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Syrian diesel quality? Syrian diesel quality?
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Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  #1  
Old 21 Jul 2011
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Syrian diesel quality?
Hi folks

Would anyone know, or mind looking if you're there, what the sulphur content of the diesel is?

Slightly odd question perhaps.

In Morocco for instance, there is the number 50 on all the pumps, meaning 50 parts per million which as far as I know is OK for all new vehicles.

A thread elsewhere from a few years ago said Syria had 6000ppm, which would mean a new vehicle (Euro 4 or 5 emissions level I think?) would need a new engine after maybe 1000 miles

Thank you in advance if you can find out!!!

Cheers

Jason

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  #2  
Old 23 Jul 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grizzly7 View Post
Hi folks

Would anyone know, or mind looking if you're there, what the sulphur content of the diesel is?

Slightly odd question perhaps.

In Morocco for instance, there is the number 50 on all the pumps, meaning 50 parts per million which as far as I know is OK for all new vehicles.

A thread elsewhere from a few years ago said Syria had 6000ppm, which would mean a new vehicle (Euro 4 or 5 emissions level I think?) would need a new engine after maybe 1000 miles

Thank you in advance if you can find out!!!

Cheers

Jason
Sorry i dont have the numbers, but we filled up 4 tank fulls (4x80=320ltrs) of syrian diesel in our '08 pajero which is pretty much EURO blah .. blah.. compliant and that was 25,000kms earlier, no problems till now so i guess the syrian diesel did not kill my Paj.

cheers
Vicks
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  #3  
Old 16 Aug 2011
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Syrian diesel has very high sulphur content - if you're going to spend any time in the area (and that includes Jordan & Egypt), then best make sure your engine oil has a high TBN number.

Ian
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  #4  
Old 15 Sep 2011
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Thank you both.

I had to email tech support at several oil companies to find out TBN numbers for their products a while ago, but found a truck oil with a fairly high one available near me. Tom Sheppards favorite seems no longer in production.

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  #5  
Old 17 Sep 2011
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Thanks for the info I'm about to get a diesel . I just read this. "The higher the TBN of new oil is not always a good indicator of how well the TBN will last when the oil is subject to extreme heat and corrosive exhaust gases. (TBN retention) Some oils with high starting TBN’s are used up very quickly leaving little protection against corrosive by-products that form in the used oil towards the end of the drain cycle. CITGARD and SynDurance heavy duty diesel engine oils have proven to offer excellent TBN retention and corrosive wear protection under severe operating conditions and extended service intervals." - does the oil you mention cater for TBN retention? How long before changing it in these circumstances?
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  #6  
Old 19 Sep 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grizzly7 View Post
Hi folks

A thread elsewhere from a few years ago said Syria had 6000ppm, which would mean a new vehicle (Euro 4 or 5 emissions level I think?) would need a new engine after maybe 1000 miles



I see this misconception all over the Internet.
High sulfur diesel does NOT hurt an engine as long as high TBN oil is used and changed appropriately.
It can damage modern emission systems (Euro 4 and 5, US EPA 2007 and later).

Charlie
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  #7  
Old 26 Sep 2011
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I agree with M37Charlie on this one - I've been recommended either Mobil Delvac XHP Extra or Shell Rimula RTX for my Unimog U1300.
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Old 26 Sep 2011
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//http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolistenmain.php?navigation_path=bevolisten&blat t=228.5&content_action=show
Pick an oil from this list, they all have high TBN and are high quality. Most of the oils on this list have TBN about 16, which is very high.
The Mobil Delvac XHP Ultra 10W40 is an excellent choice. If you want a full synthetic and don't care about the price, use what I use in my U500: Delvac 1 SHC 5W40.
If you have an engine with a diesel catalyst and/or DPF and don't do the advisable thing and disconnect/bypass it (using the proper electronic patch!!), pick an oil from list 228.51. Their minimum TBN isn't as high but it is adequate with more frequent changes.
Does anyone in their right mind want to go to Syria right now? Thousands of people have been killed by the government...

Charlie
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Last edited by m37charlie; 26 Sep 2011 at 18:39.
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Old 27 Sep 2011
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Originally Posted by m37charlie View Post
Does anyone in their right mind want to go to Syria right now? Thousands of people have been killed by the government...

Charlie
Right mind,,,probably not,,,, but going all the same. Should be crossing sometime in November hopefully with Ian and his wife in convoy.

I have read for $100 they will escort you across but i want to visit some tourist attractions on the way. They are hardly going to shoot tourists considering 15% of their GDP is tourism and i'm not planning on going to any gatherings.

BTW that oil table is a great find. Need some high TBN oil myself. If it wern't for Toms book would anyone even know about this? Is it just bull?

This table shows what sulfur is in fuels
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/d/d/de/Spec_136_2.pdf
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  #10  
Old 28 Sep 2011
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Originally Posted by neill.bird View Post
Right mind,,,probably not,,,, but going all the same. Should be crossing sometime in November hopefully with Ian and his wife in convoy.

I have read for $100 they will escort you across but i want to visit some tourist attractions on the way. They are hardly going to shoot tourists considering 15% of their GDP is tourism and i'm not planning on going to any gatherings.

BTW that oil table is a great find. Need some high TBN oil myself. If it wern't for Toms book would anyone even know about this? Is it just bull?
If you educate yourself about motors and motor oil you'd know about TBN.
Go on, reassure yourself they won't shoot you because they need your tourist dollar; right up to the point that bullet leaves the barrel...

Charlie
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  #11  
Old 28 Sep 2011
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Originally Posted by m37charlie View Post
If you educate yourself about motors and motor oil you'd know about TBN.
Go on, reassure yourself they won't shoot you because they need your tourist dollar; right up to the point that bullet leaves the barrel...

Charlie
To answer your slur on my knowledge on motors and motor oil. I do know a thing or two about both but i do question the validity of TBN in the EU. In fact most oil supliers don't even quote it here.

Possibly in preparation for your trip round the world you might learn enough to keep you mouth shut when you don't know what you are on about or at least when you comments are meaningless other than to do nothing but ridicule something you know nothing about. Been to Syria recently have we or indeed anywhere ?
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  #12  
Old 29 Sep 2011
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"slur": there's been a thing or two written about TBN since Tom Sheppard's book. Have you frequented www.bobistheoilguy.com. by chance? Many EU oil suppliers quote TBN if you read their Product Data Statements. I could quote them ad infiniteum.
http://www.lubrizol.com/Products3col...d&itemid=34976
"Ridicule": I see a lot of bravery with people saying they have plans to travel to countries where citizens are being killed right and left. I guess not my idea of a vacation.
I have travelled to 6 continents and 35-40 countries (4 continents, 8 countries in the Unimog) without getting robbed or kidnapped and would like to keep it this way.
I admit it. I'm a chicken. (who knows a lot about motor oil). I have no intention of going to Syria in the near future.
Is that satisfactory?

Charlie
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Last edited by m37charlie; 29 Sep 2011 at 18:02.
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