VALVOLINE SYNPOWER "Cummins Designed....".. I really want to use again BUT....

[roperteacher]

Klenger on these boards refered me to some stuff called "Valvoline Synpower Diesel additive" it has the cummins symbol right on the bottle..... I found some at Kragens and gave it a try... It says to add it every 3,000 miles. Lubes everything, cleans injectors, adds power. THis %&^%*&^ is awesome! It not only gives you more power ( I pulled my loaded 7500 lb trailer up 7% grade going 65 with pedal left stock 2500 HO 600 truck)... but I HAND CALCULATED to the last drop 17. 2 MPG !!! I was previously getting upper 14's and low 15's if lucky loaded. I burned one tank after using it, mileage returned to previous readings, put it back in, and back up to over 17 MPG loaded and pulling. I REALLY REALLY want to use this stuff atleast every other tank, will it hurt eventhough it says every 3,000 MI??? I might call the company and ask. Then again, they probably put that on there for a reason. Anyone else use it????? THanks!

 

[Winston Wolf]

Bump



Any others tried this stuff?

 

[roperteacher]

Thanks for the reply, I was hoping to get some more info here... . I bought mine from Kragens Auto Parts, but it is avail all over the place. They have a nice website to read up on the product. Hoping someone else will chime in!

 

[MCornwell]

You can use it as much as you want, just follow the dilution recomendations



even then, alittle more than rec. wont hurt.



I use PowerSerive Diesel Kleen in tha grey bottle along with 1 qt. of 2-Stroke



oil , it really quiets down the no-load "ping". I too notice a improvement of



the power, b/c of the added Cetane.



-Mitch

 

[roperteacher]

Thanks for the reply... I actually used the power service and my Mileage DECREASED... not sure why... anyway it says on the bottle " Treats UP TO 45 gallons" it doesn't say that if you stick the whole bottle in there it hurts it. Not labeled like the Power service where it is so many ounces to gallons of fuel. Just says UP TO 45 gallons... Like if I had more than That I would need more. THanks for the reply!

 

[roperteacher]

Thanks for the reply... I actually used the power service and my Mileage DECREASED... not sure why... anyway it says on the bottle " Treats UP TO 45 gallons" it doesn't say that if you stick the whole bottle in there it hurts it. Not labeled like the Power service where it is so many ounces to gallons of fuel. Just says UP TO 45 gallons... Like if I had more than That I would need more. THanks for the reply!

 

[rbattelle]

I am still debating the use of a fuel additive (don't use one now, never have). I might give this stuff a try, just for the extra pump lubrication... not sure where I can get it around here, though. There are no Kragen's... just Pep Boys, Advance, Napa, Autozone.

 

[roperteacher]

Rbatelle, it was YOU who refered me to this stuff!! I thought it was Klenger, but now that I went and looked back, it was you!!!! You found it online..... Some Walmarts even carry it! It is goooooooooooooooooooooood stuff!!!!!! I just returned from a 700-800 MI round trip pulling 8,000 miles. On the way up I got 17. 2 HAND CALCULATED to the last drop from her ( Driving at night, no A/C, 65-70 MPH)... . On the way home 105 degrees outside, A/C blasting away, some extra traffic, I got 16. 5 HAND CALCULATED. I am pleased. On the same trip I normally get 14, MAYBE 15 if I really baby it... I like it! GOing to use it every other tank or so. Says every 3,000 mi, but the post up above seems to think it's oK to use regularly. Probably save it for when I pull!



OOOPS... . meant to say 8,000 lbs, not miles!

 

[Rosco]

I have used fuel additives on and off since I got my first diesel in Sept' of 2002 but when all the talk about injector failures began I decided to be religious about using it. Up until now I've been using either the Power Service Diesel Kleen or the regular Power Service in the white bottle. Although, since I started using an additive with every tank of fuel I've been using the Diesel Kleen exclusively. I will say I've noticed a positive difference in my truck's performance, it's quieter and runs smoother. However, this effect took about 5-6 tankfuls but has remained constant since.



Additionally, I have been doing a lot of reading over on the Dieselplace regarding different types of additives. There is a ton of discussion regarding whether to use additives that either Demulsify or Emulsify the water in the fuel. Like the oil wars, these guys stand behind whatever additive they use.



Demulsifier additives make the water molecules attract which causes water droplets to form and drop to the bottom of our fuel tanks. Thus the water remains out of our fuel system and high pressure injection pumps.



Emulsifier additives keep the water molecules seperated and thus they pass through the fuel sytstem. Unfortunetly our high pressure pumps and injectors do not like water.



GM supports the use of Demulsifying additives for the D-Max which uses a high pressure pump like we have. This also may be why DC does not recommend using an additive because if you use an emulsifying additive you can cause damage.



After doing a lot of reading I have decided to switch over to Stanadyne fuel condtioner. It is hard to come by but seems to be a better product than the Power Service. I ordered it here http://www.scheiddiesel.com/stanadyne.htm and they have a special running until the end of the month. I got the "One Shot" bottles so I don't have to smell the opened bottles of PS any more.



