Anybody use Diesel Additives?

[MowHoward2210]

Besides the obvious anti-gelling properties of the winter formulations, I've been told that they are necessary due to the lowering of the sulphur content which can accelrate wear on the pump componants. I've also been told that these fuel additives are not necessary because the refineries add the necessary additives. Then I've also heard that the additives are only put in the red (off-road) fuel, and not the #2 that you can get on the road.

Can anybody clear this up?

I've used the Power Service brand regular and winter formula conditioners on my JD 2210 which has a small Yanmar diesel. The raised cetane level does seem to make the engine a little quieter.

[guest]

I use Power Service in the silver bottle. Mostly for the increase cetane value. I also use the Lucas fuel treatment oil primarily for added lubrication for the injection pump in both the Deere and the Cummins. Diesel fuel comes with the additives already added on and off road diesel. I go with the Power Service as it is cheap and Walmart carries it. Stanadyne Performance Forumula is probably the best fuel additive on the market but costs more. Stanadyne used to make the fuel conditioner for Deere up until a few years ago. I use their additive now and again as well.

Here is a link to a good review of diesel fuel issues:



http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/diesel/L1_toc_rf.htm

[Argee]

I use cetane booster occaisonally when I can remember to add it to the can when refueling it. I haven't seen any measurable difference.

[chipmaker]

In the south algae or bacterial growth in diesel fuel is a big problem, so I use additives that are supposed to also contain these algeal growths.......I pick it up at West Marine....and do not remember the name. I also use PRI-D as well as PRI-G which I also get at West Marine.

[MowHoward2210]

Thanks for the link, Chief.

[Archdean]

Besides the obvious anti-gelling properties of the winter formulations, I've been told that they are necessary due to the lowering of the sulphur content which can accelrate wear on the pump componants. I've also been told that these fuel additives are not necessary because the refineries add the necessary additives. Then I've also heard that the additives are only put in the red (off-road) fuel, and not the #2 that you can get on the road.

Can anybody clear this up?

I've used the Power Service brand regular and winter formula conditioners on my JD 2210 which has a small Yanmar diesel. The raised cetane level does seem to make the engine a little quieter.

Chief gave a good source of info, Yes I use additives and recommend that you do too!

Red dye thing from Chief's article: It's just a tax issue no different than at the pump you just pay more!!

Sorry for extracting it but I learned something also!! Jet A Jp4/5 Who knew!!

"The EPA Requirements Originally, the EPA's low sulfur diesel regulations required the addition of blue dye to noncomplying high sulfur (>0.05% mass) fuels. But after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expressed concerns that blue-dyed diesel fuel might be confused with the most common aviation gasoline, which already was being dyed blue, the EPA changed the dye from blue to red.


The EPA regulations require "visible evidence of the presence of red dye" to identify high sulfur fuels intended for off-road use. In practice, this requires refiners to add a level of red dye that is equivalent to no more than 0.75 pounds/1000 bbl (ptb) of a solid Solvent Red 26 dye standard. Solvent Red 26 was chosen as the standard because it is a unique chemical available in pure form. Diesel fuels are actually dyed with liquid concentrates of Solvent Red 164 because this dye is more fuel soluble and less costly than the standard. Solvent Red 164 is a mixture of isomers that are very similar to Solvent Red 26, except the former incorporates hydrocarbon (alkyl) chains to increase its solubility in petroleum products.

Any red dye observed in the fuel of a vehicle in on-road use triggers a measurement of the fuel's sulfur content. Penalties are assessed based on the actual sulfur content of the fuel, rather than simply on the presence of dye. The IRS Requirements The IRS regulations require that tax-exempt diesel fuels, both high sulfur and low sulfur, have a minimum level of a Solvent Red 164 dye that is spectrally equivalent to 3.9 ptb of Solvent Red 26 dye standard. This level of dye is more than five times the amount required by the EPA regulations. The IRS contends that the high dye level is necessary to allow detection of tax evasion even after five-fold dilution of dyed fuel with undyed fuel."

[draddogs]

Well we use a C-tane booster if we are using a low sulfur road fuel... which does not have the lubricating properties as high sulfured off road fuel because of emissions.. As far as algae and other warm weather gunk we have no problem w/ as we use the fuel up very quickly in our 500 gal portable fuel tanks placed on site in srategic spots on the 900 acres we just started to turn into a new subdivision.....

[Wingnut]

I use Power Service since 1982 it kills off the Fungus that growths in Diesel.
Chipmaker the fungus is a bacterial growth that has an appearance of algae and as you well know down south it can clog up the water separator, pumps, and injectors! Algae require light to grow, fungus doesn't.

[lb59]

Besides the obvious anti-gelling properties of the winter formulations, I've been told that they are necessary due to the lowering of the sulphur content which can accelrate wear on the pump componants. I've also been told that these fuel additives are not necessary because the refineries add the necessary additives. Then I've also heard that the additives are only put in the red (off-road) fuel, and not the #2 that you can get on the road.

