Diesel Fuel Additives

[JBob Diesel]

I tried Diesel Kleen +Cetane boost, but my valves actually sounded louder. Have been using Amsoil Diesel Injector Clean and Amsoil Diesel Cetane Boost and truck has been running great!

 

[Crazy Horse]

Amalgamated TDR-S blend. 10oz. per tankful. 4-5 years now. Same 5 gallon pale about 1/3 left.

 

[RikDavis]

I can't help but wonder if it isn't all snake oil
On my 99 the original injection pump went 458K and the injectors are original at 576K. Truck still runs great.
I have never used any additive.

 

[mickeymack#1]

I'm in West Central Colo. and have about the same climate conditions as you do - I drive an '05 SRW 2500 with the 5.9 and use Shaeffer's Diesel Treat 2000 winter blend during the cold months and Schaeffer's Nuetra or Powerservice the rest of the year. Although anti-gel properties are important in the winter an additive with increased lubricity is needed year around to protect against the increased wear encountered from using un-treated ULSD fuel - I'm not promoting any particular brand here; just saying that, from what I've read and seen, increasing the lubricity of ULSD fuel is a must. I know that the fuel suppliers are supposed to add a lubricity additive at the yard BUT that's like 'If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor! Period.'

 

[mickeymack#1]

Here's more info from the tdi forums:

1) 2% REG SoyPower biodiesel
HFRR 221, 415 micron improvement.
50:1 ratio of baseline fuel to 100% biodiesel
66.56 oz. of 100% biodiesel per 26 gallons of diesel fuel
Price: market value

2)Opti-Lube XPD
Multi-purpose + anti-gel
cetane improver, demulsifier
HFRR 317, 319 micron improvement.
256:1 ratio
13 oz/tank
$4.35/tank

3)FPPF RV, Bus, SUV Diesel/Gas fuel treatment
Gas and Diesel
cetane improver, emulsifier
HFRR 439, 197 micron improvement
640:1 ratio
5.2 oz/tank
$2.60/tank

4)Opti-Lube Summer Blend
Multi-purpose
demulsifier
HFRR 447, 189 micron improvement
3000:1 ratio
1.11 oz/tank
$0.68/tank

5)Opti-Lube Winter Blend
Muti-purpose + anti-gel
cetane improver
HFRR 461, 175 micron improvement
512:1 ratio
6.5 oz/tank
$3.65/tank

6)Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000
Multi-purpose + anti-gel
cetane improver, emulsifier, bio-diesel compatible
HFRR 470, 166 micron improvement
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$1.87/tank

7)Super Tech Outboard 2-cycle TC-W3 engine oil
Unconventional (Not ULSD compliant, may damage 2007 or newer systems)
HFRR 474, 162 micron improvement
200:1 ratio
16.64 oz/tank
$1.09/tank

8)Stanadyne Lubricity Formula
Lubricity Only
demulsifier, 5% bio-diesel compatible, alcohol free
HFRR 479, 157 micron improvement
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$1.00/tank

9)Amsoil Diesel Concentrate
Multi-purpose
demulsifier, bio-diesel compatible, alcohol free
HFRR 488, 148 micron improvement
640:1 ratio
5.2 oz/tank
$2.16/tank

10)Power Service Diesel Kleen + Cetane Boost
Multi-purpose
Cetane improver, bio-diesel compatible, alcohol free
HFRR 575, 61 micron improvement
400:1 ratio
8.32 oz/tank
$1.58/tank

11)Howe’s Meaner Power Kleaner
Multi-purpose
Alcohol free
HFRR 586, 50 micron improvement
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$1.36/tank

12)Stanadyne Performance Formula
Multi-purpose + anti-gel
cetane improver, demulsifier, 5% bio-diesel compatible, alcohol free
HFRR 603, 33 micron improvement
480:1 ratio
6.9 oz/tank
$4.35/tank

13)Used Motor Oil, Shell Rotella T 15w40, 5,000 miles used.
Unconventional (Not ULSD compliant, may damage systems)
HFRR 634, 2 micron improvement
200:1 ratio
16.64 oz/tank
price: market value

14)Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant
Gas or diesel
HFRR 641, 5 microns worse than baseline (statistically insignificant change)
427:1 ratio
7.8 oz/tank
$2.65/tank

