Diesel quality in Central Asia Q&A

[roro]

Hi Kaye,

Yes, every time I fill the tank , I pour the additive in it, it's mandatory to protect your injectors.
I don't know about GO filter, except I've brought few new filters with to change it when I've done 8000-10000 km.
I've spent 3 monthes in Asia, including Iran and Mongolia.
My Def is a 2006 one.

RR.

[Lovetheworld]

Well the annoying thing is that you usually get bad fuel right before going over the highest passes.
However, if you only go through Kazakhstan and Russia, you will not have much high mountain passes. Basically it is Tajikistan that has high roads.

It would be useful to read fault codes using a bluetooth dongle or something like that, that you connect to the car (ODBII or so).
Preferable something that lets you remove them (Torque app)

[real2234]

Hi,

do you think diesel in Kazakhstan isn't good not even in famous brand stations? I drove with my car Euro 6 DPF in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova and Azerbaijan without paying much attention about fuel quality and I never had any problems and never put any additives.

Have I only had so much luck or is diesel in these countries of acceptable quality? Would it be better to choose "premium" diesel, if there is at the pump?

This summer I will go to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (here is diesel or I have to bring it with me?): could I have more problems in these countries?

Thank you!

[Lovetheworld]

In Kazakhstan you can sometimes see that they offer Euro 5 diesel next to normal diesel. I don't know what you get to a fuel station that just sells diesel. But when you see the Euro 5 diesel I would immediately fill up there.
Maybe Kyrgystan is okay too. I would go for the best looking (brand) fuel stations just to be sure.

Uzbekistan is the real risc here. I would try to fill up as much as you can before the border, even buy some temporary jerrycans or use big water bottles as temporary jerry cans.

[real2234]

Hello,

thank you for the answer. I still have a question and I would like to write it here because I would not like to open a new thread just for this reason: I read the whole thread also consulting the interesting map at the link concerning diesel but I would like to ask: does anyone know if the diesel in Kyrgyzstan is of quality acceptable, at the same hypothetical level as Kazakhstan or not?

I ask because I should as I have written go to Uzbekistan by entering from Kyrgyzstan and, if I take jerrycans with me, will I be able to fill them with acceptable quality fuel in the city of Osh? I saw on Google Maps that there are also Gazprom petrol stations there: could fuel be safer there or nothing changecompared to the others?

Or maybe it is even better to fill jerrycans in Kazakhstan before entering Kyrgyzstan? Is it allowed to cross the border between KZ and KGZ with about 100 liters of fuel or could I have problems?

Thanks a lot!

[Lovetheworld]

I can't answer that. We have a very simple diesel engine, and we just filled up everywhere in Kyrgyzstan. I was happy not to worry about it anymore unlike Uzbekistan or parts of Tajikistan. On average, I would say Kyrgyzstan is better organised than the surrounding countries. With some exceptions, you can notice it with the better roads. I assume this is the same for diesel on average. However, we don't have a Euro 6 car.
Still I would think you can fill up in Kyrgyzstan at a decent fuel pump and take extra into Uzbekistan.

What will your route through Uzbekistan be? To get an idea of the distance and the cities. Because it makes a big difference if you exit from the north-western border or go out earlier.

[real2234]

I will enter in Uzbekistan from Osh (Dostyk border crossing) and I'll drive to Beyneu crossing Uzbekistan through Fergana valley, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nukus, Kungrad and Jasliq.
My car has a little diesel engine and the tank contains about 50 liters, so with a full I could hypothetically cover almost 1000 kilometers, considering that in Uzbekistan roads should not have a good tarmac and with a normal car it is better to drive slowly.

In any case I made a more pessimistic forecast, planning to do 16 km with a liter of fuel, so I would need three full to cross the whole country.

Furthermore, given that it is precisely the western area, through Karakalpakstan, the one where maybe it's more difficult to finding diesel and the road should be very bad after Jasliq and in the middle of the desert, running out of fuel there is something I would like to avoid at all costs.

Anyway, thank you for the answer!

[Elki]

Hi, I have an MAN 18.340 Euro5. I deliberately bought it in 2013, i.e. before E6 was introduced and AdBlue became unavoidable.
I can tell you I was shit-scarred about high sulphur diesel in some countries and all the stories about blocked filters and stuff.

Bottom Line: we crossed Iran (!!!) twice, a country where Diesel has >5000ppm. We did about 9'000km, filled about 1900 Liter … and we never ever had a problem - never! a bit of black smoke when starting the engine or driving uphill … nothing else

I am not a mechanical expert but I suggest you talk to your supplier … what may help (and that is what we do) is to change your oil in shorter intervals.

Enjoy driving … worry a bit less I am talking from personal experience.

[Elki]

I just noticed the discussion went on about other Stan-countries. Following Iran, we did TKM, UZB, KZG and will soon enter TJK.
We never had a problem … never! and this with a 2013 Euro5.
In UZB you may find it more challenging to find Diesel, but on our route from Nukus to Fergana it wasnt really a problem. In Buchara we filled up at the black market … the Diesel came straight from the tanks of TKM-trucks … top quality!
Generally speaking, but that is true for the whole world, it might be advisable to buy fuel at more frequented, more modern stations … and just fill up whenever you have a chance. In KGZ, I once filled up at a Gazprom station … but did not notice any difference to Red Petroleum.

Again, enjoy your driving, worry a bit less … and dont take more than one jerry can along with you … there are plenty of stations (with the exception of UZB … but as mentioned, even there you wont run dry)

[real2234]

Sorry if I answer just now but thank you for your informations. I'm now in Kazakhstan and and for the moment I have not had any problems with diesel, although for safety I bought additives before entering the country.

Thank your again!