Za Rulem experts have spent more than a year conducting field checks at gas stations. After storing samples of winter diesel fuel in a freezer, some DT samples turn into a thick acidic cream, or even lose all fluidity. If a real car faced this in the first night of cold weather, well — you get the idea.
On this trip the team set out to see what winter diesel is sold in popular tourist routes through the Tver region, gathering samples along the way from Moscow to Torzhok, Ostashdok, Peno, Andreapol, Nelidovo, Rzhev and Volokolamsk.
Special attention was paid to lesser-known gas station brands. A few sturdy names act as steady contenders, the kind that usually get it right.
Where does non-winter diesel come from in winter?
It exists and functions under the rules.
Diesel producers are bound by four regulatory documents at once. According to GOST R 52368 and GOST 32511 they produce Euro diesel, according to GOST R 55475 fuels designed for cold and arctic climates, and according to GOST 305 the rest. Winter diesel is categorized into four classes (not to be confused with ecological classes) with filter temperatures ranging from -20 C to -38 C.
At one gas station, staff honestly warned that the diesel sold was out of season, with a filterability temperature of -26 C. Winter delivery was expected the following day…
Winter Diesel Classes and Arctic (Class 4)
| Parameters and Classes | 0 | a | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Limiting filterability temperature, C, not higher | -twenty | —26 | —32 | —38 | -44 |
| Cloud point, C, not higher | -10 | -16 | -22 | —28 | —34 |
OUR REFERENCE
Low temperature properties of diesel fuel are defined by three temperatures: turbidity, solidification and limited filterability.
- The cloud point marks the onset of paraffin crystallization in the fuel.
- The maximum filterability temperature signals the point at which the fuel system stops passing fuel.
- The pour point is the temperature where the fuel loses mobility, typically 5–7 C lower than the limiting filterability temperature.
What should you watch for?
Using winter diesel is seasonal but recommended. GOST R 52368 notes that from November 1 to March 31 in the Central region it is advised to use winter fuel of the 1st class with a maximum filter temperature not higher than -26 C.
No class is specified in the fuel designation; here are examples of different standards:
- EURO diesel, winter, class 0 (1, 2, 3), environmental class K5 according to GOST 32511-2013: DT-3-K5 (GOST 32511-2013).
And the symbol for diesel class Z with a filter temperature of minus 25 and environmental class K5 according to GOST 305-2013: DT-Z-minus 25-K5 (GOST 305-2013).
Be prepared for varied receipts — fuel labels can look very different.
In one case, the receipt listed Surgutneftegaz, but the checkout showed Tvernefteprodukt. The most expensive sample (59.22 rubles per liter) did not freeze on freezing tests, so brand names were not the deciding factor.
Raid results
Prices ranged from 48.00 to 59.22 rubles per liter — a spread of up to 23%. No direct link emerged between price and frost resistance.
Only one of fifteen samples was clearly unusable, at 49.00 rubles per liter.
Some samples became cloudy in the cold but retained fluidity. Overall, the situation shows improvement over previous years, though the diesel freezing problem persists. What you pour and what you see on the receipt remains a lottery after years of testing.
While a quality certificate can offer reassurance, it rarely guarantees the actual fuel delivered to the tanks. Questions about the fuel’s journey to the station and potential tank leaks linger.
At a gas station in the Zubtsovsky district a Gazpromneft certificate claimed winter fuel, though the receipt showed summer; curiously, it did not freeze. Two stations lacked passport documentation entirely.
On the bright side, requesting a passport or copy does not provoke negative reactions — with colder weather, such requests have become routine and station staff are used to them.
The team drove nearly 900 kilometers during the raid. It was a long haul, but the effort paid off.
Expert guidance from Behind the Wheel
When planning long trips in a diesel car, fuel stops matter. The raid indicates gradual improvement, yet it is wise to refuel at well-known branded stations and avoid reliance on uncertain options. Stations with higher throughput tend to refresh their tanks more frequently, reducing the chance of pulling stale or summer-grade fuel.
No anti-defrost additives can rescue a frozen fuel line; only a tow and a warm space can restart a diesel engine. Remember: fuel bought in a warm region can harden to stone when traveling north.
Diesel car owners should prioritize branded petrol stations for refueling.
Test results for diesel fuels at -30 C
| Cashier’s check details | Name according to the check | Price per liter at time of purchase, rub. | Check the results |
| Mirage LLC, Tver region, Torzhok, Kozhevnikov st., 1, gas station No. eight | DT-E-K5 | 54.10 | cloudy, retaining fluidity |
| SO LLC Tvernefteprodukt, Torzhok, gas station No. 91 | DT-Z-K5 | 59.22 | no reactions |
| Rusoil LLC, Tver region, Kuvshinovo, Oktyabrskaya 201 | diesel fuel | 54.50 | cloudy, retaining fluidity |
| Ostashkovnefteprodukt LLC, Ostashkov district | DT class 5 | 57.90 | no reactions |
| OOO Ostashkovnefteprodukt, Ostashkov–Peno highway | DT (winter) class 5 | 57.90 | no reactions |
| SO Tvernefteprodukt LLC, Peno, Zhagrenkova 2b | DT-Z-K5 | 59.22 | no reactions |
| Andreapolnefteprodukt LLC | DT class 5 | 59.10 | no reactions |
| IP Syruzhkin SN, Nelidovsky district, Podberezye highway | DT euros | 48.00 | cloudy, retaining fluidity |
| NTK Esinka, Rzhev district, Esinka village | DT f | 49.00 | completely frozen |
| ARIS-AZS, AZS No. 29 (Rzhev) | DTZ | 57.00 | no reactions |
| Lukoil-Tsentrnefteprodukt, Zakharovo | DT-Z-K5 | 56.20 | no reactions |
| RN-Tver, Zubtsovsky district, Shirkino | DT-Z-K5 | 57:30 | no reactions |
| Teboil Rus LLC, Nosovo village | DT-Z-K5 | 55.79 | no reactions |
| Stimul Truck LLC, Prinsenbergen | DT-L-K5 | 53.20 | cloudy, retaining fluidity |
| Gazpromneft-center, Shakhovskaja | DT OPTI winter DT-Z-K5 | 56.65 | no reactions |
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