In this forum and others, I have read many questions about using additives in the fuel to increase the "C" tane rating and clean the injectors. Now since this is the first diesel I have ever had any experience with, I am what you might really consider a novice. I don't really understand what the "C" tane rating for diesel fuel is but I am guessing it is like the octane rating for gasoline. If this is true then what is the active ingredient in a fuel additive that will increase the "C" tane rating by x number of points? If most of you (senior users) remember many years ago (when we were young and dumb) it was rumored that moth ***** could be added to a gas tank to increase the octane and would give your old street car a little more horsepower. Now I don't know if that was true or not, but I am sure if you never did it you at least heard about it. Could it be possible to do this with a tank of diesel fuel if you don't use to many moth ***** at a time. Maybe the moth ***** and the fuel additives have the same active ingredients for increasing the "C" tane rating a few points. I am just curious and would like to have your thoughts on this . Be kind now because I am still learning about these 6.0L and wouldn't do anything to harm my new F-250 SD CC. Thanks for letting me post.

James (Huntsville, TX.)

 

James...always nice to see another Texican at our friendly little site.

Man...you made me have flash backs with the mothball thing. HA , ha ha...WOW...I wouldn't be smoking anymore of that...if you know what I mean?

Seriously...I didn't do it then and I wouldn't do it now. But I do add PowerService (gray bottle) with every fill up. Just to keep it clean...as my grandpappy used to to say. I use 0.64+ oz. per gal. Kinda sorta per instructions.

 

I use Stanadyne Performance Formula. I go to:

http://www.dieselpage.com/additive.htm

Another good Texican company. I don't know what is the active ingredient that increases cetane.

I wouldn't use mothballs. I don't see me running around catching that many moths.

 

Imagine how the moth would feel.

Plus speaking in that high squeaky voice would probably be embarrassing.

 

On my new '05 250 CC I am all the way up to 1165(ish) miles. On this tank of fuel (3rd fillup) I put the PowerService in for the first time. I did the ratio that is supposta give +6 points. From my guess this is not an exact science. I never know if I am going to fillup with 19gal or 21 gal, or even 27gal. So I just put in 12oz, and unless someone comes up with a good reason not to just use 12oz every tank why bother. So maybe I only get +4.769478 points instead of +6.0points when i put in 27gal.... does it really matter much?

So far the lie-o-meter is reading right about the same on this tank as the last 2. I need to fill up this weekend then I'll see if the mpg change at all.

 

IMO...if your reason for the additive MPG you will probably disappointed...cost to benefit regarding MPG is low.

My purpose for use is enhance fuel quality (never know what you're getting), enhance injector longevity, help reduce affects of potential water in fuel,..etc.

FYI: I guesstimate fuel used, add 0.64 oz per gal + a little extra for effect. Works out great for me.

Truck runs great...not blowing any smoke.

 

I was adding it for 2-fold:

1) mpg
2) all the other stuffs: cleaning, remove water, fuel quality, etc etc.

So if the mpg does not go up a lot I will be a little bummed but I'll keep adding it for all the other goodness that exists.

 

If I remember correctly from my diesel school days (many,many moons ago) the easy explanation of octane vs ctane is this: octane is the rating number that is given to gasoline to denote it's detonation point. The higher the octane = the higher temp it takes to detonate it. Ctane is the exact opposite, the higher the ctane level = the lower the temp it detonates at.