What Diesel Fuel Additive do you use?

[The Pinkfingers]

So diesel fuel in Canada is now all low-sulphur diesel (not new news, I know). Better for the environment, but unfortunately for delicas and other older diesel engines, it was the sulphur that provides much of the lubrication. So you need to add a lubricating agent to your tank with each fill up. Which one do you use / recommend?

I've been using "MotoMaster 3-in-1 Diesel Fuel Conditioner." Provides lubricity for low sulphur diesel; prevents cold weather gelling; cleans injectors (says the bottle). $7.99 at Canadian Tire, good for four fill-ups. It's been working fine.

Today I went in to buy some more, and also noticed these two:

"Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost." With SlickDiesel for lubrication; Anti-gel formula; keeps injectors clean; boosts cetane (says bottle). $9.99 at CT, good for 6 fill-ups. Bought a bottle to try out.

"MotoMaster Injector Cleaner." With Anti-gel and lubricity agents (says bottle). $9.99 at CT (on sale for $4.99), good for 2-3 fill ups. Bought a bottle to try out.

I'm wondering which one is better?

I think adding some veggie oil also does the lubricating trick, but without the other benefits of cleaning the injectors and such.

[Green1]

So diesel fuel in Canada is now all low-sulphur diesel (not new news, I know). Better for the environment, but unfortunately for delicas and other older diesel engines, it was the sulphur that provides much of the lubrication. So you need to add a lubricating agent to your tank with each fill up. Which one do you use / recommend?

The low sulphur diesel doesn't have sulpher acting as a lubricant, but they add other lubricating agents, the companies selling ULSD say that it is every bit as lubricating as sulphur diesel was. It would seem that the car manufacturers agree as well, every engine manufacturer recommends adding NO additive... I trust their advice...

[The Pinkfingers]

The low sulphur diesel doesn't have sulpher acting as a lubricant, but they add other lubricating agents, the companies selling ULSD say that it is every bit as lubricating as sulphur diesel was. It would seem that the car manufacturers agree as well, every engine manufacturer recommends adding NO additive... I trust their advice...

I understood this to be for new diesel cars, not for older diesel engines

[deLOOKA]

I was wondering about this product that a retired truck diesel mechanic had recommended.
Ever hear of it?

http://www.bgprod.com/products/diesel.html

Thanks!

[loki]

The low sulphur diesel doesn't have sulpher acting as a lubricant, but they add other lubricating agents, the companies selling ULSD say that it is every bit as lubricating as sulphur diesel was. It would seem that the car manufacturers agree as well, every engine manufacturer recommends adding NO additive... I trust their advice...

I understood this to be for new diesel cars, not for older diesel engines

If this was true (that it was ok only for new engines) there would be diesel engines dieing in the thousands because of it and the gas stations and oil companies would get their asses sued off. I would expect that there would be tons of warnings that ULSD was not compatible with older engines if not even using a different sized pump like they had with leaded and unleaded to help stop people mixing them up, Companies don't tend to take risks like that with their money and reputation. I guess I could be totally off my rocker though :)

[FalcoColumbarius]

The best product I have come across is called "Howe's". I have tried a product called "Power Service Cetane Booster" and would definetely not recommend it; my fuel consumption went from 500 kilometres per 60 litres down to 400 kilometres in the first time using it. You can get Howe's at Lordco. It retails at eight bucks and change for a 350 ml bottle, which is one tank full worth ~ but if you buy a case of twelve it goes down to five bucks a bottle. It is recommended to use one of these bottles every time you fill up in the Winter and every second time you fill up in the Summer. It may appear pricey at first glance but in the long run I think it is much cheaper, especially with the sudden increase in the price of diesel these days. Have you noticed the price of Gasoline has gone down to $1.31 but diesel is still at $1.50? Peculiar considering that diesel is a by product of Gasoline...

Falco.

[jessef]

The low sulfur diesel at our pumps is fine and you do not need to add additives providing you are doing regular oil changes, fuel filter changes and have a good running IP and clean tank...

I have heard this from 2 diesel mechanics I trust and did my own research.

The only time when you 'need' to put additives into our diesel is because of hardened seals and/or clogged injectors.

