DETROIT DIESEL
DETROIT DIESEL FUEL OIL SPECIFICATIONS
Detroit Diesel designs, develops, and manufactures
fuels and lubricants of good quality regularly
provided by the petroleum industry through
commercial diesel engines to operate on diesel fuels
retail outlets. It is accordingly contrary to the
classified by the A.S.T.M. as Designation D975 (grades
policy of General Motors to recommend the
I-D and 2-D). These grades are very similar to grades
regular and continued use of supplementary
DF-l and DF-2 of Federal Specification VV-F-800.
additives in such fuels and lubricants.
"This policy should not be confused with the fact
Residual fuels and furnace oils, generally, are not
that certain supplementary additives may
considered satisfactory for Detroit Diesel engines. In
effectively and economically solve specific
some regions, however. fuel suppliers may distribute
operating problems which occasionally arise in
one fuel that is marketed as either diesel fuel (A.S.T.M.
some
vehicles.
In
such
instances,
D-975) or domestic heating fuel (A.S.T.M. D-396)
supplementary additives may be developed on
sometimes identified as furnace oil. In this case, the
the basis of suitable tests to remedy such
fuel should be investigated to determine whether the
problems without otherwise causing harm to
properties conform with those shown in the FUEL OIL
vehicles. These selected products are then
SELECTION CHART. presented in this specification.
given official GM part numbers and made
available for use in appropriate service
applications.
The FUEL OIL SELECTION CHART also will serve as a
"While General Motors Corporation assumes
guide in the selection of the proper fuel for various
responsibility for the additives selected by it to
applications. The fuels used must be clean, completely
remedy specific operating problems, it cannot,
distilled, stable, and non-corrosive. DISTILLATION
of course, accept responsibility for the many
RANGE. CETANE NUMBER, and SULFUR CONTENT
other additives which are constantly being
are three of the most important properties of diesel fuels
marketed."
that must be controlled to insure optimum combustion
Although the stated Corporation policy is self-explanatory,
and minimum wear. Engine speed, load, and ambient
the following is emphasized: Detroit Diesel does not
temperature influence the selection of fuels with respect
recommend or support the use of any supplementary fuel
to distillation range and cetane number. The sulfur
or lubricant additives. These include all products marketed
content of the fuel must be as low as possible to avoid
as fuel conditioners, smoke suppressants, masking agents,
excessive deposit formation, premature wear, and to
reodorants, tune-up compounds, top oils, break-in oils,
minimize the sulfur dioxide exhausted into the
graphitizers and friction reducing compounds.
atmosphere.
NOTE:
The manufacturer's warranty
applicable to Detroit Diesel engines
To assure that the fuel you use meets the required
provides in part that the provisions of
properties, enlist the aid of a reputable fuel oil supplier.
such warranty shall not apply to any
engine unit which has been subject to
The responsibility for clean fuel lies with the fuel
misuse,
negligence
or
accident.
supplier as well as the operator.
Accordingly, malfunctions attributable
to neglect or failure to follow the
During cold weather engine operation, the cloud point
manufacturer's fuel or lubricating
(the temperature at which wax crystals begin to form in
recommendations indicated above may
diesel fuel) should be 10 F below the lowest expected
not be within the coverage of the
fuel temperature to prevent clogging of the fuel filters by
warranty.
wax crystals.
FUEL OIL SELECTION CHART
At temperatures below 20 F, consult an authorized
Final
Typical
General Fuel
Boiling
Cetane
Sulfur
Detroit Diesel service outlet, since particular attention
Application
Classification
must be given to the cooling system, lubricating system,
Point
No.
Content
fuel system, electrical system, and cold weather starting
(Max)
(Min)
(Max)
aids for efficient engine starting and operation.
550F
City Buses
No. 1-D
45
0.30%
675F
All Other
Winter No. 2-D
45
0.50%
675F
Applications
Summer No. 2-D
40
0.50%
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON FUELS AND
NOTE: When prolonged idling periods
LUBRICANTS
or cold weather conditions below 320 F
In answer to requests concerning the use of fuel and
are encountered, the use of lighter
lubricating oil additives. the following excerpts have
distillate fuels may be more practical.
been taken from a policy statement of General Motors
The same consideration must be made
Corporation:
when operating at altitudes above 5,000
"It has been and continues to be Gene(al
Motors policy' to build motor vehicles that will
ft.
operate satisfactorily on the commercial
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