2015 F350 with 6.7, 84,000 miles, purchased in late December 2024. Stock except for 60 gallon Titan fuel tank.

Local temps dropped below zero right after I bought it, so I scrambled to find a suitable anti-gel additive off the store shelf. Ended up with a jug of Howe's Diesel Treat. Now that temps are moderating, I'm looking to switch to Optilube Summer+. With the 60 gallon fuel tank, I try to keep it near full to minimize condensation. So it's not a simple matter of running the tank nearly dry and then switching to Optilube.

I'm wondering if there is any potential adverse consequence to dosing a tankful of Optilube Summer+ on top of the Howe's that is already in there. An alternative would be to just add enough Optilube to treat the amount of fuel I get each time I top off, which would gradually switch over. Either way, there will be a period of time when the two additives are mixed in the tank, although with option 2 there would be less total amount of additive.

Howe's contains anti-gel, demulsifier, lubricity, and cleaners. Optilube Summer+ contains demulsifier, lubricity, cleaners, cetane booster, and fuel stabilizer. Optilube says any of their products can be mixed together, but of course they can't say anything about mixing with another manufacturer's product. Howe's says overdosing is not harmful, but again, they're only talking about their own product.

Suggestions welcome. Thanks.

 

Based on your needs, I would use Opti-Lube XPD instead of Summer. I don't honestly know if you can blend the Howes and O-L. Call them directly at 801-491-3717

 

Do you worry about what additives each fuel station uses? I'm sure Sinclair uses a different additive package than Chevron or Shell.
I see folks mixing multiple additives ie Opti-Lube and Better Diesel with no ill effect.

 

the only additives I would worry about cross pollinating or over dosing are cleaning additives........too much etching could damage injectors

 

I'd not worry so much about condensation for one tank and just let it run nearly empty. Then refill using your new additive and carry on as usual.

 

I went with summer because it's more economical, and I don't need the anti-gel that's in XPD. Won't need it at all for the summer, and I've still got plenty of Howe's for next winter.

Thanks for the phone number.

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking about since they both contain cleaners. Looking at the MSDS for Howe's here are the solvents that are listed:

Stoddard solvent (CAS No) 8052-41-3 10 - 30 %
Solvent naphtha, petroleum, light aromatic (CAS-No.) 64742-95-6 1 - 5 %
Solvent naphtha, petroleum, heavy aromatic (CAS-No.) 64742-94-5 0.1 - 1 %

Here are the solvents listed for Optilube Summer+:

Solvent Naphtha 64742-95-6 2.7-6%
Solvent Naphtha, Heavy Aromatic 64742-94-5 0.045-0.06%

So both contain doses of solvent naptha, but I'm not enough of a chemist to know what those percentages mean.

 

Forget about condensation, that only happens when the tank is near empty and it has been very humid with a sudden chill down below dew point. Rare to happen. Get to a half tank and add 30 gallons worth of dose for the next product, do that 3-4 times to balance out the additive to be just what you are using and then go back to how you were doing it. THere is a reaon there is a water filter on the truck, for this exact reason, and to date I have seen zero water, while seeing some very damp days. Chances are the inside of the tank will remain cooler due to the fuel and the outside will sweat.