Diesel fuel is now easier than ever to find when you are road-tripping. It is estimated that more than half of all gas stations in North America carry diesel fuel. In fact, diesel fuel is no longer being stigmatized for its more pungent stench. Nowadays, you can find diesel right next to regular old unleaded gasoline, sharing the same pump. Just be careful not to mix the two if you want your car to run. Diesel is a less refined form of fuel than gasoline but is able to self-ignite under appropriate pressures without being too explosive, something that gasoline engines are now trying to emulate.
Where Do You Find Quality Diesel Fuel?
When you are buying diesel fuel, you want to avoid places that don’t move a lot of the fuel. These stations may store it in underground tanks for long periods of time where it sits and stagnates. Condensation may build up and make it harder for owners to run their vehicles reliably. Water in the fuel will create a lot of additional maintenance burdens. If you have a SmartPhone, you can use one of the apps that help you find diesel fill-up stations near you such asGasBuddy.com and Fuel Finder.These application services will help you pinpoint the best prices in your region and customer reviews. I usually search for diesel shops near me to find the best deals.
You can also use your web browser to visit sites such asMapQuest and myGasFeed when you need a fill-up. If price is no object, you can just visit any of the big brand fuel stations like Shell, Texaco, Sheetz, Wawa, Exxon, Chevron, and Speedway.
Is Diesel Better Than Gasoline?
Because diesel is almost fully combusted by the high-pressure ignition method invented by Rudolph Diesel in Germany, back in the day, it is more efficient than gasoline. This is why you can expect to reach 700 miles or so before a fill-up is required compared to about half that with a regular gas engine. Yet, because diesel is a less refined fuel, you will find that it has more particulate matter and greenhouse gases released.
The EPA regulations have become very stiff to reduce these by more than 95 percent by the inclusion of diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on newer vehicles. Although the early versions were problematic, the engineering appears to be better suited for the consumer market at this point. Thankfully, you can still find diesel engines in most major brands despite the new regulations.