Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), or S-15 is diesel fuel containing less than .0015% or 15 parts per million (ppm) of Sulfur. The EPA required that all refiners producing fuel and all importers of fuel for on-highway use begin shipping this fuel in 2006.

Sulfur is an Extreme Pressure (EP) lubricant. It is regularly added to lubricating oils and greases to increase the lubricity and to raise the amount of pressure that the lubricant can handle before the lubricating molecular barrier begins to break down. Sulfur has always been a vitally important factor in providing lubrication to diesel engine fuel pumps, fuel injectors, and to a lesser degree engine valves.

ULSD fuel problems include significant issues with metallic fuel system components such as pumps and injectors due to the dramatic lowering of lubricity and with seals, gaskets, and other rubber or synthetic components due to the reduction of elasticity caused by removing the sulfur.

The new ULSD diesel formulation:

  • Results in the loss of “% to1% of the fuels energy content. This means less miles per gallon and less power over the old fuel.
  • Is more costly than its predecessor.
  • Holds more dissolved water than the “old” fuel causing faster formation of gums, varnishes, and carbon deposits.This higher level of dissolved water will lead to more cold weather problems when the higher level of dissolved water freezes and comes out solution sooner causing filter plugging and blockages at higher temperatures.
  • With higher levels of dissolved water is more corrosive than the previous fuel.
  • Is harder starting and requires longer warm-up periods, particularly in cold weather.
  • Has lower antioxidant properties, meaning it will degrade or breakdown more quickly than the previous fuels.
  • Has poor thermal stability, meaning that as the fuel is recirculated by the engine the engine heat will tend to break the fuel down quicker leading to more deposits and the resulting problems.
  • Is less viscous than the previous fuel; this will have an effect primarily on older engines in that they will have more internal leakage and less ability to “cushion” wearing parts. These “older” engines may not atomize fuel as efficiently resulting in lower mpg and higher emissions.
  • Has a narrower boiling range and will produce larger, irregularly shaped wax crystals. These larger crystals tend to lock together more readily causing the fuel to gel at a higher temperature.

IntegriBOOST combats the negative effects of ULSD fuel, leading to less corrosivity to fuel system components, improved cold weather performance and increased shelf life.IntegriBOOST‘s detergents cleans engine components and will help fuel burn more efficiently, leading to lower emissions and increased fuel efficiency, which greatly reduces operating costs.