotella 30 may help.

MexicoDiesel - 11-14-2015 at 03:35 PM

None of the Ford, GM, or Dodge diesel pickups, all the way up to and including the 2010 model year exhibit any issues while on Mexican LSD. The only thing that might be seen is occasional blue smoke from the exhaust pipe while regenerations are taking place, especially at slow speeds, such as around town.

The 2011 and 2012 Duramax powered pickups will typically show the engine light and/or the BAD DEF light from time to time. They will also sometimes enter the first stage of speed limitation (55mph) and very rarely the second stage, but I have no instances reported of a 2011 or 2012 Duramax ever going to limp mode. (I have extensively driven a 2011 in Mexico so I have direct experience). These trucks will always complete a regeneration and reset the warning lights before limp mode.

Duramax models 2013 and later NEED MANAGEMENT, and will go to limp mode, guaranteed, if they are kept on Mexican LSD for extended periods. Owners should contact me before they go to Mexico.

Ford Powerstroke up to and including 2014 have no issues but there is a risk, as detailed in an earlier post, for 2015 and later Ford Powerstoke.

Dodge 2013 and later, after the introduction of DEF based emission systems, will turn on the engine light but never seem to deteriorate to speed limitation. Three different owners have reported engine lights on for the entire season in Mexico, but the engine light extinguishes after a few tanks full of ULSD back in the USA.

[Edited on 11-14-2015 by MexicoDiesel]

BigWooo - 11-14-2015 at 05:04 PM

Thank you for taking the time to post this information. I have a 2008 Duramax that's been running purely on LSD in Baja Sur (other than an occasional trip to the U.S.) since late 2009. I've been worried about problems that may occur as I get more miles (70,000 currently), so I had planned to remove the DPF soon. Based on this info I think I'll pass on spending the $$ on the DPF removal kit.

watizname - 11-14-2015 at 10:38 PM

Thanks for the info. If I read it right, there is ULSD all the way to the Norte/Sur border, meaning the station at the big eagle has ULSD.
Is that correct? :coolup:

Pacifico - 11-15-2015 at 08:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by watizname

Thanks for the info. If I read it right, there is ULSD all the way to the Norte/Sur border, meaning the station at the big eagle has ULSD.
Is that correct? :coolup:

This would be good to know...I have heard several times that the furthest south station with ULSD was at Jesus Maria.

David K - 11-15-2015 at 10:42 AM

I guess technically, that station at the Eagle Monument (2 miles from Guerrero Negro entrance junction) is in 'norte' Baja California, as it is on the north side of the eagle... and even the eagle (according to Google Earth) is on the north side of the actual line (28º North Latitude).

So, if Pemex sticks to the political state border with fuel delivery, and the truck for Guerrero Negro doesn't drive the 2 miles north to the other Pemex in the neighborhood, it must get the fuel from the El Sauzal (Ensenada) depot?!!