Diesel fuel conditioners

[musicaldoc]

Does any of you use diesel fuel additives?
My Jeep dealer has given me a "diesel fuel conditioner" by PETRO industries, do you know it?...is it safe?

I'm a little confused on diesel additives, many say YES and many say NOOO!!....so what, wher's the truth?

 

[cowcatcher]

I have never used any. On this side of the pond most cold weather distributors include cold weather fuel additives to the mix when the weather gets cold.

 

[musicaldoc]

Hi Dave, we do also have "artic" diesel in wintertime, but I'm trying to decide if it's worth using additives to "clean" up the engine every once or a while.
Do you use normal diesel or one of the new diesels with low sulphur rate? Somepeople say that the low sulphur diesels (which will be the only diesel fuels allowed in europe from 2009) could damage the pumps and the injectors...do you know anything certain about that?

 

[o8k]

ive used a cetane boost from wally mart that didnt cause any ill damage, but didnt really notice any advantage either, the fuel econ went up a bit, but not really enough to convince me of anything...

 

[CRD4Liberty]

Our european engine was designed for ultra low sulphur engines and has the hardened parts. I've seen good longevity reports about the Amsoil diesel additive, pumps last a lot longer on the older diesel designs with use. Haven't heard anything on the newer pumps and performance changes weren't mentioned much that I remember except what came from pumps and injectors lasting longer.

 

[cowcatcher]

When I got it in 05 we didn't have USLD but we do now.

The most common aditive used here for diesels is probably "Power Service" but it is messy to use and you don't want to spill it from what I hear. Some put it into smaller bottles to add on a tank fill basis but if it spills in you rig it is not nice.

I would need someone to prove to me there was an operational advantage over running an occassional tank of B5/B20.

 

[musicaldoc]

Our european engine was designed for ultra low sulphur engines and has the hardened parts.

Are you shure the VM engine was designed for ultra low sulphur engines?

BTW have you ever heard a light "SBUFF" noise from the exhaust after switching off the CRD ?

 

[CRD4Liberty]

The Bosch fuel system used on VMs and other new diesels were designed for ULSD. Info is on the Bosch site, or at least it was when I looked before I bought my '05 CRD new.

 

[musicaldoc]

I'll take a look to Bosch site. I don't know if it's just a matter of numbers (on this side of the pond there are tons of Diesels KJ VS few 3.7L), but on the forums you can read about many many problems concerning diesel engines on KJ, and the fact that Jeep has decided to give a liftime warranty just to gasoline engines is simptomatic...

 

[Pablo]

I would keep some cetane booster, germicide and some HEAT (for diesels, not the gasser stuff) on hand. The cetane booster comes in handy when you have a bad batch of fuel-- it always helps but not always enough to justify the cost. The germicide is needed if you get algae infestation (I treat mine twice a year in spring and fall as a preventative measure). The HEAT comes in handy if you get water in the fuel tank/line and it is freezing up on you. An extra fuel filter comes in handy too-- in case yours get plugged up.

 

[Pablo]

I'll take a look to Bosch site. I don't know if it's just a matter of numbers (on this side of the pond there are tons of Diesels KJ VS few 3.7L), but on the forums you can read about many many problems concerning diesel engines on KJ, and the fact that Jeep has decided to give a liftime warranty just to gasoline engines is simptomatic...

They give a lifetime warranty on the gassers because they manufacture the engine. It is usually up to the diesel company to warranty the diesel engine separately from the rest of the vehicle. Plus, the lifetime warranty has some limitations-- lifetime meaning the vehicles lifetime not the vehicle's owner's lifetime.

The diesel will last longer. The diesel was also designed for use in Europe where ultra low sulfur content in the diesel fuel has been mandated for many years-- so it is designed for ultra low sulfur diesel. It also favors the higher cetane European fuel and will run better in the US (where cetane is lower) if you use a bio-blend or some cetane booster.

 

[o8k]

I would keep some cetane booster, germicide and some HEAT (for diesels, not the gasser stuff) on hand. The cetane booster comes in handy when you have a bad batch of fuel-- it always helps but not always enough to justify the cost. The germicide is needed if you get algae infestation (I treat mine twice a year in spring and fall as a preventative measure). The HEAT comes in handy if you get water in the fuel tank/line and it is freezing up on you. An extra fuel filter comes in handy too-- in case yours get plugged up.

EDIT: ^^^ is good advice regardless of my peanut gallery comments...

Pablo, are you having problems with fuel freeze in Pheonix?

 

[Pablo]

EDIT: ^^^ is good advice regardless of my peanut gallery comments...

Pablo, are you having problems with fuel freeze in Pheonix?

Not yet, but even hell might freeze over one day.

 

[E5T0311]

The 3 common reasons for using an additive are Lubricity, Cetane improvement, and lowering the gel point. As mentioned earlier, most locations that have cold temperatures already use an additive that is adequate for the local climate. If your traveling in extremely cold weather it isn't a bad idea to have a gel point treatment just in case. Powerservice makes a Diesel 911 in a red bottle to help if you get your fuel gelled.

Lubricity is the most common reason additives are used. The process of removing sulfur for ULSD fuels lowers the lubricating properties of the fuel. In the US some lubricity additives are added before the fuel reaches the station. Using a lubricity additive will help with the life of your injectors and pump.

Bio diesel is great for lubricity, but has a higher gel point than Dino diesel so use a lower blend in cold weather.

Here's a link to a test done on various additives. http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf