Fuel Additive
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
I have yet to use any fuel additives in my truck and the only issues that I have had with regard to fuel was one instance of very very large amount of water in fuel at one station. Only happened to me once and I don't think any fuel additive would have helped me out in that situation. I honestly think fuel additives are more placebo than anything else, but if people think they are worth the money and it makes them feel better then good for them.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City/Breckenridge
I only use them in the mountains during the winter and I use Power Service's white bottle. It lowers my mileage significantly though.
Like tex I never felt the need to use it. I have only had to replace 1 injector and IMO that was due to the oil I was using.
Like tex I never felt the need to use it. I have only had to replace 1 injector and IMO that was due to the oil I was using.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,872
Likes: 3,592
Cetane levels between 40 and 50 are required for an efficient burn. Sometimes in the US the cetane rating can drop below 40. I use additives primarily for this AND lubricity. Neither one of these reasons are going to cause issues right away. Additives are just another form of insurance. I will have to disagree slightly w/ tex on this one - I do not think it is really a placebo since the additives do what they say they will do. The issue is that you just may not ever need the protection the additive offers. Many folks do not use additives and do quite well. Personally, I have seen folks (and experienced it once in my 6.0L) that had fuel quality issues. Any little bit of help in that potential case is worth it to me. The proper additives will demulsify water and help keep it away from your injectors. Your HFCM does a good job of removing water, but additives are suppose to help it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City/Breckenridge
Bismic made good points.
I concur that you need to know your fuel stations very well. I will pour some in there if I'm going to a station that I don't know. Simply for the fact that I have no idea whether they sell 10000 gallons of diesel a week or 100.
I concur that you need to know your fuel stations very well. I will pour some in there if I'm going to a station that I don't know. Simply for the fact that I have no idea whether they sell 10000 gallons of diesel a week or 100.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
No doubt about that. Cetane for sure. I guess my biased is tainted by the fact that a travel the same places and stop at the same places due to a variety of factors and due to that I've become accustomed to a certain amount of quality that only at one time has been disappointing, but thankfully it was caught quick enough that even that didn't damage the modified injectors.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
I use the stuff they sell at the dealer, it's adds milage to my fillup, I ran out a little while back and got an ave of 250-270 miles in the two 3/4 tanks I used (I fill up at a 1/4 tanK), I got some of the additive and I'm at 351 and I'll fill up tomorrow at my usual 1/4 tank mark.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,049
Likes: 1
I use them for the reasons that Bismic described. If you need a comparison, there is an independent study out there that tests a bunch of them. The link has been posted on here several times, but I don't have it since I have the pdf on my PC. If I find it, I will post it.
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 24,308
Likes: 42
From: SW Virginia
I use them for the reasons that Bismic described. If you need a comparison, there is an independent study out there that tests a bunch of them. The link has been posted on here several times, but I don't have it since I have the pdf on my PC. If I find it, I will post it.
http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fu...itive_test.pdf
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,049
Likes: 1
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,049
Likes: 1
Yes, and I thought the same thing. So, I did a search to find the link that I was referencing. Every result that I got back was about everything but fuel additives.