So i went to the gas station to fill up and this guy pulls up in the pump across from me in 6.0L excursion. I always try to say hi and ask what people have going on with their trucks when I run into another ford diesel.

This guy was saying that he has the 6.0 and a 7.3 at home and how he always puts additives in the fuel year round. He said it has to do with how they put less sulfur in the fuel today than they did when these trucks were made and since the sulfur acts as a lubricant for the fuel pump and injectors, you'll run into all sorts of problems if you don't do it.

I've had this truck for 2 years now and have only used additives when it gets really cold out to keep things from jelling up, but that's it. I've never had any problems and this guy was almost talking to me like i was a dummy for not doing it. Is what he was saying correct, or is it just something the kind of people who still have plastic wrapping on their furniture after 5 years do?

 

I'm told there's up to 5% biodiesel in my area, so that helps to offset the lubricity lost wtih ULSD. That said, I still add ashless 2 cycle oil at 1oz per gal to each tank year round, both to lubricate and to quiet the injectors.

I hear cetane may be low with ULSD as well, and so an additive that addresses that shortage can be a good thing. You'll hear recommendations to try Stanadyne and others that are sold at the diesel repair shops.

Motorcraft's additive is also highly recommended, and addresses both lubricity and cetane. I plan to try that next, since I'm not improving cetane with the ashless oil.

 

...and their car seats...

Well I'll share an opinion......It's a cheap chocolate cookie in the middle of the night with milk...it's the second check to make sure the doors are locked before going to bed...it's changing oil in your car every 3k miles like clockwork. It's just like every other miracle oil/fluid/spray on the market.

Basically it gives one a good feeling of security or having done something special. Can't hurt though other than the wallet. Question would be does it help? I would think if you live in Artic conditions and need to worry about gelling because it actually happens there, or if you rarely drive the truck and it/fuel sets a long time where changing temps can cause condensation in the tanks, then okay. But if it's driven all the time (constant fuel replacement) and you fuel up at a good station that is more likely to care for it's fuel storage tanks I don't think it's necessary.

 

I put 2-cycle in the fuel (appx. 1 once per gallon) and add the white bottle to that during the winter. The cool thing with an Excursion's large tank is that 40oz of Blueish-Purple stuff going into your tank from a liquor bottle can raise an eyebrow or two at the pump!

I don't know if the 2-cycle benefits the engine or not, but it definitely does quiet down the injectors. I'm pretty sure that I could get away without any white bottle, but as mentioned above, it makes me feel better.

 

This truck is my daily driver. I've put 15,xxx miles on it since i bought it two years ago. I've never noticed fuel injector noise over the clackity clank of the engine, but I haven't really listened for it either.

So basically what i'm hearing is that there is really no proof that it's needed. It's like throwing in a pizza before the oven is fully preheated. Were you supposed to wait? Probably. Was it delicious anyway? Heck yeah it was

 

The people that can prove this haven't stopped by yet. Some of us have read their research and said "makes sense to me!" Like everything else here, I'd recommend doing a search and start reading.

 

• I read a long article about how the fuel distributors make the final mix just before delivery. Apparently, whatever additives they put in are time-sensitive. We've all heard "Always use fresh fuel." and "Don't store diesel too long."
• I've noticed a difference in the engine sounds (quieter) when I use additive, and I've read many posts that echo my experience.
• They used to have something in the fuel, then they took it out. They didn't take it out to improve performance, they took it out to improve emissions. Remember - catalytic converters improve emissions, and we all know how much we love those.
• I had my truck live-tuned while it was on additives. Would there be a difference? Maybe not.

I'm sticking with additives that improve cetane and lubricity, plus some help with gelling in the winter.

 

Which 2 cycle oil does everyone use? The only stuff I could find locally is a Marine formula by Penzoil. Will that work? I do use Stanadyne every other tank.

 

Even though the subject of additives has been beaten to death here, it still leaves a big question mark for me regarding the cost to benefit. (Except in the case of additives for anti-gel properties). In the following link to a thread from a few years ago, a member here, 'aklim' makes an interesting argument against the cost to benefit of additives in post #43. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ou-like-3.html

 

My own take on this is I am doubtful there is anything empirical to back it up. Can't hurt. Does it help? No one knows.

 

I think there is plenty of empirical data out there. In this forum regarding threads about additives, most if not all of the claims are empirical. In fact, there's more of that than real data and testing to back up the claims.

 

Can you site a single double blind study that has been done to demonstrate your point?

 

Hey...what's the old saying....if it feels good do it....LOL

Fuel is expensive enough, I don't need to add additional self-inflicted pain....with no gain.....isn't that another old saying?

 

Jesser - on the 2 cycle oil - I'm using the stuff from walmart. Super Tech TC-W3. I keep my used 20oz dr pepper bottles and fill them up from the gallon jug. If I fill up at 1/2 tank, I get about 1oz/gal ratio, pouring one of these bottles in before fillup.

 

Empirical data/evidence and a double-blind study are basically opposites of each other when it comes to proving or disproving something. I think the word you meant to use there was "cite".

On the subject of additives; if old diesel has sulfur in it, the sulfur is for lubricating the fuel system, ULSD has less sulfur in it, and certain additives have something to lubricate the fuel system, I dont think its a stretch to assume that some additives can definitely provide a benefit to your truck, assuming you are running ULSD all the time.