Clean diesel for cars weeks away

The owners of thousands of diesel cars and trucks will have to wait up to a month before they can get clean supplies for their vehicles as costs of the additive crisis mount.

But most of the country's fishing fleet, tied up at ports, can expect clean stocks within a day or so as fresh diesel shipments leave the Marsden Pt refinery.

Road vehicles may have to wait up to four weeks for clean supplies because commercial fishing gets priority. Fishing boat operators have been told to wait for the fresh diesel before heading out to sea since the safety of crew is paramount.

Advice lines set up by the oil firms rang hot yesterday with about 6000 calls.

From 10 am today, another free-phone line should be providing information as well as assistance in organising the replacement of filters or providing reimbursement to those who have incurred filter replacement costs.

New Zealand Refining Company general manager Alan Davey said: "The free-phone [0800 003 002] has been established to assist those people who are experiencing unusual or persistent performance problems associated with diesel, such as hard starting, engines stalling after starting, significant power loss and in rare cases completely stopping due to clogged filters."

The interruption of commercial fishing comes at a costly time for the tuna fleet, which is midway through its brief season. Tuna boats can expect to earn $100,000 in a five-day trip. Bluefin tuna are found around New Zealand for only two months each year.

Federation of Commercial Fishermen president Peter Jones said he knew of one boat that had replaced clogged filters 11 times in the five-day trip from Auckland to Napier.

A large commercial boat would usually carry two or three spare sets.

Nelson fisherman Charlie Somervail replaced 10 clogged filters in a dash to Napier before last week's southerly storm along the East Coast.

In stormy weather with winds gusting to 80 knots and seas up to 4 metres, he had to replace eight primary filters and two main filters.

"Every two or three hours the engine would start to flutter. We'd switch off and then have to replace the filter," Mr Somervail said.

Managers of high-rise buildings have been warned to check pumps controlling sprinkler systems.

Chris Ryan, Insurance Council chief executive, said a key element of sprinkler systems was the ability of diesel-driven pumps to get water to the top of high-rises.

An additive in the diesel refined at Marsden Pt is clogging filters, causing engines to run badly and sometimes stop - a problem that has led one specialist mechanic to advise motorists not to use their vehicles until clean fuel is available.

The faulty fuel is not expected to cause permanent engine damage because the filters catch the contaminants, but the filters will have to be replaced much sooner than usual.

The Marsden Pt refinery produced 25 million litres of new diesel at the weekend.

"Although it sounds like we have produced a huge amount of new product, the supply chain is long and it will take time to turn over stock," Mr Davey said. "It will be up to oil companies and the shipping industry to decide how it should be delivered and prioritised."

He said tests had revealed that the substance clogging filters was undissolved particles of an additive mixed with diesel to improve fuel flow in cold conditions. However, it was still not certain exactly what had caused the problem.

The refining company has refused to name the European-based supplier of the additive.

Peter Trueman, a diesel mechanic from Morrison Automotive and Diesel in Onehunga, said he had advised people with diesel cars to park them and complain to the oil company.

Three customers had come in asking for their fuel filters to be replaced - a relatively simple job that would cost $80 to $100. But there was no point in changing the fuel filter while still running contaminated fuel.

"The real answer is getting fresh fuel to start with. There's no use just changing the filter then putting dirty fuel through it again ...

"We are recommending to customers to go back to BP and make them come to the party."

Consumers' Institute executive director David Russell said the Consumer Guarantees Act's merchantable quality provisions meant domestic diesel users were entitled to claim "consequential losses."

"They would have to be real and actual, not 'pain and suffering' if you broke down on the Desert Rd, but would include towing and accommodation."

Large commercial users would have contracts with oil companies and would be covered by the Sale of Goods Act, which meant they were likely to face longer, more expensive fights for compensation.

"If it does come to a legal stoush it will take years to sort out and will cost a fortune," Mr Russell said.

St John Ambulance, which operates about 20 diesel vehicles in Auckland, has not reported any fuel problems, but has stocked up on filters.

One organisation keeping a close eye on the crisis is the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which is monitoring 13 yachts racing to Fiji.

One yacht, the 10m Shenanagin, has been dismasted 240 miles from North Cape and is heading back under diesel power.