Does Pump Diesel Contain Additives?

[lmichael]

So, just another thing I am curious about. Gasoline has many additives right out of the nozzle so it can meet certain regulations and so in some cases can be called "Top Tier"
But, diesel? Other than being refined to "low Sulphur" from the pump does it have things (like gasoline) added i.e detergents, extra lube, etc.
I think there is not a person on this board who is not using some additive in their diesel but I'm sure just like myself, when your car is gassing up you go to a reputable station (Costco Top Tier for my cars), fill it up and drive.
So out of the pump is diesel just diesel? IOW if I buy fuel at Circle K, Love's, Kwik Trip, etc. is it simply all low Sulphur #2 no matter where I get it?

 

[85Hokie]

To answer your question in a simple manner - YES, diesel DOES change it's blend based on location and seasonal changes. There are "winter" and "summer" blends - somewhat like gasoline blends for those seasons.

The second question is ........ yes - diesel is diesel, the time of year will change the blend, but overall it is the same stuff. The RED dyed diesel is simply ordinary diesel with a dye in it - typically .30-.50 cents cheaper depending where you live - commonly called off-road diesel. YOU get fined out the butt IF RAN over the roads in cars-trucks.

 

[TheOldHokie]

So, just another thing I am curious about. Gasoline has many additives right out of the nozzle so it can meet certain regulations and so in some cases can be called "Top Tier"
But, diesel? Other than being refined to "low Sulphur" from the pump does it have things (like gasoline) added i.e detergents, extra lube, etc.
I think there is not a person on this board who is not using some additive in their diesel but I'm sure just like myself, when your car is gassing up you go to a reputable station (Costco Top Tier for my cars), fill it up and drive.
So out of the pump is diesel just diesel? IOW if I buy fuel at Circle K, Love's, Kwik Trip, etc. is it simply all low Sulphur #2 no matter where I get it?

A wealth of additives:

• Fuel handling and distribution additives
  • Low temperature operability additives
    • Flow improvers
    • Wax anti-settling additives
    • Cloud point depressants
    • De-icing additives
  • Other fuel handling additives
    • Antifoam additives
    • Drag reducing additives
    • Static dissipater additives
    • Biocides
    • Demulsifiers
    • Dehazers
    • Corrosion inhibitors for fuel distributiuon system
    • Marker dyes
    • Deodorants and re-odorants
• Fuel stability additives
  • Antioxidants
  • Stabilizers
  • Metal deactivators
  • Dispersants
• Engine protection additives
  • Corrosion inhibitors for vehicle fuel system
  • Injector cleanliness additives
  • Lubricity additives
• Combustion additives
  • Ignition improvers
  • Smoke suppressants
  • Combustion catalysts

 

[BManFX4]

So, just another thing I am curious about. Gasoline has many additives right out of the nozzle so it can meet certain regulations and so in some cases can be called "Top Tier"
But, diesel? Other than being refined to "low Sulphur" from the pump does it have things (like gasoline) added i.e detergents, extra lube, etc.
I think there is not a person on this board who is not using some additive in their diesel but I'm sure just like myself, when your car is gassing up you go to a reputable station (Costco Top Tier for my cars), fill it up and drive.
So out of the pump is diesel just diesel? IOW if I buy fuel at Circle K, Love's, Kwik Trip, etc. is it simply all low Sulphur #2 no matter where I get it?

I guess I am weird - I do not add anything to the diesel fuel for my Kubota or my Super Duty. I almost always buy my fuel at Love's or T/A truck stops with the TSD card. I've never noticed semi drivers adding anything to their fuel tanks when filling at the truck stops.

Are additives a thing with tractors? My Operator's Manual for the BX doesn't say I should be adding anything to the fuel. Thanks for any info.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I guess I am weird - I do not add anything to the diesel fuel for my Kubota or my Super Duty. I almost always buy my fuel at Love's or T/A truck stops with the TSD card. I've never noticed semi drivers adding anything to their fuel tanks when filling at the truck stops.

Are additives a thing with tractors? My Operator's Manual for the BX doesn't say I should be adding anything to the fuel. Thanks for any info.

If you use it as you buy it and climate is not excessively cold there is no need to add anything to what the formulators already put in.

Dan

 

[jimh406]

If you read the diesel forums, you’ll note that many recommend additives. Maybe unnecessary, but I’ve noted that my diesels run better with additives. It’s not that expensive for me since I don’t use that much fuel especially with my L2501.

 

[jyoutz]

If you use it as you buy it and climate is not excessively cold there is no need to add anything to what the formulators already put in.

Dan

Yes, but the reason why many of us tractor owners use additives is because we fill fuel barrels or caddies and it sits for months until used up. For some people, it sits in their fuel tanks awhile. For my truck, I never use additives because I use up the fuel and/or top off with fresh frequently.

 

[fried1765]

If you read the diesel forums, you’ll note that many recommend additives. Maybe unnecessary, but I’ve noted that my diesels run better with additives. It’s not that expensive for me since I don’t use that much fuel especially with my L2501.

