Are diesel conditioners needed for new

   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #51  
mrmikey said:
I'm in the same boat. I make sure I purchase enough fuel in/during the winter/fall to last to the next season, that way I'm always running winter fuel in my tractor. I still use Hawes fuel treatment as well.
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Get a sample in a small plastic bottle and put it in your freezer for a few days. My one freezer is at -4F and some fuel is mostly clear (good) while some looked like milky thick jello (bad).
 
   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #52  
I’ve used Optilube 2 cycle oil in my small engines for years. Best stuff there ever was! The only diesel I have now is my Volvo truck w/Cummins motor, I pull my 5th wheel with. Always use the Cummins recommended Power Service products. May have to check out the Optilube stuff though.
 
   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #53  
Cummins, Caterpillar and DDEC (Detroit Diesel Engine Company) all recommend Power Service Bio-Kleen and Kleen Diesel additives as well as the cold weather anti-gel.

Don't know about VoMack.

Good enough for me.
 
   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #55  
Don’t know if I mentioned this, but theres an old time diesel rebuilding shop nearby. I know the owner well. He says with todays “dry” diesel fuel, he recommends adding ATF to the fuel as a lubricant.
I have a noisy CAPS pump on my 8.3L Cummins and do NOT want it to fail. I added several gallons of ATF (tractor has 180 gallon fuel tank) and I found it helped quiet the pump and reduced the amount of the “surging” it had. I will continue to add 1-2 gallons per tankful to keep the pump alive as it is over $5,000 to replace. I would probably just change pumps if it failed, but don’t want to until it’s necessary. I don’t think most TBN members understand what an expensive job it is to replace todays pumps.

He told me they have had tractors brought in with nearly ruined pumps, fed high doses of ATF into them and rescued them from complete failure. I have seen diesels run just fine on a high level of ATF mixed into diesel fuel.

I would recommend ATF be added to older diesel tractor fuel systems. It will lubricate the pump and keep it alive.
 
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   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #56  
Hay Dude said:
Don’t know if I mentioned this, but theres an old time diesel rebuilding shop nearby. I know the owner well. He says with todays “dry” diesel fuel, he recommends adding ATF to the fuel as a lubricant.
I have a noisy CAPS pump on my 8.3L Cummins and do NOT want it to fail. I added several gallons of ATF (tractor has 180 gallon fuel tank) and I found it helped quiet the pump and reduced the amount of the “surging” it had. I will continue to add 1-2 gallons per tankful to keep the pump alive as it is over $5,000 to replace. I would probably just change pumps if it failed, but don’t want to until it’s necessary. I don’t think most TBN members understand what an expensive job it is to replace todays pumps.

He told me they have had tractors brought in with nearly ruined pumps, fed high doses of ATF into them and rescued them from complete failure. I have seen diesels run just fine on a high level of ATF mixed into diesel fuel.

I would recommend ATF be added to older diesel tractor fuel systems. It will lubricate the pump and keep it alive.
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What year range are you calling "older"? I've got friends that use ATF in their fuel. I'm not sure what the ratio is to say 100 gallon? But 2 gallons would seem to be a lot I'm thinking.
 
   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #58  
mike5511 said:
What year range are you calling "older"? I've got friends that use ATF in their fuel. I'm not sure what the ratio is to say 100 gallon? But 2 gallons would seem to be a lot I'm thinking.
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Well my magnum is 24 years old, but it depends on your pump is. I added ATF based on a tractor shop with a lot of experience. Definitely helped. It’s an older tractor.
 
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   / Are diesel conditioners needed for new #59  
ruffdog said:
Use ATF as a fuel modifier? Maybe you shouldn't anymore.....read:

Adding ATF to fuel? - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums
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I did. It has a mix of people who agree and disagree.

Here’s what a John Deere Diesel tech said in the thread:

”I'm a diesel tech at a John Deere Dealership where we get the new Large frame 7's ans 8R's in all the time with the same black sticky junk as described in one post earlier. It's beginning to be a bigger problem all the time. We have to flush the injection system with a flush kit and special formula to get rid of that stuff. Funny thing is, these guys don't add anything but JD fuel conditioner to their fuel. North American diesel fuel is dirty and burns dirty, contrary to popular opinion. Ask the VW TDI guys that. As for the burning ATF in a pan or spoon example, next time you try that, use an infrared thermometer to measure the heat of the flame. Then get in your diesel and mash the throttle. Take a quick look at that pyrometer and compare that temp reading with the infrared reading - cylinder temps are much higher than the pan cooker. Some substances need higher temps than others to burn. In a cylinder with the nice high combustion temps, the ATF actually burns pretty clean. We find that a couple of the guys that started adding some ATF to their fuel all of a sudden didn't need to come in for the usual flush - engine stayed running properly all year. ATF IS oil and it's a great lubrcant and a super cleaner. Next time your hands are greasy, try washing in ATF. You'll be surprised how well it works.”

:unsure:
 
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