Diesel fuel conditioner?

[Philip Saran]

One of my friends recommends that I add a can of DFC Plus Diesel Fuel Conditioner with
each tank fillup.

Anyone use this stuff? Open to comments and opinions.

 

[KRSmitty]

I run Power Service in mine every now and then...not every fillup.

 

[DonR]

I run the Power Service Diesel Clean just about every fill up. There was a great article in a recent Diesel World or Diesel Power magazine that discussed how the boost in cetane works. Seems it works in reverse of octane which slows down ignition to prevent spark knock. Cetane speeds up the combustion. They did say that if there's any boost in power or mileage it's minimal but it did make for a cleaner burn. So I figure if it keeps anything from sooting up I might as well use it. I buy it at WalMart by the gallon because it's cheaper that way, then I just put in 16 -20 ounces when I fill up.

 

[BarryG]

While I have not used that particular one. I did religiously use Amalgamated in my 01 for many years. On my 01 I noticed it ran quieter for sure didnt really notice any improvement in mileage that I recall. The Amalgamated was written up in the TDR many years ago in an article (was actually about diesel fuel and additives how they work not really a piece on their stuff they came out with the TDR line later). I have used it in my 17 but ran out and just haven't reordered. You never hear about it except at a place like this as they do not really do retail they typically sell to refineries, fleets etc. In the link below look at the TDR-FL and the TDR-WDA. Used to be you could only buy it in 55 gallon drums or 5 gallon pails. The 5 gal pails they changed to have spouts so it is easy to fill other containers with. I use the metal bottles for camping fuel. Been using the same bottles for well over 15 years. Have six of them and just throw them in the truck toolbox in the bed. While I cant say for sure this is still the case as I have not looked lately but some of the stuff like Power Service will state something like increases cetane 6 points or adds winter protection down to -20 but if you read the fine print you have to double dose it to get that. Whereas the Amalgamated you don't need to double dose to get what they say (by the way nothing against Power Service at all they have many many happy customers, just using them as an example several of the other brands do/did the same thing on their label).
https://www.amalgamatedinc.com/tdr-fl.aspx warm weather stuff
https://www.amalgamatedinc.com/tdr-wda.aspx cold weather stuff which I ran year round

You will probably also notice that most folks don't run any fuel additives and consider them snake oil or just unneeded and others swear by them- have to make your own decision. There was a test out there on the web that tested some of the additives (Amalgamated was not one of them)
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76.../177728-lubricity-additive-study-results.html
all it really tested was the wear scar or lubricity improvement of the additive (HFRR test) not any of the other claims that the additives made but was interesting to note that some of the additives actually made the lubricity worse.

 

[KRSmitty]

I agree with you DonR...I do not believe I have ever seen any increase in power or MPG. At time I think I might have lost some MPG. But, it has not seem to hurt anything...been running it in my last 2 trucks.

 

[6V92TA]

from what I understand , ULSD has a lubricity additive thrown in at the refinery.

basically cetane number is the good burning qualities or empirical numering system for rating themeasurement of the ease of ignition property of a diesel fuel..

 

[Jim W]

The only time I add a fuel additive is during the winter months. I will either use Howe's Diesel Fuel treatment or Power Service winter additive. I add this to both of my diesel vehicles just to insure against diesel fuel jelling.