Diesel Fuel Lubricity And Additives

[RumT]

Hello,
I've seen a few questions here and there pertaining to fuel additives so I thought I would put this report up here that The Diesel Place site was kind enough to release a while back.

Results are on page 11 if you do not wish to read through the whole report.


Mods - sticky this maybe?

 

[roadhunter]

Good info but it is quite old if the date on the front page is correct.

 

[RumT]

Yes, a bit dated. I would only hope that the refineries are now regularly turning out fuel with the minimum lubricity. However, I did read where '09+ VW TDI's (I have an 09 TDI Jetta) were experiencing a high injection pump failure rate that was highly attributed to low lubricity, right around 2010-2011. I use a cocktail of PS Kleen and TC-W3 in my Jetta and Duramax. The Duramax (170K miles) idle smoothed out noticeably after starting this regime.

 

[crotbc]

I always use Lucas Fuel Treatment (Upper Cylinder Lube) for everything I own, gas or diesel. I get better gas mileage and have had no injector issues (315K on a 2001 GMC 1500) so it pays for itself. I use their Safeguard ethanol treatment too especially before I put engines up for the winter.

 

[3930dave]

You may find this info useful too:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/271743-diesel-wear-scar-test-limits.html

I run Stanadyne in all my diesel fuel. Based on country differences (Canada went with the EMA recommended minimum lubricity recommendations for ULSD, while the USA dropped the lubricity ppm requirement lower), I dose slightly higher when I'm buying diesel fuel in the USA.

Rgds, D.

 

[lilranch2001]

I have been using Opti-lube XPD for over 4 years based on this document

 

[jkornbread]

I run Amsoil Diesel Additive in all our diesels. But being a dealer I would say I'm biased. I have heard on the diesel forums for pickups about using 2 stroke oil, many had good results, several have not. Personally I won't do it.

 

[lilranch2001]

Amsoil dealers are few and far between

 

[3930dave]

Amsoil dealers are few and far between

There are a few Amsoil products I like - for those, I pick them up when I'm near their eastern Canada Distribution Centre. I went with the Pref Customer option, you don't have to buy all that much to cover the cost of the annual membership.

Some parts of the country have plenty of Amsoil dealers, in other areas, they are scarce. An advantage I see in the USA is low-cost shipping - you can just order what you want over the phone/net, and have it shipped to your door. In comparison, shipping in Canada is usually $$$$$$$$.

Rgds, D.

 

[Copperhead]

I just rely on biodiesel for lubricity issues. 2% brings back all the lubricity that was lost with ULSD fuel. I do run additives, especially in winter. I use the Schaeffer diesel products primarily because I use a lot of their oil and the deliver everything to me for free. They make top flight oils and lubes and the diesel additives are pretty good also.

 

[jaotguy]

in summer , ANY 2 stroke oil will help with the lube for pumps ....

in winter use the appropriate additives ....

 

[DarkBlack]

I though modern diesels relied on internal oil lubrication of all moving parts, no?...

 

[coobie]

I have been using Opti-lube XPD for over 4 years based on this document

++1. I use the same.

 

[Copperhead]

I though modern diesels relied on internal oil lubrication of all moving parts, no?...

They do. We are talking about the fuel system components here. They are not lubed by the engine oil.

 

[chopped]

Any recomendations of the ratio? to use?

in summer , ANY 2 stroke oil will help with the lube for pumps ....

in winter use the appropriate additives ....

 

[two4spooky]

Any recomendations of the ratio? to use?

I use a quart to each 55 gal drum when filling the drum. I use 16 oz of Power Service at the same time for a cetane boost.

 

[two4spooky]

Any recomendations of the ratio? to use?

Or I guess a better, more direct answer would be around 200:1.

 

[DarkBlack]

They do. We are talking about the fuel system components here. They are not lubed by the engine oil.

I think you missed the "all" in my post.

