Fuel additive
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 42
Likes: 1
Fuel additive
Picked up a 2001 7.3 truck last week and need to fill up soon. I've been running 2 - stroke at 1 oz per gallon in my in my 12 valve cummins and an older Detroit for years.
Should I do the same with the 7.3? Use a different product? Nothing at all?
Thanks
Should I do the same with the 7.3? Use a different product? Nothing at all?
Thanks
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,286
Likes: 263
From: North of Greenville
It won't take many responses before you get a "yes" to all three of those options.
I would say that if you feel the need to do something, the simplest thing to do is to keep doing what you've been doing. After all, it's not the engine design which determines the need (or lack thereof) for using fuel additives... it's the fuel itself which will be no different in your 7.3L as it is for the other engines.
I would say that if you feel the need to do something, the simplest thing to do is to keep doing what you've been doing. After all, it's not the engine design which determines the need (or lack thereof) for using fuel additives... it's the fuel itself which will be no different in your 7.3L as it is for the other engines.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2014
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I really wanted to make sure their's no reason not to put a certain lubricant in these trucks, other than I'd be throwing money away. As long as I'm not causing any problems I'm happy with the 2 stroke.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 50
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I have read that 2-stroke oil leaves a deposit on the injector tip that eventually makes them fail. I had used 2-stroke oil for about 10k miles on mine until I read that and then switched to using Stanadyne. Many people have not had problems with 2-stroke oil after much more than 10k miles, though. I don't use the truck enough to worry about the cost of Stanadyne over 2-stroke oil. I'd rather not risk injector failure and the improved MPG from the cetane boost is nice.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,609
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From: Arizona
I have read that 2-stroke oil leaves a deposit on the injector tip that eventually makes them fail. I had used 2-stroke oil for about 10k miles on mine until I read that and then switched to using Stanadyne. Many people have not had problems with 2-stroke oil after much more than 10k miles, though. I don't use the truck enough to worry about the cost of Stanadyne over 2-stroke oil. I'd rather not risk injector failure and the improved MPG from the cetane boost is nice.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Which would be why TC-3W is so popular and why so many have no issues using it. That's what I was using. You probably won't harm anything by using it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 483
From: Southern OH
I tried a few different fuel additives when I first got my truck, but I never saw a difference in performance or mileage. I haven't used any additives for 4-5 years now, I just stick so the simple 5K oil change and 10K fuel filter change, Motorcraft filters for both.
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It's a Van Gogh
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,802
Likes: 1,333
From: Elk Grove, CA
I always recommend 2 things: always use a fuel additive, and never use an oil additive.
When these trucks were built diesel fuel contained more sulfur. EPA decided it was bad for you, so current fuel is ULSD, ultra low sulfur diesel. So the engine is missing out on some fuel lubricity that was part of the original design parameters. Not a huge deal, but it's something. Not as big a problem as going from leaded to unleaded gas, for instance. For the sake of longevity I always add something to help lubricity, plus they usually increase cetane and help prevent gelling in cold weather. All done with chemicals the EPA thinks are better than sulfur, apparently. Power Service is usually what I use.
HEUI injectors really give the oil a workout. The oil must perform as expected since that influences how the injectors work. An example of that is worn out injectors responding nicely to the slightly different qualities of synthetic oil. Additives can help on certain things, but they can also interfere by foaming etc. So my 2 cents is keep the oil fresh-ish and leave it alone.
When these trucks were built diesel fuel contained more sulfur. EPA decided it was bad for you, so current fuel is ULSD, ultra low sulfur diesel. So the engine is missing out on some fuel lubricity that was part of the original design parameters. Not a huge deal, but it's something. Not as big a problem as going from leaded to unleaded gas, for instance. For the sake of longevity I always add something to help lubricity, plus they usually increase cetane and help prevent gelling in cold weather. All done with chemicals the EPA thinks are better than sulfur, apparently. Power Service is usually what I use.
HEUI injectors really give the oil a workout. The oil must perform as expected since that influences how the injectors work. An example of that is worn out injectors responding nicely to the slightly different qualities of synthetic oil. Additives can help on certain things, but they can also interfere by foaming etc. So my 2 cents is keep the oil fresh-ish and leave it alone.
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
as Pete said, if you feel good using it, go for it.
i am of the no additives needed camp. and i feel my 88 having 495,000 miles on it without any additives ever being added to the fuel tank, and the 02 with 194,000 miles and no additives says they are not needed since they both still run like the day they were new.
i am of the no additives needed camp. and i feel my 88 having 495,000 miles on it without any additives ever being added to the fuel tank, and the 02 with 194,000 miles and no additives says they are not needed since they both still run like the day they were new.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2018
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I ordered a gallon of Optilube "Summer + Cetane" yesterday and it was pretty reasonably priced IMO compared to the XPD product. About $2.60 per tank if I add 4oz per fill up which is actually a touch more than their "premium treatment recommendation" but the 4oz bottles they give you work well so you can just dump the whole bottle in and not have to think about it too hard. No reason to pay extra for anti-gel protection this time of year that the XPD has.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2014
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I ordered a gallon of Optilube "Summer + Cetane" yesterday and it was pretty reasonably priced IMO compared to the XPD product. About $2.60 per tank if I add 4oz per fill up which is actually a touch more than their "premium treatment recommendation" but the 4oz bottles they give you work well so you can just dump the whole bottle in and not have to think about it too hard. No reason to pay extra for anti-gel protection this time of year that the XPD has.
Did you find it anywhere with cheap or free shipping? $13 shipping really adds to the cost.
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Joined: Dec 2018
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The shipping was more like $20 in my case but that was factored into the cost per fill-up. I ordered it from their website and am not sure if you can get it anywhere else for less. Plus I ordered the more expensive one that comes with the pumper and 2 4oz bottles. If you just get the gallon with no accessories it is like $8 less.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,137
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From: Glendive, MT
It won't take many responses before you get a "yes" to all three of those options.
I would say that if you feel the need to do something, the simplest thing to do is to keep doing what you've been doing. After all, it's not the engine design which determines the need (or lack thereof) for using fuel additives... it's the fuel itself which will be no different in your 7.3L as it is for the other engines.
I would say that if you feel the need to do something, the simplest thing to do is to keep doing what you've been doing. After all, it's not the engine design which determines the need (or lack thereof) for using fuel additives... it's the fuel itself which will be no different in your 7.3L as it is for the other engines.