The present work focuses on the performance and emissions characteristics of a diesel engine operating on synthetic diesel fuel produced according to the Alphakat (KDV) technology. The purpose of the research was to examine the influence of the fuel of a new origin on the autoignition delay, cylinder gas pressure, brake thermal efficiency (bte), brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) and emissions characteristics when running the engine on normal diesel fuel (OF) and KDV synthetic diesel fuel (SDF) over a wide range of loads and speeds. The bench tests were conducted on a naturally aspirated, four-stroke, four-cylinder, direct injection (60 kW) diesel engine D-243. When KDV synthetic diesel fuel was used the autoignition delay increased by 4.3 degrees crank angle degrees (CADS), the beginning of combustion occurred 4.2 degrees later and the maximum cylinder pressure increased by 1.8% compared to conventional diesel operation. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of p(max) was 3.5-1.4 times higher for corresponding loads at rated speed of 2200 rpm. The maximum brake thermal efficiency decreased by 1.6% and 4.0%, and the minimum bsfc values increased by 2.6% and 4.5% compared to the normal diesel running at respective 1400 and 2200 rpm speeds. The maximum NOx emissions were 3.0% and 12.8% higher when running on KDV fuel than those, 13.3 g/kW h and 10.9 g/kW h, generated by the normal diesel at speeds of 1400 and 2200 rpm. Respective ratios of the NO2/NOx were 4.6% and 4.0% for KDV synthetic fuel, and 4.8% and 2.9% for normal diesel fuel. The CO and HC emissions generated by KDV synthetic diesel fuel were 30.8% and 8.3% higher as against those, 2.6 g/kW h and 1.2 g/kW h, produced by the normal diesel running under full load at rated 2200 rpm speed. As beneficial trade off, KDV synthetic diesel fuel suggested the maximum smoke opacity 21.7% and 14.0% lower at respective speeds of 1400 and 2200 rpm. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.