Can anybody clear this up?

I've used the Power Service brand regular and winter formula conditioners on my JD 2210 which has a small Yanmar diesel. The raised cetane level does seem to make the engine a little quieter.

There are 2 blends #1 and #2
One is for summer and the other is for winter.
Either one of them comes in both red or clear
And either one of them will work on or off the toad.

[Keweenaw4310]

Another thread dug up from the archives!

It's power service for me. I've been using it in winter ever since my system gelled up so bad I couldn't start my machine. It was about -22F outside and maybe -14 in my detached tractor garage. It was before I had the wood heater in there, so I had to build a tent around the machine with tarps and use a propane heater to get things flowing again.

[Mack Trucks]

Just a small bit of info I have learned about is that they are now adding 2 % soy diesel into all fuel in Minnesota. This is a big benefit I am told for lubrication value as well as power and milage. I am told that a lot of the additives that were being added to the fuel in the past was soy based. Note pure soy Diesel will gel quicker but I drive truck for a paycheck and I havent seen any problems with the 2% blend at all this year yet.

[Stumpy!!]

I have to put my .02 in on this! Up here in the northeast, off road and on road fuel are the same product. Irving, injects the dye as the product is being loaded into the transport. On and off road comes from the same tank. Now that being said my oil company sells Irving premium plus deisel fuels. The winter blends come in with a cloud point of -20 deg F and a pour point of -46!!!!!! We do not use any additives.....at all!!! This is a really good product, we have four trucks that sit out and cold soak/ cold start every morning. No problems!!!
The lubricity issue is aimed at the older trucks (which, like tractors, there are still many around and working hard!) we still run a few old ones with no troble, but the sulfer is going to be cut again. Addditives will be needed for any mechanical injection system. The newer common rail systems are fine, the were engineered for low sulfer fuel.
Centane numbers mean nothing unless you are putting near 100% load on a diesel engine(from my observation) the average diesel fuel is cut with K-1 Kerosene to lower the cloud/ pour point at a sacrifice of cetane value. The fuels that are protected with a chemical package retain there higher cetane rating. The lower the number the more fuel required to do the same work. Milage suffers. If you are running around town to get coffee in your one ton banks boosted intercooled and chipped Dodge/Ford/ Chevy Dulley pumping out a potential 600 horse taxing the engine to about 2% cetane is a non issue.
A route delivery truck loaded to its GVW or an over the road tractor rippin' up over the mountains at 100% load will notice a large decrease in power.


Down off my soapbox now :fing20: Power service is a good product, good fuel is also a good solution, sometimes you actually get what you pay for

[Mickey]

Stumpy, think you've got a misunderstanding about cetane. It is a measure of combustion property not energy content. One might be able to make a case that a change in cetane affects power but it would only be slightly and due to the variation in timing between when the fuel was injected and when it started to burn.

See here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetane_rating

This is sim to the misunderstanding that many have about octane and gasolene. Again it's a measurement of combustion property and not energy content. Actually higher octane rated gas is harder to ignite than the lower rated gas.

[Stumpy!!]

Good article, I understand cetane ratings, I wentback and re read my post. In gasoline higher octane gasoline is harder to burn, preventing preignition and detonation. If you mix a diesel fuel with a cetane rating between 40-46 with 30% with kerosene it will drop that cetane value. The lower the number the less potent the fuel is. Everything I was taught about deisel engines was ignition should occur upon injection. The lower the cetane rating the more lag in ignition. The more incomplete combustion, with a drop in power.

I may not be able to get it out right, but I understand it in my head :bannana: ROF Thanks for the reply, I am awake this morning now :fing32:

[Carm]

Since we do not run our backhoe or Oliver very hard I never noticed any power loss. I run Jet A from my waste fuel at work. I mix some motor oil in it for lubrication. I never had any issues with gelling (of course it rarely gets that cold here). Just adding to the mix! Our Jet fuel has an anti icing additive in it. It gets colg up above 40,000 feet!

[lb59]

Another thread dug up from the archives!

It's power service for me. I've been using it in winter ever since my system gelled up so bad I couldn't start my machine. It was about -22F outside and maybe -14 in my detached tractor garage. It was before I had the wood heater in there, so I had to build a tent around the machine with tarps and use a propane heater to get things flowing again.
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I use 3 ounces per 5 gallon of diesel.
Here is the easiest way to do it.
Pour 9 ounces of Power Service from the white bottle into a baby bottle.
Take a black felt tip marker and mark the 3 6 and 9 oz measurements on the baby bottle.
Once you\'ve done this you will never have to mess with cleaning up a funnel and measuring cup again after adding the 3 ounces of power service to the 5 gallon can of diesel fuel.
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MY FIRST CAR http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/chev5003.htm
OUR FIRST CAR http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/chev6003.htm
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