"diesels run better with additives"= purely subjective/opinion

 

[GreensvilleJay]

well I'm the odd man out...don't add additives....
only buy 3x 10L red cans of diesel at a time,2 for BX23S, 1 for forklift..
though forklift isn't needed any more.....

 

[retired farmer]

I have a 55 gallon drum with a hand pump that I fill once or twice a year. I only add water displacement stuff in the drum. No problems so far with 450 hrs on my L3301 and never have to empty the water separator.
rr

 

[ve9aa]

I am the odd man out too, I guess. No additives except in the middle of winter, where -30*C is common.
Add ~15ml of an antigel agent just in case the beast breaks down or otherwise needs to get parked outside
when I am snowblowing. (otherwise , it lives inside)

 

[lmichael]

Interesting stuff. Appreciate all the info

 

[jimh406]

"diesels run better with additives"= purely subjective/opinion

You left out "my". Not subjective although I'm a samples size of 3 diesels. You can find similar info at another sites, but feel free to run without. Additives can increase the cetane as well. Since you apparently don't know what that is, look it up if you care to know.

Worse case, you will will have microbes in your fuel over time. I'm sure you'll have fun cleaning them out. I prefer to avoid that issue, but maybe you like it.

 

[TheOldHokie]

You left out "my". Not subjective although I'm a samples size of 3 diesels. You can find similar info at another sites, but feel free to run without. Additives can increase the cetane as well. Since you apparently don't know what that is, look it up if you care to know.

Worse case, you will will have microbes in your fuel over time. I'm sure you'll have fun cleaning them out. I prefer to avoid that issue, but maybe you like it.

Gee - I guess all of the clueless diesel car and truck owners that just pump and go are screwed....

Dan

 

[jimh406]

Gee - I guess all of the clueless diesel car and truck owners that just pump and go are screwed....

First, I was talking about diesels. Maybe you have a diesel car.

It is probably news to you, but the majority isn't always right.

 

[TheOldHokie]

First, I was talking about diesels. Maybe you have a diesel car.

It is probably news to you, but the majority isn't always right.

Reading always helps:

Gee - I guess all of the clueless diesel car and truck owners that just pump and go are screwed....

Its not a majority vote or opinion - its the everyday practice of millions of OTR vehicle owners.

Dan

 

[fried1765]

You left out "my". Not subjective although I'm a samples size of 3 diesels. You can find similar info at another sites, but feel free to run without. Additives can increase the cetane as well. Since you apparently don't know what that is, look it up if you care to know.

Worse case, you will will have microbes in your fuel over time. I'm sure you'll have fun cleaning them out. I prefer to avoid that issue, but maybe you like it.

 

[fried1765]

Being nearly 83 years old, and having owned a twin diesel (1,000 gal.) pleasure vessel operated along the entire Atlantic coast for 11 years, as well as two diesel cars, I have burned many thousands of gallons of diesel fuel.

Jimh406: Your sarcastic/angry/nasty/demeaning responses are inappropriate for this very pleasurable forum.

 

[cthomas]

Top Tier is an industry consortium led by GM - it started with gasoline and then went to diesel - with the goal of creating a "next level" fuel cert without have a full new fuel specification made, so it's voluntary. From the OEM point of view if they can get customers to use better quality fuel it will cut down their lifetime warranty spend on those engines.



To the market it's communicated that there are 4 key components to getting the cert:

- Fuel stability - using PetroOxy testing or biodiesel rancimat testing

- Lubricity - must meet the European standard of 460 micron HFRR score (US spec is 520 micron, and the lower the number the better the protection, so guaranteed 11% better than required for US market)

- Injector cleanliness - must pass the DW10B and DW10C injector deposit tests with <2% power loss. This is used to verify effectiveness of the detergent packages and ensure engines will be kept much cleaner than usual.

- Water and particulates - filling locations must have certain level of water separation / filtraton along with <10 micron filters for low-speed pumps and <30 micron for high flow pumps.

"Behind the scenes" the fuel also has to pass Ramsbottom carbon residue, corrosion, elastomer compatibility, filter blocking potential, etc. tests.



For fossil diesels this is handled with additive (detergent) packages, and tighter control over the delivery infrastructure. There's also a renewable diesel that has the Top Tier cert (not posted on the Top Tier site yet, but press releases are out) and that product meets all the requirements as-is from the refinery without any extra additives or detergents needed.

 

[cthomas]

I get all my fuel at a Kwik Trip as they have a warranty with their fuel and they honor it(Another location got water in the tank)((Paid for everyone's repairs). On the other hand my local fuel station filled the diesel tank with gasoline. Destroyed multiple engines and 5 years later they still have not made it right with the customers(they did switch suppliers). I will do drive 22 miles to get quality fuel(get 30 gallons at a time and fill truck up). Also, they have sales on food purchases to get a discount on fuel.