Diesel additives

[PurdueJoe]

How many of you guys use some sort of diesel additive during the winter months? I have a buddy that works for a trucking company and he swears by the diesel 911 in the gray bottle. I can tell a huge difference in my mini during cold starts when I use it.

 

[TDunk]

That's what i use, but any additive will work. They sell that stuff everywhere. There's some stuff called K100 that works good too.

 

[CentaurG2]

We used to run Howes diesel treatment but recently switched to Lucas cold weather treatment as it was a little more economical. Never had any problems with Howes and so far, no problems with Lucas.

 

[Grace Tree]

I used to use HEET in my road tractor to soak up the water in the fuel. If I ran out on the road I'd buy isopropyl alcohol at a local drug or discount store. If the actual temp was well below zero I'd use 1 gallon of gas per 150 gals of diesel. I never froze up and my trucks went way beyond the rest of the fleet before rebuild so I guess it didn't hurt anything.
Phil

 

[KD57]

Power Service, white bottle (anti-gel) for trips to the cold country, grey bottle for warmer weather.

 

[landrvrnut22]

I use Power Service in the white bottle in every tank, warm or cold weather. It helps keep water out of your fuel, boosts Cetane, and helps clean injectors.

Tractor Supply sells the Gallon container for $13

 

[thejdman04]

I use power service white bottle or howes. The red bottle 911 works great for emergencys(already gelled fuel) but imo shouldnt be used all the time has alcohol in it.

 

[Brush Hog]

Diesel already has a anti gel additive put in it for the winter. Unless your using home heating oil in your off road equipment which I know many do should be no issue. Only thing I put in my truck is cetane boost but read an article that you can use ashless 2 stroke to help with lubricity.

 

[skid row]

Power service white bottle in all the diesel's. Never a cloud point issue in any fuel system I have treated with PS.

 

[Urbicide]

Another vote for Power Service in the white bottle. I use it in my Kubota L5030.

 

[xcr440]

We use power service in the white bottle for our mustang skid loader. It works well havn't had it not start during the winter months.

 

[dingeryote]

Power service white bottle all year round in the Diesel tank.

If I get caught with summer blend(No anti-gel additive) I'll toss in the anti-Gel stuff from the local petro supplier..can't remember the name, but it's put out by Shell.

Have had to use the Power service 911 in the red bottle to cure a frozen fuel filter a couple times.... I get lazy nd forget to drain the bowl before winter.

Be carefull running Isopropyl from the drug stores. Most of it is 70%,or 30% water. Look for the 91% Isopropyl, and if they don't have it on the shelf, ask the druggist. Some stores in some states have it in controlled storage because of the Meth laws and corporate policys.

Sooner or later the ULSD will be the only thing available besides Bio-diesel, so I have been looking t some of the additives to fend off the wear and tear on my older Tractors. Nothing stands out in that regard yet.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[hokiewheeler]

If you can find Number 1 diesel use that during the cold months. It's higher cetane and will ignite easier. Number 2 is the typical pump grade.

 

[nitromusky]

I've found howes to work real well no problems. But you will find most additives work pretty good. Howes also helps with lubricity.

 

[Marquis]

911 bottle

the 911 bottle worked well for me when I was driving lowbed in the woods of nothern Maine here. And it gets cold, -48F last night, no wind either. Anyway, stay warm everyone!

 

[capetrees]

I use Howes after I had a gel up one night plowing. Says right on the bottle you can fill the fuel filter with it and then run the system. Did that and have never stopped using it, winter only.

 

[pdqdl]

"Gelling" of fuel is quite a bit over-rated. It's usually an obstructed filter. Adding gas to the fuel does a fine job of reducing the viscosity, and most of the fuel additives do that as well as disperse water and ice crystals trapped in the filter.

As the diesel fuel gets colder, the viscosity increases. Tiny, tiny pores in the fuel filter get obstructed by {whatever}, then the remaining pores must pass a higher volume of fluid at a thicker viscosity than they can carry. Your engine dies, or runs poorly.

Fuel obstruction in the cold is well known to everyone with a diesel. Most guys put in some fuel additive, then change the filter just to speed up the re-start. What they don't realize is that it was just a marginal fuel filter put over the edge by diesel made more viscous by the cold.

Here is a test, next time you "gel up": take a heat gun or propane torch and heat up your fuel filter [don't do this if you have no sense at all about fires]. You only need to add enough heat to get the fuel to room temperature.

See if it runs well. A marginal fuel filter will plug up as soon as it re-fills with cold fuel, but a clean filter capturing gelled fuel will require enough time to plug up the filter with captured particles, probably at least 10-20 minutes. Several gallons of fuel will need to be filtered before it will plug up.

 

[Grace Tree]

I had a water separator on one of my tractors and I'd drain it at the end of each trip; 1000 to 1500 miles. There was always at least 1/2 cup of water; somewhat more in the winter. That made me a lot more careful about my fuel in the winter.
Phil

 

[capetrees]

Here is a test, next time you "gel up": take a heat gun or propane torch and heat up your fuel filter [don't do this if you have no sense at all about fires]. You only need to add enough heat to get the fuel to room temperature.

Propane torch and fuel filters, right? :monkey:

 

[Magnum783]

I worked as diesel mech for along time dad still is one. All those products mentioned are good not sure about the specifics of them all but have tried or used most. I used howes and TCW-3 two stroke oil in every tank no probs so far. Also as far as gelling yes to the heat works good must use common sense though. I recommend though if caught in a jamb adding a little Kerosene to the fuel as that is the closest thing to Diesel and thins the fuel and burns just a little hotter not a bad thing when things are cold. If you engine does so happen to gel do not shut it off unless you can get it into a heated shop. If you shut if off in the cold it will just continue to have the problem. Keep it running and try to work some of that 911, kerosene or what have you into the system and you should be fine.
Jared