I have been selling diesel fuel and heating oil since 1983 when I entered the business. The company has been here since the 1920s selling coal first, then heating oils in the 50s and now LP gas since the 70s. I watched the diesel market take off, when I came to work here we had all international trucks with gas engines. We bought our first diesel in 1985.

I installed a new underground bulk plant for diesel fuel and gasoline in 2009. The newest in Cincinnati and one of the very few.

I have in front of me a cheat sheet that was made up in the 60s I'd say that says #2 diesel has 138000BTUs per US gallon. Propane has 91500BTUs per gallon. I have shared this information with many people over the the years when comparing heating oil to LP gas.

And I just looked and today's info still says 138000btus, so no diesel never ever had more than 138K btu since at least the 60s.

I have seen the diesel change over the years, first in 1993 we got lower sulfur diesel that helps keep the air clean. Sure it lowered the lubricates in the fuel, they were replaced at the refinery in place of the sulfur. Then some where around 2003 we got ultra low sulfur diesel with less than 15 parts per million sulfur. Even more lubricates was added to the diesel fuel at the refinery.

Needless to say I have run about 10 diesels of my own on it all this time with no trouble. Removing the sulfur does not take away the power or btus.

We do add a additive package to all of our on road diesel fuel that helps improve the diesel and make it a premium diesel and that's how we market it because it is a premium diesel with a very expensive additive. The stuff cost like 35 bucks a gallon, the additive.

All #2 oil is ultra low sulfur now, even the dyed fuel we use for heating oil, which is a good thing. Because sulfur is corrosive and when it get's mixed with condensation it becomes a acid and cause damage like rusting, corroding out the bottom of your storage tank where the water/moisture lays. So getting rid/reducing of the sulfur was a good thing.

Lastly the additive is nice and surely can't hurt, but I don't use it much in my freightliner because 75% of the diesel I buy for it comes from a truck stop somewhere out on the road and don't even burn my own diesel most of the time. Wish I could take more than 200 gallons of it with me when we go out of town with our RV. And I don't carry any additive with me because we get it in totes and it's a hassle to put it in smaller container to carry with me and to have to pour it in and not spill it or get it on me.

No I surely would not add any ATF even to a older diesel, the new ones I think you could even cause damage like said above.

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