Fuel Additive

[johnharris]

Hello All, I had an 02 before my 20 and always used Stanadyne additive which worked great (never replaced injectors). I recently called Stanadyne and asked if it would be ok to use in my 2020 and they said it would help more since it would help the DEF particulate. They also told me to not let the truck idle, just get in it and go since the particulate would build up. Has anyone heard of the idle issue?

 

[R.Taylor]

No issues here... I already have 60 hours of idle time on my 19' and I have run OptiLube XPD with every fill up since day one. You want to run a lubricity additive for your CP4 pump... Don't worry about the injectors.

Go with OptiLube XPD... It's better than Stanadyne.

 

[AH64ID]

It’s a very common recommendation to not idle these trucks, and part of the reason idle hours are displayed.

Cummins defines excessive idling as averaging more than 10 minutes per hour, or over 17%. Less that 10% is a good goal.

I’m currently at 825 total hours with a 72/753 split. 8.7% or just over 5 minutes per hour.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Fuel additives are mostly a waste of money, maybe use some anti-gel if you bought summer fuel and still have it in the tank.
572,540 miles so far on mine and never used any fuel additives.

 

[bcbender]

Fuel additives are mostly a waste of money, maybe use some anti-gel if you bought summer fuel and still have it in the tank.
572,540 miles so far on mine and never used any fuel additives.

I think the OP as well as myself whom recently let our old faithful 3rd gens go; and feel like we traded one fuel system problem for another.. IE injector failures for CP4 woes; are asking how to minimize the risk of a major fuel system failure. (same as adding filtration and fuel pumps to the 03-05 trucks that we did more than ad decade ago)...

 

[AH64ID]

I have not seen any evidence that fuel additives will prevent CP4 self destruction, unlike improved filtration and its effect on injectors 3rd gens and the fact that Bosch has different fuel filtering criteria than Dodge.

I used fuel additives every tank on my 05, no I use them irregularly and very infrequently unless I’m looking for Cetane or anti-gel properties for a specific tank.

While I don’t feel that CP4 failures are lurking around every corner I do feel the best preventative maintenance for a CP4 is a CP3. So if you’re that worried sell the 19-20 truck, while the values are still very high, and get a 18- or 21.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

It’s a very common recommendation to not idle these trucks, and part of the reason idle hours are displayed.

Cummins defines excessive idling as averaging more than 10 minutes per hour, or over 17%. Less that 10% is a good goal.

I’m currently at 825 total hours with a 72/753 split. 8.7% or just over 5 minutes per hour.

I used to believe this also. Now, I’m not so sure.
This is my ‘14,

and I believe the idle hours are not accurate. I’m the original owner and I do not idle the truck. This truck has been plagued with emissions issues.
This is my ‘14 work truck,

it has never had an emissions issue. We have a handful of these trucks at work with similar hours/miles and not one has had an issue. All these trucks run the same additive, Powerservice white bottle.

 

[AH64ID]

That's a lot of idle hours!!

The 13+ trucks can certainly handle idle time better than 07.5-12, but that's impressive on the work truck plain and simple.

I’m the original owner and I do not idle the truck.

Those hours reflect that you don't idle it, and are similar to mine that I don't idle. 8.7% is low.

The idle hours I accrue mainly come from stop lights, stop signs, stop to look at an animal, or check the trailer, loading and unloading kids, etc. It amazing how quick 30 seconds here and there adds up, especially when I make it a point to not idle.

 

[RammerJam]

The hour meters on these things are known to be a bit irrational.

 

[nukegm]

The hour meters on these things are known to be a bit irrational.

yes sir. mine 2018 2500 reset itself several months ago. i have never touched this truck except oil filter etc. will try and have dealer fix it when i go in for warranty stuff that they dont want to fix hopefully next month... cheers!

 

[Tuesdak]

Does turning on the "high idle" still count as idle hours? I use it all the time in hot weather to help the AC work.

 

[RammerJam]

Does turning on the "high idle" still count as idle hours? I use it all the time in hot weather to help the AC work.

I've been told that even when you're in gear, if you're not moving or if you're moving slowly, that counts as idle hours, too.

My idle hours are up and I don't sit and idle hardly at all.

I don't worry about it.

About the only time I'd worry about it is if you're buying used and there's a butt-load of idle hours.

 

[AH64ID]

Does turning on the "high idle" still count as idle hours? I use it all the time in hot weather to help the AC work.

Yes it does, if I’m going to idle for whatever reason I use it and have had it click over another hour in this mode.

I don’t really worry about it, but do play a game with myself to keep idle hours at 1/10th of drive hours or less.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

I do my best not to idle any more than necessary, like when hooking and unhooking trailers or warming up or cooling down.
Last pic I took of the hour count was quite a while back, just under 8% idle to driving.
And, hours to miles shows an average speed of about 63.5 MPH, my truck doesn't rest much when it's running!
#ad

 

[AH64ID]

I’m getting a 58.9 mpg average off those pics, jeez... so much lower

 

[AKDoug]

I'm happy if my truck is at 50% idle hours. It's a work truck and I'm not shutting it off every time I stop to supervise something, and I'm sure not driving it without a 10 min. warmup (even plugged in) at 0F.

 

[bcbender]

yeah I was going to ask about that.. I typically warm up the engine in the cold weather and always before towing a heavy load.. Is that no longer recommended? I will have to check the OM.

 

[AH64ID]

3-5 minutes is what Cummins recommends, but not to exceed 10 minutes.

That’s out of their ISB/QSB manual.

The 6.7 will handle cold idle better since the programming issues the exhaust brake to help warm up the motor. I don’t actuate the exhaust brake to help, as that’s more backpressure than I like on a cold motor.

 

[RammerJam]

Personally, I think using high idle at warm-up when the engine is cold is much better for it. Especially for those of you that use 15w-40 oil.

It gets the oil and the fluids moving faster. It gets lubrication to where it belongs quicker.

I wish UConnect had a way to engange High Idle when remote starting. That might make it a little more worthwhile.

Still not worth it, IMO. Even when it was free I didn't bother with it much. Half the time, the truck wouldn't start due to no signal if it was cloudy, if you were near or, especially, under a tree or if a bird flew over and flatulated.

 

[AH64ID]

They go into fast idle pretty quick when cold, and quicker with remote start than a normal start. 1000 rpms vs 1100, but still effective.

FWIW high idle is rated rpm without a load, fast idle is what we use with the cruise control buttons.