Winter diesel fuel additives

[efgh]

What does everyone use for antijel fuel additives in the winter? I was talking to a southern semi driver and he stated he puts a small amount of gasoline in his fuel tank to act like antijel when he hits the north country. Is this a good or bad idea?

[Capt. Don*]

Buy blended diesel only. NEVER add gas to a modern diesel engines fuel. This was somewhat common 25 years ago with mechanical engines that operated at much lower injection pressures, but no more. I drive a 2008 Kenworth part time in the off season and run into Canada regularly, never had gel problems with diesel, parked for 4 days at -25 or colder had some issues with bio-diesel, had to heat tank and filter until it started running at idle, once running it returns warm fuel to the tank and all is ok. Have never added anything to my personal Ford diesel since new in '02 and has lived all its winters in nasty cold and never gelled.

Good luck

[MuleShack]

I add a little of that Cetane boost (not sure if that is the correct name but is the white jug w/black and red) to the tank to make sure the truck will start out on the lake or if outside all night.

It might not do that much, but it makes me feel better and it has never froze up and always started.

[theoilman]

Absolutely Never use ANY gasoline or any alcohol additive in diesel fuel. You will definitely have engine problems with them in today's modern diesel engines.

Diesel fuel is supposed to be climatized, but too much of the time it isn't. 2 years ago I had troubles with fuel waxing at +30 deg f (and it is possible to have problems at +40 deg f with wax clouding).

Solution - use a reputable Cold Flow Improver. And make sure its data talks about 'cloud' point or CFPP cold filter plugging point - these two are nearly the same. If it talks about 'pour' point that is not as good. The point at which wax starts to form or cloud is the point when the filter will start to plug - way before the pour point is reached.

AMSOIL has it available in 2 forms -

1. AMSOIL Cold Flow Improver which will lower the cold filter plugging by 34 deg F.

2. Diesel Concentrate Plus Cold Flow combining 2 products into 1 premixed package.

[Scott K]

What they said! Diesel is a lubricant, the injectors and cylinders depend on this. Gasoline will dilute the lubricity of the diesel and cause damage to the injection system and possible cylinder walls as well! Most winter blend fuel should be good to about -20. Beyond that I would plug it in, and only use additives if you have noticed problems with the fuel in the past.

[Wildabeast]

Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement+Cetane Boost is popular.

Power Service Diesel 911 to use if you do gel up.

Stanadyne Performance Formula is popular (GM mentions it)

OptiLube (XPD or Winter Blend)

Plus the two mentioned from Amsoil. Last year I used OptiLube XPD and then added Amsoil Cold Flow improver for the coldest months. I like the OptiLube XPD for year around use. The Amsoil Cold Flow improver hasn't let me down, the new formulation (w/ diesel concentrate) would be a good choice.

[Valv]

I opt for Power Service too or Howes additives.

Also if you are in a bind you can add some kerosene to #2 diesel.

Do not use gasoline at all.

[Roofer]

Have a Duramax with 120,000 miles and a Powerstroke with almost 200,000 miles, never added anything to the pump fuel. They both sit outside every winter, and all winter. Plug them in anytime below 0. I've never had a problem with the fuel.

[Scott Stein]

ive heard sea-foam also works

[LMITOUT]

Many of the additives have alcohol in them which can void your warranty, so be sure to read the label prior to buying a bottle. The high pressure injectors in the modern diesels don't like water pushed through them.

[The_King48]

I read on the back of the can that sea-foam works too. I have never tried it. Every once in a great while I will add whatever I find at the truck stop. I always plug my POWER STROKE in when it gets in the single digits or colder and never had a problem.

[Wildabeast]

Have a Duramax with 120,000 miles and a Powerstroke with almost 200,000 miles, never added anything to the pump fuel. They both sit outside every winter, and all winter. Plug them in anytime below 0. I've never had a problem with the fuel.

With the new ULSD fuel you should consider using an additive that improves lubricity (biodiesel is very good for this BTW). In Minnesota we're fairly lucky in that we have %2 bio-diesel mixed in our #2, that improves lubricity. Most other states don't have bio-diesel mixed in. All of the aforementioned products are good for lubricity, some help with lowering the cold flow point. Much of the diesel in the Twin Cities has winter additives added. You can't be too sure of elsewhere so I like to use an anti-gel during the winter. Nothing like having a fuel filter gel up on you when it's cold out.

[LMITOUT]

The bad thing about the bio-diesel that we are forced to use is that it starts to cloud at 30 degrees F. Right now it's only a 2% mandate, but problems with mixing at the refinery caused a big problem a few years back with many OTR trucks gelling up repeatedly until they figured out what was happening. This could be what theoilman ran into also.

Like was said, nothing like having a filter gel up when it's cold out.....especially when you thought you were running #1 or #2 winterblend in your tank and it wasn't. I bet those guys weren't too happy.

[Wildabeast]

Bio is good for lubricity, bad for gelling. Many of the problems that I heard of last year (gelling) was from Indiana. Seems they were blending up to %11. Fortunately there are now some additives for bio-diesel that lower the cloud point considerably. I think our %2 blend at present is pretty good and there doesn't seem to be any problems with the winterized blends we get (except for lower mileage - oh well). But if you travel around you never know what you get. That's why I like to run something. Besides, I do notice my Duramax is quieter when using OptiLube XPD and gets slightly better mileage (about 1-1.5mpg)

[UMDSportsman]

Another thing about Biodiesel that can be bad is that it will dissolve any varnish or whatever you call it in your tank, as well as every tank it has been in since it was blended. This can clog up fuel filters, depending on how fine the filters are. I don't know how bad the 2% is for this. I got to listen to a seminar by a professor about how they ran experiments with 20% biodiesel in a research vessel on Superior, and the problems it caused with the fuel filters.

[LMITOUT]

That's correct. I think that was the biggest reason for all the trucks sitting on the road dead a few years ago here in MN now that I remember. They mixed the biodiesel incorrectly or there was some sort of error and the concentration was very high. This loosened up all the crud in the fuel systems of these older trucks and plugged the filters.

I wish they would just leave it alone. My truck doesn't get the mileage it did since they went to ULSD.

[Macgyver55]

Not to mention the need for replacement of injectors and pumps at our shop has skyrocketed!

[BIG DS]

Quote:

ive heard sea-foam also works

Absolutly STAY AWAY from sea-foam or gasoline. Use a small amount of an approved diesel fuel conditioner ONLY. Use only the recommended amount. More is not better.

[federline]

When I had a diesel, I used power service cetane supplement all winter, too, like others here. Nice thing is you can find it an any truck stop/travel plaza, and many other fuel stations, too. I always bought it by the armload and kept it in the vehicle.