diesel stabilizer?

[Soundguy]

diesel stabil?

it any good.

the 70g tank inmy F450.. I like to keep it full in case I need to make a run with lil prep time.. but that mean the truck sets for weeks at a time between running it -any-. I do start it and take it to town at least once a month to get some exercise.. but it's long trips are farther between.

soundguy

 

[johnrex62]

I'd like to understand diesel additives better myself. As far as stabilizers go, from what I have been reading they are not necessary unless you plan to let the diesel sit for much longer than a few months. Diesel does not go stale as gasoline does. The big concern is water absorption and bacterial growth.

I don't know how long the bacteria takes to grow to problematic quantities, but it seems that leaving it in a tank for several weeks is probably not a big concern even without a bacteriacide additive.

I would like a layman's explanation of why additives are beneficial to diesel fuels on modern tractors. With the newer low and ultra low sulfur fuels is bacteria growth still as much a problem as it used to be? Since modern tractors are engineered to run only on low or ultra low sulfur fuel, what do additives do for us?

 

[flyingcow]

Been in the trucking business for close to 20 yrs. Owning/maintaining my rigs. Used to have a spare truck, it would sit months for a time. Never did a thing for additive in the summer. Usually would run it late fall, burn the summer fuel out. Add winter fuel, maybe add a qt(per 100gals of diesel) of Power Service for treatment, just for the heck of it. If it the tanks were full w/winter fuel, didn't do a thing when summer came around. Tried to start and run it for a few minutes every month, but sometimes it would be 2 or 3 months. Never had any problems with fuel.

I've never heard of diesel stabil. My 1st thought was snake oil salesmen? But, i dunno, probably ok. I've used Power Service once in a while. Keep fuel filters changed on a regular basis, and should be good to go. I think you're Ok doing just what you're doing. I wouldn't do it any different than you are.

What i would recommend is when you change fuel filters on anything that burns diesel, dump filters out in a clean bucket, turn 'em upside down and let drain for 60 minutes or so. I use empty windshield wash jugs with the top cut off. Look whats in there. Don't get too excited the first few times, it's going to be dirty and cruddy looking, thats just the filters doing their job. Just observe if it gets worse over time. Especially look for water floating around, which there will be a little. If you ever have a bad running motor, when you change filters, if it's a fuel problem, the gunk will be worse. Give you a posible direction of problems.

 

[flyingcow]

Algecide for diesels is expensive stuff, but i suppose a little wouldn't be bad idea. But i've only used it when i got a bad tank of fuel at a pump station. Before it got all done, the fuel supplier had to put new injectors in my truck. The shop that diagnosed the problem, voided my engine warranty, thats why the fuel company had to come good for it. Happens very seldom, only once in my 20yrs.

I live in a pretty cold climate, and very, very, seldom use any additives in my fuel. Fuel gelling isn't bery common for me. BUT filters are changed when i do regular servie. If i think it's starting to act up, i choose my spot and change fuel filters. Keep on trucking.

no need for fuel additives in tractors(in summer) in my opinion.

 

[dieselman65]

Hi all! I was browsing on hydraulics and came across this thread. Let me say right upfront, I sell Stanadyne. So, beyond that, the problem you folks are going to be seeing is with biodiesel. PA already mandates 2% bio and is going for 5%. Other states are on similar paths. Diesel likes water. Biodiesel loves water. And it has a shorter shelf life than regular diesel. Find a good additive that does NOT run the water through your engine.
ULSD has very poor lubricity. Today's engine have very tight tolerances. Find an additive that has high lubricity properties. One is biodiesel.
Point is, fuel is a tricky thing. Keep it clean, keep the water and bugs out, change your filters and use it up sooner rather than later.
many additives treat diesel. I don't know of any legitimate additive that treats the bio part of biodiesel.

 

[dodge man]

I have had problems with the filters on my BX tractor plugging in the winter in Illinois. All I can get at the pumps is biodiesel, so I think it is part of the problem. One of the problems is that BX's have very small filters. I agree that winter is the only time to really worry about fuel problems unless you let the fuels sit for a really long time.

 

[JD755]

FWIW....


http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/products.aspx#dieselstabil

 

[SteveInMD]

A while ago someone here explained that diesel StaBil and PRI-D work to stabilize fuel by blocking "free radical chemical reactions". Basically they are antioxidants. This is quite the opposite from cetane boosters like Power Service, which help initiate free radical reactions.

I'm not saying Power Service is bad stuff, but don't add it if the fuel will sit around a while. Wait until you are going to use it before you add Power Service. For fuel storage use StaBil or PRI-D and perhaps a biocide.