Diesel Additive

[ViperJeff]

Good read, thanks

 

[2Sondad]

None of the manufacturers recommend additives, probably in part that there are so many out there. Unless you have a problem diagnosed by them. There were two EcoD owners (both in the Pennsylvania area) that had problems with asphaltenes. It occurs in common rail diesel injection systems. They form when diesel fuel is heated and put under high pressure, exactly what a HPFP does.
I run OptiLube XPD year round, it is the top diesel fuel additive available and completely safe for modern diesel engine/emissions. I use it primarily for the added added lubrication it adds since the the process to remove the sulfer from the fuel reduces diesel's natural lube.

https://opti-lube.com/diesel-fuel-improver/xpd-diesel-fuel-additives.html

Actually, Cummins now recommends Power Service. What I'm not sure about....is it for all of their engines or only for certain power equipment.

https://www.equipmentworld.com/for-...mmends-fuel-additives-for-its-diesel-engines/

 

[Billet Bee]

I look at it like this, if I'm subject to having to pay up to $17,000 to replace a fuel system because a lack of lubrication and it's not covered under warranty because of " fuel contamination". Im using what I consider the best. Hot shot edt & lx4. Ill quit using it when someone else is willing to pay for the inevitable pump failure. I think that unless yours is the new 21s with new/old cp3 and you have a 19 or 20, i would recommend to any one to use it as a life support. Lx4 is pure lubricity and the edt is your all in one multi vitamin for the entire fuel system wich also trails about improved mpg. I can't say I've noticed better mpg because i drive 80 with my 13k fiver/ home. But i can say that stuff is lubey

 

[Gr8bawana]

People who swear by additives do so only because they BELIEVE they work. No need to waste your hard earned $$.
That's why there are millions upon millions of diesels out there running ZERO additives with no ill-effect.
Your diesel does not need any additive unless you will be using your truck in super cold temps. Then an anti-gel fuel additive is appropriate.

 

[Billet Bee]

People who swear by additives do so only because they BELIEVE they work. No need to waste your hard earned $$.
That's why there are millions upon millions of diesels out there running ZERO additives with no ill-effect.
Your diesel does not need any additive unless you will be using your truck in super cold temps. Then an anti-gel fuel additive is appropriate.

Im not disagreeing with you on the premise that as a whole the diesel engine doesn't need it. Before this 20 model truck I've never ever used the stuff, so I'm not a believer, I hate spending the money. We're my opinion differs is based on data that shows our low standards for fuel lubrication in America, I feel like the cp4 needs it so to not wear scare and prematurely fail. I'm not willing to take the chance with out it, been to many studies and failures. As bad as I hate to spend the money on hot shot, what I would hate worse is battling back and forth with fca over a $17,000 bill because they claim fuel contamination. I'd rather pay a small amount for lube untill hopefully they get us cp3s back.

 

[SouthTexan]

People who swear by additives do so only because they BELIEVE they work. No need to waste your hard earned $$.
That's why there are millions upon millions of diesels out there running ZERO additives with no ill-effect.
Your diesel does not need any additive unless you will be using your truck in super cold temps. Then an anti-gel fuel additive is appropriate.

I would have to disagree here. I don't just believe they work, I know they do based on testing we did when I worked at Cummins. Many of the aftermarket additives are no different than what top tier diesel fuel refineries add to their own fuel before transporting it to the pumps. They have detergents in them to keep injectors clean as well as lubricating properties to keep scaring down to a minimum. If you get your fuel from a top tier fuel station, then you likely do not have to worry. However, not everyone can do this all the time which is why I keep a bottle on me when I go on long trips.

The problem with additives these days and the reason why most manufacturers stopped endorsing them for the most part is due to emissions equipment. These additives can shorten the life of the emissions equipment if mixed at incorrect ratios. Not only that, but you will also have all sorts of sensor issues. An additive manufacturer also has to get their product EPA emissions certified before any truck or engine manufacturer could even think of endorsing them.

 

[Marine Les]

People who swear by additives do so only because they BELIEVE they work. No need to waste your hard earned $$.
That's why there are millions upon millions of diesels out there running ZERO additives with no ill-effect.
Your diesel does not need any additive unless you will be using your truck in super cold temps. Then an anti-gel fuel additive is appropriate.