15)B1000 Diesel Fuel Conditioner by Milligan Biotech
Multi-purpose, canola oil based additive
HFRR 644, 8 microns worse than baseline (statistically insignificant change)
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$2.67/tank

16)FPPF Lubricity Plus Fuel Power
Multi-purpose + anti-gel
Emulsifier, alcohol free
HFRR 675, 39 microns worse than baseline fuel
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$1.12/tank

17)Marvel Mystery Oil
Gas, oil and Diesel fuel additive (NOT ULSD compliant, may damage 2007 and newer systems)
HFRR 678, 42 microns worse than baseline fuel.
320:1 ratio
10.4 oz/tank
$3.22/tank

18)ValvTect Diesel Guard Heavy Duty/Marine Diesel Fuel Additive
Multi-purpose
Cetane improver, emulsifier, alcohol free
HFRR 696, 60 microns worse than baseline fuel
1000:1 ratio
3.32 oz/tank
$2.38/tank

19)Primrose Power Blend 2003
Multi-purpose
Cetane boost, bio-diesel compatible, emulsifier
HFRR 711, 75 microns worse than baseline
1066:1 ratio
3.12 oz/tank
$1.39/tank

CONCLUSIONS:

Products 1 through 4 were able to improve the unadditized fuel to an HFRR score of 460 or better. This meets the most strict requirements requested by the Engine Manufacturers Association.
Products 1 through 9 were able to improve the unadditized fuel to an HFRR score of 520 or better, meeting the U.S. diesel fuel requirements for maximum wear scar in a commercially available diesel fuel.
Products 16 through 19 were found to cause the fuel/additive blend to perform worse than the baseline fuel. The cause for this is speculative. This is not unprecedented in HFRR testing and can be caused by alcohol or other components in the additives. Further investigation into the possibilities behind these poor results will investigated.
Any additive testing within +/- 20 microns of the baseline fuel could be considered to have no significant change. The repeatability of this test allows for a +/- 20 micron variability to be considered insignificant.

 

[vrabelm]

I have been using the Amsoil Diesel Injector Clean for the past 5 months, i was never much of a believer in fuel additives but since i and an Amsoil dealer i felt that i should use the products. so when asked i can give good feed back on the products. after the first two or three tanks i needed to change my fuel filter because it became pluged with sludge i have never seen a filter this dirty in the 10 years of owning this truck.(note this filter only had about 10000 miles on it) i have noticed a considerable increase in fuel mileage. i would never had belived it if i didn't experience it myself. one bottle treats two tanksyou can read about it yourself at www.synlubeus.com

 

[Tractorat]

Kind of high miles on a fuel filter, isnt it ? How often do you change your fuel filter ?

 

[AH64ID]

Kind of high miles on a fuel filter, isnt it ? How often do you change your fuel filter ?

Fuel filter life is 15K miles, over serving a fuel filter isn't recommended.

 

[Tractorat]

Well AH64, you made me look in my manual and it is indeed 15k miles. I dont know where I got the 10k mile from. Probably from the tdr.

 

[vrabelm]

Kind of high miles on a fuel filter, isnt it ? How often do you change your fuel filter ?

I would typically change it between 15 and 20k usually twice a year every 6 months.

 

[jacknife]

additives

Been running Howes for over 20yrs in my Road trucks all have had Cummins engines. Additives do not harm a DPF it is a filter meant to catch exhaust particulate. Which you may have less of if the additive causes combustion to be cleaner. The oil co are supposed to add addivives to counter the effect of low sulfer fuel but since diesel fuel is common pipe line you never know which refinary it came from . The sulfer was a main part of the lubrication of pump and injectors that is why most of what l have read by engineers and mech recommend useing some type of additive for fuel. Just the oppisite of what they say about oil additives in moderen oils.

 

[Killgore]

I have been using Stanadyne Performance Formula. Is it any better than the rest? Well, I don't know but it hasn't hurt anything yet. I have looked at the MSDS sheets for a number of additives and they are all basically the same with a duke's mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, mineral spirits, cetane improvers, and lubricity enhancers.

The test cited by Mickeymack#1 on the surface favors Opti-Lube. However, their product was the only one that wasn't bought off the retail shelf, but rather shipped from the manufacturer with knowledge that it would be tested for lubricity. Hmmm?

Will I continue to use an additive? Yep, probably will just like I continue to pay insurance premiums betting that I'll die or have a wreck.
- Ed