How to check the quality of automotive fuel?
The quality of automotive fuel can be checked using the following methods:
- 👀 Visual inspection. We pay attention, first of all, to the color and transparency of the fuel. Gasoline should be light yellow or colorless, and diesel fuel - light yellow or greenish. The fuel must be transparent, without mechanical impurities or water (stratified drops, turbidity). Of course, the definition of quality "by eye" is not enough.
🧪 Using rapid tests. There are special strips of cardboard onto which polymer composite material is applied that changes color when interacting with metals. The principle of their operation is that if you touch such a strip with a filling nozzle, its color will change depending on the content of certain substances in the fuel. Intensity of staining can indicate an excess of sulfur, nitrogen-containing compounds, the presence of lead or iron. But the use of rapid tests allows assessing the quality of gasoline or diesel rather superficially and the result of the study will not have legal force, to say nothing of the sensitivity of the test that might fail.
🚘 Using sensors. A special sensor that can be installed on the car's fuel system can measure certain parameters fuels such as density, viscosity, water content and others. The principle of its operation is based on various refractive index of the fuel depending on its quality. However, installing such a sensor will require to prepare the fuel system and involve certain manipulations with it. Moreover, the sensor itself must be subject to periodic maintenance, so that its indicators remain reliable.
- 🔬 Fuel analysis in the lab ⚗️. The most reliable method, which involves a comprehensive study of the fuel for its quality. It allows you to get accurate data without prior intervention in the fuel system and before purchasing a significant amount of petroleum products. At the same time, the study of the fractional composition, the content of water, methanol, sulfates and other substances in the fuel is carried out. Thanks to the conclusions issued by the laboratory, it is possible to compare samples from different suppliers.
It is recommended to use fuel only from reliable suppliers, keep it in stock and, if necessary, carry out quality checks in the laboratory. This will ensure efficient and safe operation of the car, eliminate the risk of buying low-quality petroleum products saving you from the financial costs associated with equipment repair.
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