The amount of soot coming out of my tail pipe is almost none when I keep Diesel Kleen in the fuel and very obvious when I stop using it. It is not my imagination or what I believe but what I see.

 

[leeroy300]

stanadyne performance year round in Canada, demulsifies, protects from ULSD’s low lubricity and improves pour point also improves Cetane.

 

[Billet Bee]

Started off using the cheep howes for the first 5000 miles because I wasnt that privy to our c p4 problem. From 5000 miles to current 10,000 mile I use hot shot edt w/lx4 mixed in and then stand alone lx4. So hopefully that howes kept me from scaring any, im sure my hotshot lx4 is lubricating, that stuff is like oil but no wait, its fuel , its both. It's not cheap that for sure but so is a $17,000 fuel system re build if and only if ram says you have contaminated fuel, sorry your on your own. I love the hot shot, quality product, does it do all that advertisement hype that they push, more than likely not except for in doctored situations, but i do know this, that lx4 is some slick @%% $#/+

 

[Octane]

I use power service diesel supplement on my volvo road tractor.Every 80 to 100k the idle will sometimes fluctuate quite a bit and I put a bottle in over the next two fillups and everything smooths out.My truck now has 1.3 million miles on original engine so I must be doing something right with maintenance.2nd tranny and one pinion seal and 3 clutches. I know my truck is bigger but a diesel engine is basically a diesel engine and has similar characteristics big or small. I never use additives unless it is for a specific issue to remedy.

 

[Rick Ram-jet]

I`ve been doing a lot of research on my pending cummins/dually purchase...
Use of the Bosh CP4 fuel pump used by Ford & Ram IS a problem!

Today`s US spec diesel lacks the lubricity of years past, the CP4 fuel pump design has issues with the lack of fuel lubricity which often results in cata$trophic failure around the 100k mark.

Chevy stopped using the cp4 a few years ago and the new 2021 cummins is now again using the cp3 version due to it`s lack of issues compared to the cp4. Tells you something right there!

Adding a top tier lubricating fuel additive is said to address the cp4 issues, never the less, I think I`m going with a 2021 with the cp3 pump just to be safe! ALSO, I believe the 2021+ has eliminated the DEF from their diesel trucks....1 less thing to go wrong imo.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Not sure why a 2 year old thread resurrected - doesn't seem to be a clear reason why.

It is interesting Cummins suddenly is recommending an additive, but the one they recommend didn't test well for lubricity. Perhaps it did for cleanliness or some other parameter.

No doubt some of you heard of the Spicer wear ball test report from the 90's after EPA 1st cut sulfur in diesel fuel? The top performing lubricity additive was soy-based biodiesel. Don't recall the %.

In a number of parts of the country biodiesel is mandated - no other lubricity additive is needed supposedly. In addition, blenders realized they needed to add lubricity agent where soy bio wasn't available and added something else, I don't remember what - maybe some Lubrizol mouse milk of some kind. This was prior to HPCR fuel systems, but a bunch of Bosch & Stanadyne Mechanical Injection Pumps got wiped out due to insufficient lubricity when sulfur was removed.

The 2nd best lubricity additive was Optilube XPD, by far. Other brands did little to nothing for lubricity. In fact, some REDUCED lubricity (at the time, some had alcohol additives - basically a solvent).

Here's the report for your convenience - please don't debate it with me, I did not write it or publish it.
https://www.dieselplace.com/threads/lubricity-additive-study-discussion.178848/
Perhaps more important today is cleanliness of fuel passages and injector nozzles. While the nozzles see 30,000 psi fuel spray, the rest of the system does not. The prime pump in my day was only app. 150 psi. The ports and valving prior to the injector intensifier plunger is very sensitive to fuel degradation deposits, and biodiesel degrades MUCH faster than straight diesel fuel. Combine this with generally poor (low) cetane rating compared to other countries (cheap) and you get deposits and sooting quicker.

