Cetane

[rynosback]

How many people use an additive that adds cetane? Which ones are you using? What if any difference are you seeing? How often are you adding it?

 

[WMonroe]

I haven’t used any fuel additives in my 17 in the two years I’ve owned it. Didn’t use any regularly in my 07 either now that I think about it.

 

[Hoefler]

I haven't used any fuel additive since I owned my 05. I've had an 08, 10, and this 14 with out using any additive at all, never had any fuel issues.

 

[Wayne M.]

I’m more concerned about lubricity than cetane. That said, I prefer Stanadyne additives, but I’ll use power service too.

 

[AH64ID]

Cetane additive is really only beneficial when you’re going to be starting in very cold weather, or doing a lot of low lod and low rpm driving.

Generally speaking fuel with higher Cetane has lower BTU’s, and can actually decrease efficiency.

On my 05 when it was stock it hated Cetane and would knock with it. When it got new pistons and tuning it ran really well on Cetane boost, but I would only run it on ranks where I was going to do a lot of low rpm and low load driving, like elk hunting where I won’t break 20 mph for 300+ miles.

I haven’t ran it in my 18 yet, and likely won’t until Elk camp.

I do like to use a lubricity additive thou, and prefer Amsoil.

 

[Jim W]

I do during the winter months only it is Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost. This is marketed as a winterizes anti-gelling product which you add to your diesel fuel when filling up. I usually add 1OZ to every 5 gallons of fuel when the day time are above 0F.

 

[Shiner]

I 2nd Jim's response. Same here.

 

[rynosback]

Thanks for the replies. A guy that has an F350 uses https://opti-lube.com and claims to get 1 mpg more when towing.

 

[Jim W]

Thanks for the replies. A guy that has an F350 uses https://opti-lube.com and claims to get 1 mpg more when towing.

It is very, very, very, difficult to track just a 1MPG increase in fuel mileage. When I was in working at CAT we would throw out any test result that show any type of improvement in performance if it was 10% or lower. Why? This could be operator induce error as to how they operated the base line test and than improvement test. This could never be repeatedly measured with the same results.

To prove this point I have used my wife's car a VW TDI as an example. This vehicle is operated more in the winter months than my truck is so, over the 7 1/2 years her cars fuel mileage varied by up to 1 MPG each year either up and or down. In the winter months "Diesel Fuel Supplement"was added @1 OZ per 5 gallons of fuel. The average yearly fuel mileage was 33.+/-1 MPG for city and some highway mileage. The mileage difference was whether I did most of the driving or she drove more than me that year. I tend to dive in the sport mode or manually row throw the gears on the DSG were she will just put the transmission in drive and let the car do it's thing.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I call "Barbra Streisand" on the 1mpg more when towing comment!

I used to run the AMZ/OIL Cetane on my 98 12V, I did NOT see or FEEL any difference!

 

[Regcabguy]

Good read here.
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-cetane-85603

 

[KCJackson1]

I also use Power Service DFS for its anti-gel. I'll start adding it in November, and use it through the end of March. One tank a year, I'll run PS Diesel Kleen jsut to make sure "stuff" isn't building in the system.

Cummins rates the B-series to use 40 cetane fuel which is generally what you'll find at the pump. Ford says 40 is "acceptable" in the 6.7L Powerstroke, but they recommend higher (42-45) because of how they designed it... similar to gasoline engines that are "acceptable" on 87 but recommend 89-91 for best performance and efficiency. So the owner who claimed better towing mileage with cetane boost than 40 from the pump with their Ford is probably not telling a tall tale.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Let's say the Ford guy was getting 10 towing and then went with Cetane additive and gained 1mpg. That's a 10% increase.

NO, that ain't gonna happen!

 

[orhusky]

I have run Stanadyne Performance with every tank, i use it mostly to help lubricate the fuel system and anti gel in the winter. I have a good friend that works for Cummins NW and says " You have to run something" to help lubricate the fuel system.

 

[Ozymandias]

The higher the better.

I can tell from my experience with my truck that runs in Europe as did in the US - with our Diesel it runs smoother, way less smoke and milage is better by 5% average.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetane_number

 

[Michaelsloft]

The higher the better.

I can tell from my experience with my truck that runs in Europe as did in the US - with our Diesel it runs smoother, way less smoke and milage is better by 5% average.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetane_number

I have had the same experience using a fuel additive with lubricity improver & cetane with the 1999 in my signature.

 

[Newsa]

The higher the better.

I can tell from my experience with my truck that runs in Europe as did in the US - with our Diesel it runs smoother, way less smoke and milage is better by 5% average.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetane_number

Just curious. By "our diesel" do you mean European Diesel? Or American diesel?

 

[Ozymandias]

@Newsa

European

 

[Newsa]

@Newsa

European

Makes me wonder if US diesel has more lubricity and cetane additives already as compared to European and other world suppliers.

 

[AH64ID]

US diesel has lower Cetane, and higher BTU's.