Diesel Fuel Additives?

[imarobot]

Should I use them or not?
I’ve had an issue in the winter with fuel jelling when temperatures get very cold. I started using a diesel additive in the winter to prevent this and it has worked, and I was also considering using them year-round as the additive manufacturers recommend. However, a mechanic friend of mine told me that using an additive is not good and should not be used.
Wisdom from those that know???

 

[Hoserman]

I've never used any, but where I worked, they put diesel fuel antifreeze in the 980 Cat grapple loaders. Those machines have more hours than I can count and they never seemed to have any issues with engine failure. In winter here I always keep the diesel filled right to the top of the tank. Less of the possibility for condensation to build.

 

[RCW]

Lots of previous conversations about it. Use Search function.

Microbial growth would worry me also. Can gum up the whole system.

Use what you want. Lots of options.

My choice. Use it all year. Never gelled.

 

[Rcflyer330]

When we bought our b2650 I asked the dealer if I should use and additive and if there was a recommended one. The reply was you can and the recommendation was power service (PS) winter. They also said just run the winter formula year round then you won't forget it. This is what I did for a few bottles of PS then I switched to opti-lube xpd and run it at the winter rate year round. Never had a problem but the tractor is spoiled a little because it lives in a garage that we heated a couple years ago.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I would say in the old day s I never used / never needed.

Last 10 years or so I would say the quality of diesel in my parts has gone down hill so for fuel that can't be kept current I use a 1/4 to 1/2 doses of winter anti gel (PS white bottle) and in summer a full dose of PS cleaner.


Why the change in mindset? In the old days never had fuel problems. These days though with the removal of sulphur (which having less is hard on pumps, drying on seals, lowers it slickness AND acted as a preservative) and the addition of soybeans (which attracts water and feeds bio bugs) diesel has become by design much more unstable and hygroscopic. I used to be able to let equipment sit all year and simply swap out the water filters, drain the bottom of the tank, put in a new battery give it a hit of ether and off we would go. Can't be so cavalier on water or use ether on the new stuff. Diesel snot has a big problem in our parts.

Us older farmers around the morning coffee table typically complain about gov't, crime, bad batteries and fuel related problems on our equipment.

So now I reluctantly use additives on all fuel that I know won't stay current.

cheers

 

[Old Machinist]

I have had to clean algae out of tractors I bought used and it was no fun.

Since I've begun storing fuel I treat every delivery with Biobor JF and have not had a single problem with algae growth.

I'm not in a climate that normally has to worry about jelling but we had one bad winter I used the Power Service winterizer mentioned above and didn't have any fuel related problems.

My opinion on additives is they won't hurt and may help.