Favorite Diesel Fuel Additives

[tundraman01]

This was a long thread. Sticking with additives; since I bought my outside wood furnace, I have been thinking about using up my left over #2 heating oil in my tractor and backhoe. I have about 100 gallons. Is this a good/bad idea? Is there a difference between #2heating oil and #2 diesel? Maybe additives for the vehicle engines?

 

[number two]

No difference anymore!
Use it up and don't worry.
Happy Thanksgiving!

This was a long thread. Sticking with additives; since I bought my outside wood furnace, I have been thinking about using up my left over #2 heating oil in my tractor and backhoe. I have about 100 gallons. Is this a good/bad idea? Is there a difference between #2heating oil and #2 diesel? Maybe additives for the vehicle engines?

 

[almost13ranch]

For my kubota all I do is put about a cup of diesel 911 into the tank every time we fill it up and I know that the fuel will not gel on us. I also just checked the fuel filters on the tractor and they are the original filters that came on the tractor and we have had the tractor for about a year and a half and the fuel filters are just fine. The tractor is also running like it was the day that we bought it. If there is something that is going on inside the engine that doesn't effect the sound of the engine then I don't know if it is effecting the tractor at all besides the fact that the fuel isn't gelling on us.

911 is only for emergency filter icing and de gelling. You still need to treat for future gelling problems with another product.

Diesel 9

 

[Reg]

911 is only for emergency filter icing and de gelling. You still need to treat for future gelling problems with another product.

Diesel 9

Nope, the refinery has already done that - using summer blend in winter is a different issue, commonly known as STUPIDITY !

 

[aczlan]

Nope, the refinery has already done that - using summer blend in winter is a different issue, commonly known as STUPIDITY !

The refinery winter blend (around here anyways) freezes between 0F and 10F as such, power service is cheaper than getting a tow or service call because the fuel filters gelled up.

Aaron Z

 

[MikePA]

...using summer blend in winter is a different issue, commonly known as STUPIDITY !

BXman98 - Treating to prevent future gelling problems is the correct thing to do. Not treating fuel that's already had a gelling problem would be stupidity. Depending upon how much fuel you use and when you need to purchase it, needing to use summer fuel in the winter can happen.

 

[almost13ranch]

Nope, the refinery has already done that - using summer blend in winter is a different issue, commonly known as STUPIDITY !

I was referring to the poster that I quoted stating that 911 will prevent fuel gelling. According to the manufacturers link I included, that product is not recommended for that purpose.
If you were in my area two weeks ago, although the vendors treated for NORMAL low temperature, it was NOT enough to prevent gelling then. Additional additive WAS required at that time. We treated our fuel ahead of time knowing the forecast and didn't have a problem. Many relied on the fuel vendors and had trouble.

 

[Reg]

BXman98 - Treating to prevent future gelling problems is the correct thing to do. Not treating fuel that's already had a gelling problem would be stupidity. Depending upon how much fuel you use and when you need to purchase it, needing to use summer fuel in the winter can happen.

Yeah, getting oneself into a situation of "needing" to use summer fuel in winter conditions could hardly be described as "smart".
With just a LITTLE planning it is possible to have the right blend in the tank at all times - heck, just keeping the tank between 1/4 and 1/2 full as winter approaches allows quick blend adjustments.
At least with the little tractors a 5 gallon can of "fresh" fuel should do it.

I know, I know, in theory it is possible to go from 60 or 70 degrees to negative temps in a day or two and it is equally possible to blame the refineries for not getting ahead of things.
My TRUCKS have indicated that for decades they have always been ahead of winter, i.e. I notice the power and economy loss of winter blend EARLIER than the temperature drops actually happen and farther south than I feel is necessary. I wish they would switch to summer blend a few weeks earlier.

I have never had that "OMG, filled up in Richmond VA and it gelled in upstate NY when I parked overnight" (legendary) scenario, though I feared it 40 or so years ago and would make sure to top off with local brew before parking overnight.

Mayhap my habit of buying fuel from pumps that move a LOT of fuel has been the reason that I have managed to AVOID problems and not had to SOLVE them with magic juice ?

 

[MikePA]

And leaving a tractor tank at 1/4 to 1/2 full can lead to water condensing in the tank, causing a different problem. It's nothing more than good manners to not characterize people who do not do what I do as stupidity.

 

[Reg]

And leaving a tractor tank at 1/4 to 1/2 full can lead to water condensing in the tank, causing a different problem. It's nothing more than good manners to not characterize people who do not do what I do as stupidity.

I was assuming IN USE diesels, one could argue that it is irrelevant for out of use machinery.
There seems to be a belief that a near empty tank somehow SUCKS IN more volume of wet air than the volume of fuel consumed and that there is a meaningful difference between the 1/4 to 1/2 and the 3/4 to full ranges.

I have always had difficulty with that, perhaps you can help.

Is it due to daily thermal cycling ?
Is this only for machines left idle for MONTHS ?
Is it significant ?

Modern diesels have water separators and in many cases indicator lights to show when they need to be drained.
I don't drain mine as often as the owner's manuals suggest, though once every year or two keeps the light from coming on.

Again, these are IN USE diesels.
A little planning, a little forethought,,, lets not get into whether or not lack of planning and/or lack of forethought constitutes stupidity ?
I argue that lack of either can be fatal.