Since this is my first diesel, could you tell me what are best brands of cetane booster fuel additives and where do I get them?

I live in Central Texas and it rarely gets cold enough to freeze. Do all brands of diesel have the "winter" blends?

 

A couple of winters ago up here in the frozen tundra of the mid atlantic. heheh. we had a cold snap that left north bound tractor trailers stranded on I-81
The reason was because the fuel they got in the south before heading north wasn't "winterized" and gelled in the tanks.
I guess the drivers thought it wasn't going to be that cold in W.VA and Southern PA or just forgot to add winterizer.
Most if not all diesel fuel sold around here is winterized year round if not just in the fall and winter

 

I'm no expert by any means, but I found some at WalMart that touts higher cetane numbers and antii gelling that I use whenever I make the run up to the 'frozen tundra' from here in dfw...

 

Beware of using fuel additives un-nescesarialy. All additives are petroleum distilates (look on their lables) meaning that they are distilled from petroleum. All of them are less "oily" or thinner viscosity than diesel fuel. The problem is that the additives do not provide, or recuce, the critical lubrication that the extreme close tolerance injectors need. The only lubrication the injectors get is from the diesel fuel going through them. As newer engines go to higher and higher injection pressures in search of greater performance, better mileage, and reduced emissions, these tolerances become even tighter and more critical to lubrication.
The newer diesels are far less prone to "gelling" than older diesels engines were. If the transfer pump gan get the fuel through the filter and into the injector, the fuel is going to be injected, no matter how cold. A good experiment to try...Take 3 or 4 small dixie cups of diesel fuel from your local supplier. Mix one of them straight, one with 5% water, one with 10% water, one with 20% water. Stir each sample as thoroughly as possible. Put them in your home freezer over night set at about 30 to 35-degrees belowzero. Next morning, pour each one thru a sieve. I've done this and all of them poured fine.

BobJonesSpecial

 

At what temp should I start to worry about fuel gelling? I am a Florida boy but I am taking a trip up north this winter.

 

Stanadyne is one of the best ones out there....it is actually listed in a bulletin on fuel gel by Ford...I've used it for a number of years without incident...it is also what all the mechanics recommended where i worked...

 

I depends where you buy your fuel. All mid-South to Northern refiners "winterize" their diesel in October-November. That means that they cut it with a little No. 1 diesel which doesn't gel as easily. The ratio of #1/#2 will vary by the area and refiner.

Generally speaking, down to 20 *F should be no trouble for straight #2.

You probably won't need it unless temps really get below 0*F, but you can run a little Stanadyne Performance Formula of Power Service diesel treatment (white bottle, available at Walmart, AutoZone or Tractor Supply) in your fuel. About $0.03/gal. added to the cost of the diesel in your tank.

 

According to what I've been told by a very reputable source, there are two temperatures that apply...'pour point' (PP), and 'cold filter plug point' (CFPP). The PP is what is commonly referred to as the gel point, CFPP is exactly what it implies...and is approx. 20 degrees HIGHER than the PP, depending on the sulphur content of the fuel. Just because the fuel will flow does NOT mean it cannot plug the filter. I will be treating my fuel for a PP of approx. -40F (CFPP will be approx. -20F) using Pri-Flow, 1oz./16 gallons of fuel. Pri-Flow can be purchased at http://www.hardydiesel.com/acc/allacc.htm by the gallon, and can be researched at http://www.priproducts.com. I also use Pri-D when ever I fill up (also 1oz./16 gal.)...helps fuel burn cleaner and with less carbon build up in engine.

 

All good information here.

I to am a newbe to the diesel scene. since I live in one of the coldest places in the lower 48 states, I have done a lot of homework on this very issue. As was mentioned, fuel distributors in this area create winter blends. But the concern is #1 diesel has even less lubrucation properties than #2 with an additive. So from recommendations from others that run it, and from a local diesel shop, I have ordered some stuff from Texas Refinery Corp. called DZL-PEP ARTIC. The problem is, It is sold in 6 gallon cans, and it takes only 2-3 ounces to treat a TANK of fuel. 1:1000 winter ratio lowers the PP and CFPP by about 40 degrees. It is sold primarily for the over-the-road crowd, hence the copieus quantities. The specs on it claim to lubricate the injector pump, clean injectors, lower the gel point, and on and on. Some that use it up here swear by it, and claim mileage has also increased.

One guy I work with has a ranch about 65 miles outside of town. he drives back and forth with a dodge cummins diesel. before he started using this stuff he had an injector pump failure at 70k miles. the shop told him it was probably due to the blended fuel and subsequent reduced lubrication. They recommended this DZL-PEP. He did not use it for the next 10k miles, but then when winter rolled around, he started having problems with fuel gelling so he bought some. Fuel mileage before was like a consistent 15.5 mpg, and after, he claims over 16. Now he has a very specific route he travels, and other than the change in fuel additive, he has not changed anything. With 160k on his truck, he has a good handle on pre and post conditions. Even without the mileage gains, I will use it just to prevent gelling and it works out cheaper than purchasing the winter blend fuel.