Do you use a Fuel Supplement

Packy

Seasoned Expediter
With the high cost of diesel fuel, all drivers are looking for ways to improve their mielage.

Does anyone use a fuel supplement?

Are you suing the supplement to improve fuel mileage or maintenance reasons becasue of the low sulfur fuel?

How often do you use the supplement?

Which product is the best?
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I use a product called Opti-Lube. They sell on-line only. There was a thread on here about a year ago that had a link to a site that had test resluts on the major supplements. The Opti-Lube products appeared to do the best on the engine wear tests. I started using it for that reason. I picked up between 3/4 to 1 mile mpg right away. My engine runs much quieter with it. Even my wife noticed the difference in the noise level. I buy in gallon jugs and break it down into smaller containers for ease of use. They send you smaller bottles with each order. I have started using thier oil additive. Another noise level drop but I cannot say I noticed any change in the mileage. I think I will continue to use it. I figure if the engine is quieter then there might be less wear taking place. Layoutshooter
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
It's basically an MLM company that skirts around scam and pyramid schemes. The Web site reads like an infomercial, and with good reason, to deflect your attention away from the product. The "sounds too good to be true so it probably is magic pill" is nearly 100% naphthalene (primary ingredient in moth balls)

BPI used to be BioPerformance out of Texas, until they were shut down and put out of business for claiming a 25% increase in fuel mileage. Now they're back as BPI, out of Salt Lake, only with the court-ordered disclaimer about the product containing naphthalene and it's health effects, as well as the very fine print bottle disclaimer that they guarantee no results whatsoever, much less an increase in fuel mileage. On the Web site they tout the results of lab tests, results anyone can get by tossing naphthalene into their tank.

What they don't tell you is that naphthalene, with it's high melting point of 80C, will precipitate out as fuel evaporates, and will clog injectors and filters. Naphthalene was a routine gasoline ingredient to increase octane before WWII, back when most gas had an octane rating were in the 40-60 range, and increased in the 50's to 60-80, as it has a blended octane of 90. But as lead went into the gas, naphthalene came out. As lead came out, better refining techniques rendered naphthalene worthless as an octane booster.

Naphthalene has a cetane rating of exactly zero, so its use in diesel fuel as an additive would be, uhm, somewhat limited insofar as increasing fuel economy. The cetane number of diesel fuel is a percentage of cetane to alpha methyl-naphthalene, and is obtained to a consistent number by diluting cetane (100 rating, high ignition quality) with alpha methyl-naphthalene (0 rating, very poor ignition quality). So, the more naphthalene magic pills you drop into the tank, the lower your cetane number goes, which is the opposite of getting more miles per gallon out of your fuel.
 

Steady Eddie

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Thought so! You are correct in the statement of moneymaker scheme.

You could do better by just putting a teaspoon of acetone in the fuel tank.


I do not use any additives, tried it twice and both times gummed up my EGR valve.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
What additive did you use that gummed up your EGR? How do you keep your fuel from gelling in the winter? Layoutshooter
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I am very worried about gelling. Maybe too much. I noticed my fuel getting cloudy at around 30 this fall before I started with my winter mix. It stays clear when I use the additive. I still am not sure about how all this works. Layoutshooter
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Untreated Low Sulfer #2 diesel will not gel above 14 degrees F. Winterized #2 diesel should be good below 14 down to -4F.

For the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, ULSD, you add about 6 degrees to it, where it will begin to gel at 15-20 degrees F, and you'll need winterized fuel from 20 degrees down to about zero.

ULSD will begin to cloud below 30, especially if it contains a lot of water, which is why it's important to use a water dispersant year around, but particularly in the winter. Cloudy but otherwise perfectly fine fuel, if left untreated with either winterized fuel or an anti-gel (fuel flow improver) will clog filters, and the water contained therein will freeze inside the filter.

I use a water dispersant year around (for filter and injector health) and use it in anti-gel doses whenever it's colder than 20-25 degrees.
 

EagleRiverWI

Seasoned Expediter
I have been putting in Howes for the last 5 months. My mpg in a straight truck is 9.3 with a Tri Pac installed. I had a problem with fuel filters clogging 18 months ago in 15 below weather. I bought the fuel close to home at a place that does not sell a lot of diesel. Now I go somewhere else, when at home, and buy enough to get back to civilization.
 

rldewitt1

Active Expediter
I drive a Sprinter Van with the Diesel engine. what is the best fuel additive to use for winter. I am new in the business and have been through a winter driving
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I drive a Sprinter Van with the Diesel engine. what is the best fuel additive to use for winter. I am new in the business and have been through a winter driving

Most of us Sprinter type guys use the Power Service....Grey bottle in summer, white bottle in winter....

I myself only use the Grey bottle...all year around...

Farm and Fleet or Tractor Supply you can get it for $12.95 a G.
or Walmart for $14-15 a gallon....or PILOT for $19.95...:eek:
 

wndjmr1

Seasoned Expediter
Hello OVM,just read your post about useing power service in your sprinter.I have had a 05 sprinter on the road the last couple months,putting a splash of Howes in ateach fuel stop,but it is not as cost effective as power service.I drove 18 wheelers for the past 30 plus years,and had good luck with power service,and wanted to know your dose ratio.As a big beleiver in the KISS principle,i like your use of the gray bottle year round Thanks,Windjammer
 

pearlpro

Expert Expediter
I stick to Lucas Oil Products, Ive used them all for years and never had an Issue, car, tractor, truck and race car Lucas is the best...
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Hello OVM,just read your post about useing power service in your sprinter.I have had a 05 sprinter on the road the last couple months,putting a splash of Howes in ateach fuel stop,but it is not as cost effective as power service.I drove 18 wheelers for the past 30 plus years,and had good luck with power service,and wanted to know your dose ratio.As a big beleiver in the KISS principle,i like your use of the gray bottle year round Thanks,Windjammer

I keep a quart bottle of the stuff that has the markings on the side....and refill it from the gallon jug... about 8oz to a full tank...like 20G's and up....after that I kind of wing it...ya know what I mean?....
Ps....I have never ever had a gelling problem....not even sitting for days in SD at -50....
 

purgoose10

Veteran Expediter
Everyone now adays should be using additives. Ethynol based gas attracts condensation which in turn collect in fuel lines. Freezing etc. Of course condensation is bad in any engine.
I use Lucas, I buy it by the case, put it in smaller bottles for the drivers to carry with them.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I'm sold on cow magnets and dilethium crystals. Moooooo Scotty!

dilithium-crystals.jpg
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
The original poster was concerned with diesel fuel.
With the high cost of diesel fuel, all drivers are looking for ways to improve their mielage.

Everyone now adays should be using additives. Ethynol based gas attracts condensation which in turn collect in fuel lines.

Alcohol absorbs water and is carried through the fuel system and is burned in the combustion process. That is why it is a major ingredient in winter fuel additives for gas engines and is also the main component of air-line antifreeze. Heet™ is one such product for gasoline engines. I find that with the proliferation of E-10 gasoline, additives to remove moisture are unnecessary and a waste of money.

Of course condensation is bad in any engine.
I use Lucas, I buy it by the case, put it in smaller bottles for the drivers to carry with them.

Do the drivers just carry these smaller bottles of Lucas around with them? Do they use the Lucas only when a problem arises or is it added at every fill?
 
Top