Diesel fuel contains significantly more energy per gallon than standard gasoline, which is one of the reasons why it has a wider variety of uses. When purchasing diesel fuel for your vehicles or equipment, you may want to consider the grade of the fuel, the most common of which are #1 and #2 diesel. While the differences between the grades do not affect what you can use the fuel for, there are certain advantages and disadvantages associated with each that could influence your decision.

Here’s some information about those advantages and disadvantages from our diesel performance shop in Corpus Christi, TX.

#1 Diesel

You can generally expect #1 diesel to be a bit more expensive than #2, and for it to have fewer energy components. While those are the main drawbacks associated with this grade of diesel fuel, there are also certainly plenty of benefits to consider. The biggest benefit is that it will rarely have problems when being used in cold weather, which is the opposite of what you’ll experience with #2.

The main reason why #1 diesel is beneficial for cold-weather settings is that the paraffin was removed from the chemical mix when creating the fuel, which means the chemical will always remain in liquid form even as the mercury starts to dip lower and lower.

#2 Diesel

#2 is the kind of diesel you’re most likely to find at gas stations across the country and around the world. This type of diesel fuel has the highest number of energy components and lubricating properties you’ll find in a fuel mixture, and offers the best overall fuel performance on the market. It is ideal for protecting important parts of a diesel system, such as injection pumps, seals and more.

The other main benefit of #2 diesel is that it is generally less expensive than #1 diesel, because it isn’t as difficult to produce. However, as we already briefly touched on, you do have to be a bit more careful about the use of #2 diesel in cold temperatures. When the temperature drops, #2 has a tendency to thicken into an almost gel-like state, which can cause hard starts, stalling and other issues.

This is just some basic information to give you an overview of what’s involved with #1 and #2 diesel. Keep in mind that there are also blends of the two fuels available in some circumstances. Often known as “winterized diesel,” this blend tends to have a bit higher concentration of #1 grade, and is ideal for use in the months where using #2 grade isn’t possible, but where you still don’t want to have to pay the full price associated with pure #1 diesel. Just make sure that your engine is capable of handling this mixture. Some engines are only designed for #2 diesel, which means prolonged use of the mixture could result in reduced engine performance and lifespan.

Coastal Diesel Injection specializes in a full range of services for diesel engines. Visit our diesel performance shop in Corpus Christi, TX to learn more!