 

[newbury]

You may find this info useful too:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/271743-diesel-wear-scar-test-limits.html

I run Stanadyne in all my diesel fuel. Based on country differences (Canada went with the EMA recommended minimum lubricity recommendations for ULSD, while the USA dropped the lubricity ppm requirement lower), I dose slightly higher when I'm buying diesel fuel in the USA.

Rgds, D.

There was a Bosch briefing that came out in 2003 showing that US fuel damages Bosch injectors. http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/gasoline/meeting/2003/022003bosch.pdf

Bosch injectors are known for failure due to scarring by low lubricity ULSD. HPFP detailed FACTS - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums Ford and others besides VW have had significant problems.

I have been using Opti-lube XPD for over 4 years based on this document

Just finishing off a 5 gallon pail of XPD bought in about 2010 myself.

I just rely on biodiesel for lubricity issues. 2% brings back all the lubricity that was lost with ULSD fuel. I do run additives, especially in winter. I use the Schaeffer diesel products primarily because I use a lot of their oil and the deliver everything to me for free. They make top flight oils and lubes and the diesel additives are pretty good also.

That may be OK if you can find biodiesel. I'd rather carry a jug of XPD and fill up anywhere.

I though modern diesels relied on internal oil lubrication of all moving parts, no?...

They don't. If you could of read the first link about Bosch you might understand

Excess Wear
One mode of injector failure is excess wear. Prior to 2006, diesel fuels in the United States contained relatively large amounts of sulfur. This sulfur is found in the crude oil that gets refined into diesel fuel. The sulfur in the fuel was used as a natural lubricant for the fuel system. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) was gradually introduced into the United States because sulfur ruins diesel particulate filters (DPFs). Ultra-low-sulfur diesel is now mandated in all diesel fuel segments, including on-highway, off-highway, and railroad. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel has a maximum allowable sulfur content of 15 parts per million (ppm). As refiners removed this sulfur, the lubrication benefits went away as well. As a result, diesel fuel refineries now put additives in the fuel to restore lubricity.

The standard for measuring this lubricity is called the High Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR) Test, ASTM D-6079, which measures the size of a wear scar between two metal surfaces lubricated with the fuel. The less lubrication the fuel provides, the larger the wear scar. The maximum allowable wear scar in the United States is 520 microns (460 microns in Canada). Many fuel distributors add additional lubricity improvers to the fuel to limit premature wear.



Read more: Bosch - Why Diesel Fuel Injectors Fail - Diesel Power Magazine Page 2

Many fuel distributors DO NOT add enough lubricity improvers because it costs money.

 

[Copperhead]

Well, one can always put in a biodiesel blend of 2% or more and get all the lubricity they need for fuel system. Beats lubricity of adding oil or other stuff. Usually the price at the pump is the same as for regular diesel. The majority of truck stop diesel now has some blend of biodiesel for all their pump diesel, depending on location. Those same major truck stops usually have smaller vehicle fueling pumps for diesel. But like some, I also carry some Schaeffer Diesel additive for lubricity if needed. It is fairly cost effective since I get it in 5 gallon pails. Only need 1 0z per 15 gallons. The cost for a pail is somewhere around $167 or so. So at around a quarter per ounce, and using only 1 oz per 15 gallon recommended application rate, sure isn't join to break the bank. And yeah, I have to buy a few pails of the stuff a year. I go thru quite a bit of diesel over the year.

What is curious is how much some folks get worried about the lubricity issue. It is more a problem with older equipment, but there are tens of thousands of commercial trucks running around the country that hardly ever, if at all, put in something for lubricity and easily knock out 700,000 miles or more without losing fuel system components or failing injectors. And yes, some of them are Bosch systems. I think proper filter micron sizing and other things have more to do with fuel system and injector longevity than lubricity. The Technology and Maintenance Council, the de facto standards committee on fleet vehicle maintenance or N. America, does not make lubricity a primary concern. They feel that proper filtration, especially getting water out of fuel, is of the premier importance to fuel system longevity. And it is shown that ULSD has been known to have higher levels of water contamination than previous fuels. You can "lube" the fuel all you want, but it you have sandpaper (water) in there also, seems like one is just chasing their tail.