ULSD availability and the law?

[sreigle]

There are so many conflicting stories about ULSD availability and legal requirements that I don't know what to believe.

Charlie, or someone, posted awhile back what the law says. But I sure can't find it.

I know if the pump doesn't have the ULSD sticker I should assume it is not ULSD. But, another place says that if a station offers diesel then they are required by law to offer ULSD at at least one pump.

Another says most stations now have ulsd in most pumps but just haven't added the sticker yet.

I'm sure not going to take the word of a clerk that the pump has ulsd despite no label. Nor am I going to assume a pump without the label is ulsd.

Can someone enlighten me to exactly what the law says is to be available right now and in the future?

Meanwhile, I'm going to take the advice of a good friend anc carry two 5-gallon containers of ulsd in the bed of the truck.

Thanks.

[Charlie]

Steve-
This may be the post you are referring to.

http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=22252

If you read the post carefully it states that all highway use diesel be ULSD by 2010. The exception to this is that rural Alaska being the only area allowed to do this later than October 15, 2006. California was required to transition to ULSD Sept. 1, 2006.

As far as what the stations have in their pumps, it should be ULSD, but unless the pump is marked USLD and I had a new truck I would not put it in my tank. This is only hearsay.....dealers are requiring purchasers of the 2007 Ford trucks are required to sign a release that would void the warranty if damage is done to the engine from not using ULSD.

The law states that stations are to be delivering ULSD. However, until all diesel that is distributed from the refineries meets the specs of ULSD there is a small possibility that a shipment could be LSD could be accidentally loaded into a tank intended for USLD. There is no way that a person can anticipate something like this. People do make mistakes!!!!!

[sreigle]

Thanks, Charlie. That's not the thread I was thinking about but it does have the information I was looking for.

It is all a bit confusing with the different dates, so let me ask this.... All highway diesel currently sold in the lower 48 is supposed to be ulsd. Is that correct? I'm talking highway diesel I would put in my truck. What is confusing me is the Flying J site at http://www.flyingj.com/fuel/diesel_CF.cfm?state=ALL
shows both ULSD and LSD at some stations in the lower 48, only ulsd at some, and only lsd at some. That doesn't seem to fit with the above. So where am I getting this wrong?

The Dodge warranty manual also has some disclaimers about the effect of warranty if non-ulsd is used. But I didn't have to sign anything like that.

---on edit--- I ran across this site
http://list.priceweber.com/cummins/td/ulsd_fuel.html
which clarifies my confusion a bit. What I was failing to understand is that during the transition period between now and 2010, both ULSD and LSD will be available. So, I guess if it doesn't have the sticker, I don't use it.

[Charlie]

Steve-
You are correct about all highway diesel "supposed" to be USLD except what is used in rural Alaska. I see what the Flying J website says and don't understand as it also listed "dyed" diesel which previously was termed "off road" and it's specs are even higher in sulphur. Maybe these stations are making available LSD diesel to fill tractors, backhoes, cats, etc., but usually these are delivered to job sites by a distributor as the contractor gets a tax break on "off road" diesel and makes accounting easier. Same goes for the railroads, delivered by a distributor to a location where they can fill the locomotives.

Your last sentence would be the one I would heed, if it does not say ULSD, I would not put it in the tank.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Steve, I found this........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-low_sulfur_diesel

[snfexpress]

Steve,

California doesn't require stickers on their diesel pumps because as of last year, all diesel sold had to be ULSD.

Outside of California, the pump is supposed to have a sticker on it saying 500ppm sulfur or 15ppm sulfur. ULSD is 15ppm.

I, too, have seen many areas of the west where ULSD is NOT available yet.

[sreigle]

So, outside of California, in the lower 48, if a pump has no sticker at all saying either ulsd or lsd, then it is best to assume is is LSD and NOT ULSD? That would be my thinking but I don't know for sure whether retailers are required to label the pump only if it is ULSD or only if it is NOT ULSD.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Here's another....
Scroll down to ULSD Standards Implementation
http://www.ilta.org/LegislativeandRe...D/ULSDinfo.htm
pay particular attention to Retail Outlets
It states...All highway diesel must be ULSD..... 12/01/10

The USEPA requirements about labeling the pumps....
http://www.clean-diesel.org/images/D...acts121406.pdf

The EPA provides stiff penalties of up to $32,500 PER day for each violation found of mislabeled pumps. If you were to see a mislabeled pump I would be on the phone to the Local EPA office.

Also had you actually pumped mislabeled fuel into your TV and damaged your engine you would have recourse in the way of a lawsuit. This is one reason to be sure to get a receipt when fueling whether paying with cash or credit card. Without that receipt you cannot prove where bought that fuel. Also that receipt is also handy should you get older possibility contaminated fuel that may cause our fuel filter to clog or worse case scenario you damage your engine.

[sreigle]

Good info, Glenn. Thanks. I see it says "facilities that choose to carry ULSD must meet 15 ppm sulfur specification." That makes me think retailers can still choose to carry only LSD.

On the labeling it says if the diesel is ULSD the pump must be labeled as such. I find nothing about labeling requirements for LSD. Therefore I will have to assume if it's not labeled, it isn't ulsd.

Since 80% of all diesel produced is supposed to be ulsd I'd think there would be roughly that percentage of pumps labeled ULSD. Maybe it is on the car pumps. But the truck pumps seem to be heavily weighted to unlabeled pumps.

I drove through the Speedway pumps here in Goshen today, the truck pumps, and they all are labeled ULSD. Maybe this will be less a problem than I'm afraid it will be for awhile.

[mobilrvn]

How many refineries are there is the US---according to the TV talking heads, there aren't many. I can't imagine that any refinery is about to break the law and produce LSD instead of ULSD. Fuel has a fingerprint which would lead directly back to that refinery and then let the lawsuit begins, especially with the obscene profits the oil companies are making. Love to make the closing argument to the jury!

[padredw]

Just a very simple comment about this complicated question. On our recent trip across the Southeast US, every diesel pump we used had the aforementioned sticker. We sought only the lowest price and paid no attention to brand. We filled up in urban areas and open country stations. All had the sticker. Not that it would have been a problem since our Duramax is a 2002 year model.

[sreigle]

Padre, the stickers were for ULSD and not the other sticker that says low sulfur diesel (500ppm)? Thanks.

[padredw]

Steve, your question may have just pushed me beyond the level of my competence!

What I remember is that the sticker said "required for all...manufactured after... and recommended for all engines" I took it to be ULSD, but, as I said, it was not an issue for my vehicle. The sticker I noticed on all the pumps I used was the same on all of them.

Beyond that I'd better leave this discussion to those who know more about it than I do.

[sreigle]

That wording is only on the ULSD sticker, so that answers my question. Thanks Dave.