I was wondering what diesel additives are being used, and any results to speak of. I always use ring-free in my gas for the outboards, but have no experience with diesel fuel for the generator...
Diesel fuel additive - Fischer Panda gen set
- Thread starter georgemjr
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I use a product called Vellet bio... something. I can't remember the name right now, i have some in the boat, but WM sell them. Black bottle with red cap on it.
Definitely check out www.opti-lube.com
Otherwise the biocide type additives from your favorite marine supply will suffice.
In any case you do want to stabilize your fuel if it sits for any length of time in a marine environment. And I don't know what they're pumping at the fuel dock, but the new over-the-road diesel is the ultra-low sulfer formulation now and it has about 40% less lubrication properties to it compared to what we used to get. Plays havoc with injectors and injector pumps on older equipment.
A little 2-cycle oil doesn't hurt either, like a quart in 25 gallons. Cheap stuff, like from walfart. Some of the guys with the diesel trucks are doing this. I use the XPD additive from Opti-lube in my duramax. Works way good, nice and quiet.
Otherwise the biocide type additives from your favorite marine supply will suffice.
In any case you do want to stabilize your fuel if it sits for any length of time in a marine environment. And I don't know what they're pumping at the fuel dock, but the new over-the-road diesel is the ultra-low sulfer formulation now and it has about 40% less lubrication properties to it compared to what we used to get. Plays havoc with injectors and injector pumps on older equipment.
A little 2-cycle oil doesn't hurt either, like a quart in 25 gallons. Cheap stuff, like from walfart. Some of the guys with the diesel trucks are doing this. I use the XPD additive from Opti-lube in my duramax. Works way good, nice and quiet.
Doc Stressor
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A good marine diesel fuel additive should do three things:
1. Prevent fuel oxidation during storage (contain anti-oxidants and metal inactivators).
2. Prevent bacteria from growing in the fuel water interface in the tank (contain a biocide).
3. Keep the fuel injectors clean (contain a good detergent package).
Lubricity is an non-issue with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. While removing the sulfur destroys aromatic compounds that provide lubrication in higher sulfur fuel, all ULSD must meet a minimum standard for lubricity. This is accomplished by including a small amount of an inexpensive additive that restores the lubricity to approximately the level of 500 ppm diesel (which is still available at many fuel docks). There have not been a rash of lubricity related problems since the industry moved to ULSD. Increasing the level of lubricity with an after market additive or 2-stroke oil provides little additional benefit.
The benefit of additives that either inhibit or increase the emulsification of water in diesel fuel is somewhat controversial. Water is effectively removed from diesel fuel with a standard water separating fuel filter as long as it is not highly emulsified. There is some concern that emulsified water can damage high pressure common rail injectors found in the latest engines.
You can meet the requirements for an effective diesel fuel stabilizer either by using an anti-oxidant/detergent additive such as StaBil plus a biocide. Or you can use a single multi functional additive that provides all three functions such as the one sold by Valvtec:
http://www.valvtect.com/VMAMarineDiesel.pdf
If you use your boat or truck often, you really don't need to use an additive.
1. Prevent fuel oxidation during storage (contain anti-oxidants and metal inactivators).
2. Prevent bacteria from growing in the fuel water interface in the tank (contain a biocide).
3. Keep the fuel injectors clean (contain a good detergent package).
Lubricity is an non-issue with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. While removing the sulfur destroys aromatic compounds that provide lubrication in higher sulfur fuel, all ULSD must meet a minimum standard for lubricity. This is accomplished by including a small amount of an inexpensive additive that restores the lubricity to approximately the level of 500 ppm diesel (which is still available at many fuel docks). There have not been a rash of lubricity related problems since the industry moved to ULSD. Increasing the level of lubricity with an after market additive or 2-stroke oil provides little additional benefit.
The benefit of additives that either inhibit or increase the emulsification of water in diesel fuel is somewhat controversial. Water is effectively removed from diesel fuel with a standard water separating fuel filter as long as it is not highly emulsified. There is some concern that emulsified water can damage high pressure common rail injectors found in the latest engines.
You can meet the requirements for an effective diesel fuel stabilizer either by using an anti-oxidant/detergent additive such as StaBil plus a biocide. Or you can use a single multi functional additive that provides all three functions such as the one sold by Valvtec:
http://www.valvtect.com/VMAMarineDiesel.pdf
If you use your boat or truck often, you really don't need to use an additive.
I have never run anything in mine and have never had problems, but i'm with you guys, I feel I need to start using something in order to prevent bigger problems down the road. I saw something about a Stabil diesel formula....anybody hear anything about it?
Doc Stressor said:
Highway ULS diesel is in the mid 400's and all but the newest diesels like the duramax specify mid 600's ppm. You may be getting something with an additive at a fuel dock, and a diesel powered generator may be fine with whatever in it. BTW, what exactly is the "inexpensive additive" that you refer to? Are you a fuel formulator? Have you worked with biodiesel? Did you know that biodiesel is one of the very best additives for lubricity?
To say it is a non issue is patenty false, and is the primary reason for even bothering to reply. You can hear the difference and the parts last longer with proper lubrication. Injectors for one of our trucks can run $200 or more each plus labor to install them, and a pump is a couple of grand.
To say you don't need to run proper fuel lubrication levels for a diesel truck if you drive it often is like saying you don't need good oil if you change it often.
Doc Stressor
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All automotive diesel engines sold since 2007 are designed to run on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, which cannot exceed 15 ppm total sulfur. That's the maximum sulfur content found in most commonly available diesel fuel. Off road diesel can contain as much as 500 ppm sulfur. That's fine for engines built before 2007.
Sulfur itself is not a lubricant. But removing the compound breaks down the aromatic components of diesel that are lubricants. The most common compounds that are added to ULSD to restore lubricity are aliphatic ester derivatives. They are inexpensive and effective at very low treat levels to the order of 1%.
Trust me. I'm a biochemist as well as a gear head. :wink:
It doesn't hurt to add additional lubricity improver to diesel fuel. It will often noticeably decrease the noise made by the injector pump. But diesel engines last for many hundereds of thousands of miles on pump fuel without additional additives. However, diesel fuel that is stored in a boat or a genset tank does benefit from stabilizers and biocides.
Sulfur itself is not a lubricant. But removing the compound breaks down the aromatic components of diesel that are lubricants. The most common compounds that are added to ULSD to restore lubricity are aliphatic ester derivatives. They are inexpensive and effective at very low treat levels to the order of 1%.
Trust me. I'm a biochemist as well as a gear head. :wink:
It doesn't hurt to add additional lubricity improver to diesel fuel. It will often noticeably decrease the noise made by the injector pump. But diesel engines last for many hundereds of thousands of miles on pump fuel without additional additives. However, diesel fuel that is stored in a boat or a genset tank does benefit from stabilizers and biocides.