Diesel Additive - which one, and how much?

STCL01 · Oct 21, 2021

OK. I'm new to this. I recently purchased some additional equipment, and I got tire of having to run into town to fill up five gallon cans every day. Our ranch is in rural Texas and a round trip to town take a minimum of an hour. Short is I bought a 200 gallon tank, got my permit for farm diesel, and got it filled. We are in Central Texas south of Abilene. Fairly dry, and usually not terribly cold. I know that I need to put additives in the tank, but what do I use and how much of it?

MAX-24-Dean · Oct 21, 2021

I have been using Opti-lube products. See link for different formulas. Would be a good starting place to see there are additives for different seasons.

DIESEL & GAS ADDITIVES - Diesel Fuel Additives - Opti-Lube Additives & Lubricants

opti-lube.com

RalphVa · Oct 21, 2021

Really don't need additives in your situation: dry and not cold.

Think the mix is 0.15%. So, convert your 200 gallons (can do online) to tsp, tbsp or oz to know how much additive to put in. (Multiply by 0.0015)

If you use any, just use the white Power Service.

pokey1416 · Oct 21, 2021

Using Power Service products.

Power Service

DEWFPO · Oct 21, 2021

I've used both Power Service and Howes and have had good results with both (as in no problems) and I live in a cold climate.

jjeff · Oct 21, 2021

I use biocide in my 40 gallon tank.

Wagtail · Oct 21, 2021

I use "Fuel Doctors". It's a biocide + fuel treatment.

Unfortunately for you (OP) it isn't available in N.A. but I thought that I'd mention it for those of us Downunder who can get it. (Auto shops, Independent Oils, etc...)

dodge man · Oct 22, 2021

I personally am not a fan of additives unless you are using them for a specific reason, say anti gelling. In your case that’s not a problem. What is the turnover on your fuel? If you go through that 200 gallons in a month I wouldn’t add anything. If it’s several months I’d add a biocide. If you have an older tractor I’d add something like the above mentioned Optilube for its lubrication properties.

STCL01 · Oct 22, 2021

dodge man said:
I personally am not a fan of additives unless you are using them for a specific reason, say anti gelling. In your case that’s not a problem. What is the turnover on your fuel? If you go through that 200 gallons in a month I wouldn’t add anything. If it’s several months I’d add a biocide. If you have an older tractor I’d add something like the above mentioned Optilube for its lubrication properties.

Thank you all for your replies. I appreciate your thoughts and time. To answer some questions, the tractor is a Kubota M4700, a 2001 model. Pretty low hours. I think I've got about 950 hours on it. Runs like a top. Also have a back hoe and a skid steer. Fuel turnover is going to be fairly slow. This time of year I'm not working on things as much, since it's hunting season. Food plots are in, and I'm not clearing brush till after deer season. So I'll burn a little each time I am out simply working on roads etc. After season, when things start growing and I'm clearing brush I will be out there for longer periods of time, as my schedule allows, and I'll burn 15 - 20 gallons a day. So a full tank will last me a couple of months. As for cold, it usually doesn't really get lower than the 20's with an occasional dip into the teens. Last winter was an anomoly with it getting below 0.

jjeff · Oct 22, 2021

The biocide I use is 1oz for 20 gallons on a initial shock treatment if you have algae growth than 1oz for 55 gallons maintenance. I've had my current bottle about 2qts going on 5 yrs still 1/4 full never had problems when using it I'm confident it works and is cheap insurance. I've seen and worked on getting algae growth out of smaller sailboats aux diesel fuel systems.

TractorTYMe · Oct 22, 2021

I started using Howes after project farm showing it had pretty good anti gel properties for the cost. Especially since we're in transition between summer diesel and winter blend right now.

Fallon · Oct 22, 2021

I'm in Colorado & have a 300 gallon tank I fill up every year or 2. I fill it up in the winter so I get winter blend diesel. I put in Power Service white bottle for the anti-gell & a lesser degree the cutaneous boost & lubricate benefits. I also put in Power Service Bio Kleen as a biocide. There is no humidity in Colorado and I have no moisture in the filters on the tank at all. But I store the diesel for a decent while so I go conservative.

I can't say what I use is the best or even necessary. But a few bucks every year or 2 is cheap compared to the cost of the diesel much less my $50k tractor. Might be a different story if I had an older machine with a low pressure mechanical injection pump. A new or reboot pump or injectors on an old machine still buys a lot of potential snake oil additives. Even if $100 a year for White Bottle prevents 1 gelling incident when plowing its worth it to me.

oosik · Oct 23, 2021

I have five gallon jerry cans and use Power Service.

newbury · Oct 23, 2021

As others wrote - why use additive?

1. Control algae growth - at your rate of use may not need it.
2. Keep it from gelling - shouldn't be a problem
3. Lubrication - engines such as yours (and mine) were designed with sulfur lubricating the fuel system so get a high sulfur additive

I use Howes / Power Service.

And as an aside

STCL01 said:
the tractor is a Kubota M4700, a 2001 model.

I thought the M4700 last came out in 1997.

Ddh1961 · Oct 23, 2021

I live on the Alabama Gulf coast and our temps are similar to yours. We rarely see temps below freezing, and if it’s that cold out I’m not tractoring anyway. I put STA-Bil in my fuel to keep it fresh in case I get into a dry spell where I’m not doing any tractor work for awhile, and while this is infrequent it gives me peace of mind my fuel won’t go bad. I also add silver bottle Power Systems for a cetane boost and added lubricity. These additives also help keep the fuel system clean. I use 5 gal cans, but if I had a 200 gal tank I’d look into a biocide additive if the fuel was going to be in there more than 6 months.

STCL01 · Oct 23, 2021

Guy I bought it from said it was a 2001. Really don't know. It's the only tractor that I've ever owned. Bought it shortly after we bought the property five years ago.

Wagtail · Oct 23, 2021

newbury said:
"As others wrote - why use additive?

1. Control algae growth - at your rate of use may not need it."

Except that's the bugger of a diesel tank biological growth (algae), it doesn't take much to start the infestation and, even then, it could take up to 18 months before it truly fouls up your entire fuel delivery system. I know from experience.

Adding a wee bit of diesel biocide is cheap insurance. I mean, when was the last time anyone occasionally put an inspection camera down into any of their diesel tanks just to see if everything was OK?

Oaktree · Oct 24, 2021

oosik said:
I have five gallon jerry cans and use Power Service.

Same here, never a problem.

hube2 · Oct 24, 2021

For those that use power server.

Does anyone use Bio Kleen or Clear-Diesel on a regular basis to prevent issues?

ruffdog · Oct 24, 2021

The cloud point on #2 diesel is about 14F and if you are using bio diesel, it may be around 30F. Additives will lower those numbers quite a bit. I also use 5 gal jugs and Power Service and have never had an issue with water or algae. I did have gelling last winter when it got real cold and I had to replace the fuel filter and also swapped out the fuel. I had been getting off-road but maybe it was't treated like it should have been. The neighbor excavator now said that I could get fuel from him as he goes through alot and gets it "winterized". Also...not all fuel filters are the same. The older Toolcat's with the Kubota engine used a 10 micron filter while the Doosan engine uses a 2 micron which will plug quicker.