Fuel for thought – What you need to know about diesel fuel

Diesel fuel is widely used in the transport industry in buses, trains, boats and trucks. It’s also widely used in industrial and agricultural settings to power farm and construction vehicles. The military also employs diesel fuel is it’s less flammable and less likely to stall. Diesel fuel is also used in commercial vehicles with more and more people choosing diesel options for their personal use vehicles.

Whether you run a business which relies on diesel fuelled machinery or you have a diesel car for your own use, let’s take look at some interesting facts about diesel fuel.

Diesel fuel facts​

• Diesel fuel is safer – Diesel fuel is a lot safer than petrol as the vapours don’t explode or ignite aseasily. In fact, if you threw a lit match into a puddle of diesel fuel, it would just go out (but don’t try that at home folks!). You certainly wouldn’t want to try the same thing with a puddle of petrol! The fact that diesel fuel is safer is one of the reasons why it’s popular in industrial settings.
• Diesel fuel is more efficient – One of the biggest advantages of diesel fuel is that it offers better efficiency compared to petrol. Typically, diesel fuel is 20 to 30 percent more efficient than an equivalent petrol engine. This is a big bonus both in commercial and industrial settings.
• Diesel fuel is cheaper – Because diesel fuel is more efficient, it also means that it’s cheaper in the long run because you don’t need to fill up as frequently. This can mean impressive long term savings when compared to petrol vehicles. However, if you’re buying a commercial vehicle with a diesel engine, it’s important to remember that you can expect the purchase price to be more compared to the same model with a standard petrol engine.
• Diesel fuel performs better at lower speeds – In contrast to petrol, diesel fuel performs better at lower speeds. This means that diesel engines get to peak power at speeds below 100 kilometres an hour. On the other hand, petrol performs better at higher speeds.

​​In industrial settings, diesel fuel is the standard due to the superior torque and efficiency it can offer for machinery, trucks and other equipment. For commercial vehicles, petrol continues to dominate but diesel fuel is increasing in popularity as new age diesel engines lose their previous reputation for being loud and dirty.

Perth based diesel mechanics

When it comes to servicing and repairs for your diesel vehicles and equipment, Diesel West provides convenient and professional service. We provide mobile servicing throughout the Perth area and can also provide services in some regional areas. Our experienced diesel mechanics are experts at diagnosing and repairing faults and we can assist no matter how big or small the job.

Some of the services we offer include:

• Servicing for all makes and models
  
• Breakdown repairs
  
• Mechanical, hydraulic and electrical fault diagnosis and repair
• Hydraulic cylinder repairs
  
• Fleet maintenance planning and scheduling
  

For diesel mechanical services in the Perth area, contact Diesel West today on 0427 501 378.