Optilube in my son's Navistar increased his mileage ~5%, and my diesel tractor an unknown % (I don't fill up as soon). This can only mean the engine is burning more completely, which also means cleaner. If US didn't have such crappy diesel fuel, we likely wouldn't need an additive.

 

[Rick Ram-jet]

I believe this thread is relative to current day, especially considering the issues with the cp4 pumps used on so many models the last couple of years!

US crappy diesel is at the heart of the current pump issues,(these same cp4 pumps have few issues with euro spec diesel) I believe failure rates are around 1% w/euro diesel and around 8-9% with us spec diesel.... there have been many new developments in the additive world in last couple of years and as mentioned, even some of the oem`s are starting to recommend them!

Time will tell, but it is a known issue that cp4 pumps dislike many us spec diesel fuels...

 

[SouthTexan]

Not sure why a 2 year old thread resurrected - doesn't seem to be a clear reason why.

It is interesting Cummins suddenly is recommending an additive, but the one they recommend didn't test well for lubricity. Perhaps it did for cleanliness or some other parameter.
......

I have seen that test and while it was valid back then, it may not be today. Many additive companies are always improving upon their products just like oil abd fuel companies do with their products. Using that test as a basis for todays additive products is like using a Car and Driver sports car test in the 90's to know which current model sold today is the best.

One of the reasons why Cummins is recommends Diesel Kleen is due to it passing emissions certifications saying that it does not increase NOx or PM and they have tested it to verify that it will not mess up any emissions devices(sensors and filters) like many other additives may do. After all, these emissions devices will give you trouble long before the engine will.

 

[Billet Bee]

Hotshot edt & lx4. All the testing data is online, anyone can look it up or I can post. Fuel in the u.s. sucks compared to other places. Reduced lubricity increases wear scar thus causing premature failure wich could result in up to $17,000 in complete fuel system damages, wich the dealers will fight you on saying contaminated fuel caused the failure. 9x out ouf 10 they end up warranting it, but its a dog fight and all the while your truck sits in a lot for months due to parts litigation. Other forms I've followed, I've found allot of folks are having there cp4 let go between 3000 - 10000 miles. So much for making it a 100k. It shouldn't be our problem to buy aftermarket fuel lubes but thats were we are. We ful time RV and it scares the wife to death that its going to let go while traveling and were going to instantly lose all power functions, ie: brakes and steering while pulling a load. There going to let go at some point, I'm just trying to prolong the inevitable in hopes that ram will step up and do the right thing since several class action suits have already been filed, I'm hoping but not holding my breath. In the mean while, I'm dumping the hotshot in the tank per recommended use , it's not cheap but imo it has the best data results and its better than fighting a $17k bill and not having a way to haul my home around. Definitly the rams current weakest link

 

[leeroy300]

 

[Rick Ram-jet]

BTW, there are tons of youtube and other sources of info on the net that address in detail the cp4 issues as well as and the latest additives and how they work!

Hot shot and a couple others additives (can`t remember the others off the top of my head) seem to be the go to additives....

 

[SouthTexan]

Hotshot edt & lx4. All the testing data is online, anyone can look it up or I can post. Fuel in the u.s. sucks compared to other places.

That depends on what state you are in. California and Texas have much higher fuel standards and cetane requirements than the US federal requirements that the rest of the states use. The federal minimum cetane standard is 40 while Texas is 48 and California is 50. Minimum cetane number in most European countries is 40 and several EU countries have a minimum of 51. Texas and California also has better scar ratings than the federal standard as well.

 

[leeroy300]

That depends on what state you are in. California and Texas have much higher fuel standards and cetane requirements than the US federal requirements that the rest of the states use. The federal minimum cetane standard is 40 while Texas is 48 and California is 50. Minimum cetane number in most European countries is 40 and some countries have a minimum of 51. Texas and California also has better scar ratings than the federal standard than the states use as well.

I would like to see the warrenty claims per unit sold in these 2 states compared to Canada and the other States

 

[John Jensen]

Hot shot and a couple others additives (can`t remember the others off the top of my head) seem to be the go to additives....

HotShot's EDP, Opti-Lube XPD and Desel Kleen come to mind as the top three. Cummins recommends Diesel Kleen.