[marsgal42]

I don't use any additives either. Chevron and Petro Canada both insist their ultra-low sulfur diesel is OK for older engines. We're not the only ones affected: look at all the older diesel cars running around, particularly VW and Mercedes-Benz. If this was going to wreck older engines it would already have happened, and there would be major lawsuits on the subject.

This is quite different from the switch to unleaded gas, where running unleaded in an engine designed for leaded gas will raise hell with the exhaust valves. There aren't many such engines still on the road, and their owners either use lead replacement additives, or rework the exhaust valves and seats for unleaded gas. MMT helps, even if it makes sparkplugs turn brown. Look at the ads in the back of, for example, Classic & Sports Car.

Lots of people run biocide through their fuel systems to keep Things from growing in them, but I was advised by people at West Marine that diesel cars and trucks do not need such treatment unless they sit idle for weeks on end. So I don't.

...laura

[jrman]

I use the Racor stuff...1-2 ounce per tank - nice measuring bottle - get it from Marisol Marine in North Van under 2nd Narrows bridge. On the other hand - I don't obsess about is either if I've run out. Regardless of the ULSD or not - there is quite alot of evidence out their on the web regarding the advantages of "lubricity" additives. Those retired guys with RV hats running massive diesel engines in their dually trucks tend to obsess about this issue as well - more so in hopes of finding the magic mileage improving recipe I think as opposed to engine wear issues. Regardless, there is a lot of test data on the net to go over and make up you own mind one way or the other. The product should offer improved lubricity, anti gelling in winter, and help remove water from fuel (I forgot the technical term for that..emulsifying or something like that anyway). For me - I lean towards the opinion that it's cheap insurance on an older diesel vehicle whom a large group of people believe needs the fuel conditioner - and at an ounce a tank - I'm ok with the piece of mind and price for it.

[delicat]

Australian seem to have good results with Acetone but mostly for better fuel mileage (a drop of over 1.5L/100Km). Seems pretty safe as well:

"Just got an email from my father the industrial chemist.

Quote:
Acetone is a lower boiling point solvent and would tend to lower the ignition temperature of the ad mixture.
> Acetone mixes well with diesel and is completely miscible with it.
> At the concentration that you listed about 1 :667 it should do no harm and would probably improve performance in a car engine. "

Here's the link:
http://www.delicaclub.com/viewtopic.php ... c&&start=0

And I have no opinion on this one, haven't tried it, just bringing Australia a little closer...

[39Ronin]

Low sulpher is the indirect culprit to less lubrication in diesel, one of the cheapest processes to remove sulpher is hydrotreating it. Adding hydrogen is what reduces the lubrication quality.

[2strokepete]

Hi There for many years now Diesel fuel has gone through many changes in order to be more enviromentaly friendly! In some of the older engines it can have effects to the working componants of the engine IE, hardening of the pump seals, detterioration of certian types of fuel lines, erossion of internal componants of the injectors, poor lubrication of the upper cylinder, IE piston rings and cylinders, valve guides. alot of us techs have run acrossed many different engine failuers and most of them have been contributed to lack of lubrication or poor lubrication. Service is the main key to a healthy engine!!
In my buissnes I have run accrossed a product line which I use in commercial applications, which was developed buy a trucker in the days that a diesle engine needed 50 to 60 quarts of oil and a lubrefiner to travel long distances with out short intervals of service. Try looking up Lucas Oils. It has seviced me well for over 25 years now and I have nothing but excelent praise for the product line we use it every day in my buissnes and that includes in my owen vehicles.

WWW.lucasoil.com

[Pajerist]

Hi, everybody!

Just got:

"Diesel-Tone" "GUNK" brand fuel injector cleaner which "restores proper combustion for improved performance,cleans injectors" and

"DIESEL KLEEN + cetane boost" which "for maximum fuel lubrication, cleans dirty injectors, reduces exhaust emissions" and especially "boost cetane up to 6 numbers" what is it?

What do you suggest to use or something else?

Thanks!

[normaltype]

[Golf Cart]

2-3 ounces of 2 stroke motor oil every other fill up