Just got off the phone with a friend back east(i am in MT). said everyone ther eis running additives in the fuel due to the low sulfur fuel now required.

Looking for any opinions or suggestions on the subject, as this is my first diesel. I am running bone stock right now, not sur eif that makes a difference on needs or wants?

Thanks, Tom
2001 SD SC, Cali truck

 

Here's my opinion on fuel additives.

The process of removing sulfur from diesel reduces the lubricity of diesel fuel. This was true when they switched to LSD years ago, and is still true for the ULSD we have now. The EMA (Engine Manufacture's Association), the guys that build diesel motors got togehter and decided the minimum acceptable lubricating properties of fuel for the engines they build when the ULSD came into play. The EPA (bunch of idiots) also decided what the acceptable level of lubricity was for the engines that the EMA was building. Guess who's guidelines we're using?

Producing ULSD fuel results in improper lubricity levels. The EPA decided it knows more about what amount of lubricity is required than the folk that actually build the engines, so there is a lubricity additive already put in all the fuel you buy at the pump that is supposed to meet the EPA guidelines, even though these guidelines allow a higher wear scar rating than what the folks that build the engines originally asked for.

I have used either a fuel lubricity additive or run a biodiesel blend (which has better lubricity than any additive you can buy) since I took delivery of my truck with 19 miles on it. I never bothered to keep track of how much money I've spent on additives, but I can tell you I have over 304,000 miles on all 8 of my stock injectors with no loss in fuel economy.


My buddy Aklim should be along shortly to claim fuel additives are a complete waste of money without any cost/benefit study or other proof. Perhaps it would have been cheaper financially to save the additive money and just buy new injectors 100k miles ago or something, but I've always been more of a preventative type of guy when it comes to regular maintenance.

 

What ^^^he^^^ said....

 

Running B5 will more than overcome the lubricity loss in ULSD.

 

I second the motion for additives.Diesel Klean and 2cycle oil here.Whether it helps or not(I think it does)I feel better about it

 

I cannot redily get bio so I use DK and 2cycle oil.I am with Chris,I believe it helps

 

Are ya'll puttin the 2 cycle oil in the fuel tank? Once again... I'm a newbie, this is my first diesel. And if you are what ratio are you puttin it in?

 

I have been told that bio diesel will gel in the filter is this true? I have also been told that bio diesel will clean your system up and to always carry a spare filter. What is the truth. I know a lot of you guys run bio so I wouldn't think it was that difficult to run? I have access to B20, I have also been looking at using BG products.

 

B100 will gel at different temps below freezing. It all depends upon the feedstock. Cut it with pump diesel. I usually run 30-50% pump diesel if it gets below freezing. It all depends on the cloud point of my different batches.

Now the whole thing about bio cleaning out your tank is hit and miss. It entirely depends upon the amount of build up in your tank to begin with. If you have a lot of build up, then yeah, it will get scrubbed out and wind up on your filter. I didn't have this problem, so my tank must have been pretty clean to begin with. I have been running B100 when I can, for over a year. I've peeked at the filter twice, with no build up.

With the B20, it will take longer to get the cleaning action on your tank.

 

Get some B20, put it in a plastic bottle, and throw it in the freezer. Yes, biodiesel can gel and plug up the filter. Of course regular diesel can do the same thing. Bio will gel sooner than regular diesel will, but there are guys way up North who are running B5 year around. When it gets really cold out, I'll drop down to B5 or just run regular #2 until the cold weather passes.

I started running B20 around 155k miles. I never did plug a filter from the cleaning action, but I did end up changing it earlier than normal. I say fill up with a tank of it and see what you think. If you don't like it, you can always switch back. You won't do any damage by trying a tank.

 

Runnig Howes fuel additive I get 1.5 to 2 mpg better and it lubercates

 

8oz DK to 28oz 2-cycle oil a fill up on 36 gal tank

 

thanks for the insight on this one, will have to see if Costco carries 2 cycle in the 55 gallon drum size

 

I run 10oz of DK and nothing else in 30gals. I like it -- I quit running bio because of the MPG/power loss. I'm not going to pay the same amount (or more!! ) for less power and MPG. If/when they make it worth my while (like the do with E85, selling it for ~30c/gal less then 87 octane), I'll change my mind. But I REFUSE to pay more for less.

 

What Izzy said.
Here in WA. I don't get a choice. Government mandated B5 at the pump.