I have learned quite a bit about additives in the past month or so. I suggest you guys do some reading over on the http://dieselplace.com/forum/default.asp and search for "fuel additives" or "demulsify" or "Emulsify". These guys have been dealing with injector problems for awhile and they have researched fuel additives extensively.



Good Luck.

 

[rbattelle]

I knew it was me that referred you to it, and I did that because if I do decide to use an additive that's the one I'm going to use (can't go wrong with "Cummins" stamped on the bottle). The only reason I don't use an additive now is I'm not wholly convinced it's necessary. But dead CP-3 fears are creeping up on me.

 

[klenger]

Demulsifier additives make the water molecules attract which causes water droplets to form and drop to the bottom of our fuel tanks. Thus the water remains out of our fuel system and high pressure injection pumps.

Rosco: No flame intended, and I know you did not make up the wording you quoted, but unless there is some magic that is happening inside our fuel tanks, the fuel is always drained from the bottom of the tank, otherwise there would be no way to get it out. That being the case, I don't think I would want to use a fuel treatment that demulsifies the fuel as you would be feeding pure water to the fuel system. Of course, the fuel-water seperator should remove the water, but ...

 

[Rosco]

Klenger: No flame taken . I just tried to best describe what I have been reading on this topic to let people know that all DFA's are not the same. Hopefully if anyone has any further questions they will follow my link and read for themselves.



Also, I think you DO want a demulsifying DFA so that the water will be trapped in the water seperator and not pass through the whole fuel system like a emulsifying DFA would permit.



If anyone can describe this better than me please do because I am no expert.

 

[WMcGuire]

if you will allow me to chime in, a little water in the fuel tank isn't the problem it used to be, water in the old steel tanks usually started them rusting out, flakes of rust really screws up everything in a high pressure system, the newer poly tanks don't rust. . emulsified water will pass through the water traps and plug up the filters, a small amount of emulsified water probably wont damage the engine but could harm the HP fuel pump, if there was a large amount of emulsified water, well that's another story, and maybe another engine! bottom line; let the water trap work the way it's supposed to and drain it regurlarly if you think water is getting in your tank, as Forrest Gump said "thats all I got to say about that!"

 

[roperteacher]

How would one know if water was getting into the tank. . dumb question I know! Anyway, is the biggest source of water in the tank from poor diesel fuel or is it coming from an outside source? I live in a very dry climate. Is the fuel water drain the big yellow lever by the fuel pump? How often do you open it up? Thanks!

 

[Rosco]

Roperteacher,



You are correct in assuming the yellow lever is the water drain. Also, it's best to drain the water after the truck has sat overnight and the water has settled to the bottom of the fuel filter canister. Sometimes you may need to bump the key once to get the water to flow.



As far as where the water comes from there are many places. One is condensation that forms in underground diesel tanks. This is even more prominet in tanks with a slow fuel turnover rate. Another cause is old tanks that allow groundwater to enter. That is why I go to places that have a high turnover rate. I actually drive past three places that sell diesel fuel to go to my "favorite" station.

 

[WMcGuire]

occasionally drain a little fuel from the water trap on your fuel filter into a clean jar, (there's been several discussions in these forums about the procedure), if you get more than a teaspoon from the trap you should set up a schedule to drain the trap regurlarly, if there's no noticeable water in the trap, then there likely isn't any in the tank.



there's any number of ways water can get into your fuel tank, the most likely one is the place where you fuel up, ask them if they have water traps on the pumps, ask if you can look at them, if they have a lot of water in them consider buying your fuel elsewhere, because they aren't doing their maintenance to insure they are selling you clean fuel, same if you are fueling from a storage tank out back, if you don't have a trap on the outlet you are probably the culprit, it's not rocket science, if you travel a lot and buy fuel at a lot of different places that don't sell a lot of diesel (like truck stops), an investment in an extra pre-filter water trap would be a good investment.

 

[roperteacher]

Thanks! I'll try and see if I can't drain a little into a jar. Will it only drain water? Or will it continue to drain fuel until I close the valve again? Thanks!

 

[Rosco]

It will continue to drain fuel.

 

[rbattelle]

That is why I go to places that have a high turnover rate. I actually drive past three places that sell diesel fuel to go to my "favorite" station.

Ha! I live less than 1 mile from a station that serves diesel and actually has a pretty decent turnover rate. Do I fill up there? Nope! I travel about 15 miles south of my home to a Pilot truck stop and fill up there. What's worse, the Pilot is almost always more expensive than the station right near my house!!



Now THAT, my friends, is an obsession!

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Ha! I live less than 1 mile from a station that serves diesel and actually has a pretty decent turnover rate. Do I fill up there? Nope! I travel about 15 miles south of my home to a Pilot truck stop and fill up there. What's worse, the Pilot is almost always more expensive than the station right near my house!!



Now THAT, my friends, is an obsession!

Haha, yeah I do the same thing. I drive past 4-5 diesel stations and drive 14 miles to my favorite truck stop out on the highway