Lower Sulphur Diesel
The Petroleum Products Specifications Regulations 2002 require diesel supplied from 1 January 2006 to have a sulphur content of no more than 50 ppm (parts per million). In practice, lower sulphur diesel will come on the market several months in advance (beginning from September 2005) to ensure all diesel is compliant by the required date.
Lower sulphur content will mean fewer harmful emissions from diesel vehicles and will facilitate the importation of the latest clean diesel vehicles featuring advanced emissions control technologies.
Most diesel consumers will not notice any change in the operation of their engine. However, when lower sulphur diesel is first introduced, there may be a temporary increase in fuel injection pump seal failures for some vehicles (most likely pre-1995 Japanese light diesel vehicles).
Diesel owners should:
- Check for signs of a seal failure and have seals replaced if a failure occurs;
- Establish or maintain a routine maintenance program.
For more information see the documents below.
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