Fuel Additives - Fact or Fiction?

[rja7]

Greetings all:

I have a new to me trawler with a naturally aspirated Ford Lehmann SP135 - 1985 vintage with 1100 hours on the meter.

Besides diesel ( of course) do you add any after market products. If so, what and why? What ratio?

I’ve heard of people using seafoam, Lucas addititives. How about you?

FYI: my boating is in fresh water on the Great Lakes and we are looking soon at winter layup.

Look forward to the wisdom herein.

Rob

 

[DavidM]

My first boss, an ex refinery manager, called fuel additives "mouse milk". You can figure that one out.

David

 

[rja7]

My apologies to all. Just did a search on the forum (should have done this first) and found some prior posts discussing this. Put it down to a newbie finding his way around the forum.

 

[JDCAVE]

My first boss, an ex refinery manager, called fuel additives "mouse milk". You can figure that one out.

David

I agree with David. I add nothing at all. Read through this document.

https://www.chevron.com/-/media/chevron/operations/documents/diesel-fuel-tech-review.pdf

Page 93:

“Aftermarket Additives

It would be convenient for the user if a finished diesel fuel could satisfy all of his or her requirements without the use of supplemental additives. Although this is usually the case, some users require additional additives because the low-temperature conditions in their region are more severe than those for which the fuel was designed or because of other special circumstances. Other users feel that they will benefit from using a diesel fuel with enhanced properties compared to using regular diesel. Finally, there are users who regard the cost of an additive as cheap insurance for their large investment in equipment. A large number of aftermarket additive products are available to meet these real or perceived needs. Some are aggressively marketed with testimonials and bold performance claims that seem “too good to be true.” As with any purchase, it is wise to remember the advice, caveat emptor, “let the buyer beware.” It may be helpful to regard additives as medicine for fuel. Like medicine, they should be prescribed by an expert who has made an effort to diagnose the problem, as well as the underlying causes. Additives should be used in accordance with the recommendations of the engine manufacturer, and the instructions of the additive supplier. Sometimes, indiscriminant use of additives can do more harm than good because of unexpected interactions.”

Like I said. I add nothing.

Jim

 

[Woodland Hills]

My Detroits used to smoke a bit on startup, I began using Technol summer fuel treatment and now they don’t. If I skip a treatment they smoke again.

 

[smitty477]

Cummins officially recommends diesel fuel additives....

https://www.cummins.com/news/releas...ommends-power-service-diesel-kleen-cetane-and

 

[psneeld]

I like Cats approach...if you need them, use them. Only use certain ones say for poor fuel, bio issues, etc.

But there's no need to.out of general interest.

 

[Comodave]

Greetings all:

I have a new to me trawler with a naturally aspirated Ford Lehmann SP135 - 1985 vintage with 1100 hours on the meter.

Besides diesel ( of course) do you add any after market products. If so, what and why? What ratio?

I’ve heard of people using seafoam, Lucas addititives. How about you?

FYI: my boating is in fresh water on the Great Lakes and we are looking soon at winter layup.

Look forward to the wisdom herein.
Rob

Welcome aboard and congrats on your new boat. We would like to see some photos of it. I add some diesel stabilizer for the winter here. Don’t know if it helps or not but it makes me feel good.

 

[FF]

For specific purposes additives are needed.

Have summer fuel in the tank and now want to operate in the cold? A chemical will defrost the fuel.

Poor design fuel tank or leaky deck fitting? So there is water in the fuel?
Bio Bore or other poisons will kill the bugs that live in the water die and plug your filters.

Poor burning fuel from too light loading? Sometimes, only sometimes an injector cleaner will clean up the engine .Rings can be freed too with chemicals..

There are also cetane improvers , should you get filled with house heating oil instead of diesel, and the engine is loud.

All these additions are needed only when needed, but many folks use bug killler as a preventative.

 

[oscar]

It's very hard to form an objective opinion on this matter as the information is heavily influenced by interests ranging from environmental protection to the profits of oil companies and additive manufacturers alike.

There seems to be a body of evidence that suggests that the process in which sulphur is removed to create todays ULSD negatively affects lubricity, specifically as needed by injector pumps, and MAY have an effect on their longevity.

Fuel manufacturers are supposed to put additives back in to restore lubricity. Spot testing of fuels seems to indicate they may not be very consistent in doing so.

Now, mind you we're talking about whether an OTR truck will do one or 1.5 million miles before overhaul.... To us recreational mariners who do an average of 100 hours a year this is purely academic.

So far the best read I've found on the subject is here:

https://www.jatonkam35s.com/DeuceTechnicalManuals/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf

I add nothing. I buy it and burn it.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I use Seafoam in various other engines but not the boat.
I read about Lucas oil on a Toyota forum. Several users there. Bought a gallon and added to our old 72 truck. The truck sits a lot but runs well before and after the Lucas.
I use Biobore and Stabil regularly in the boat engine fuel.

Talk about snake oil, mouse milk and other humbug talk has it’s place but mostly additives work well. Some people just like to add additives even w/o a problem. But then I don’t have a fuel problem w the boat engine but it’s probably BECAUSE I’ve used additives.

Most additives are for specific problems or situations and are more legitimate than the Pope but there are a few that qualify as snake oil but I can’t name any. I used Seafoam (formerly Risoline) to unstick old outboards that were throw-aways and got a running engine out of it. That was when I was a teenager .... and additives go back much further than that.

Additives are good and very effective if used as designed. Some people say “I always use XXX because my mechanic says he has used it for years”. There are mechanics and there are mechanics. If you know a lot about engines you may be able to tell the difference .. and maybe not. Some mechanics are very likable and seem very knowledgeable that have a horde of people following them around and will do anything they say.

 

[tozz]

Greetings all:

I have a new to me trawler with a naturally aspirated Ford Lehmann SP135 - 1985 vintage with 1100 hours on the meter.

Besides diesel ( of course) do you add any after market products. If so, what and why? What ratio?

I’ve heard of people using seafoam, Lucas addititives. How about you?

FYI: my boating is in fresh water on the Great Lakes and we are looking soon at winter layup.

Look forward to the wisdom herein.

Rob

I don't add anything to my diesel gensets or mains. I have added seafoam to dinghy gas tank when it was running a little rough and it seemed to helped but it also could have been subconscious

I did watch this Project Farm video which I found interesting on adding seafoam to and old truck.

https://youtu.be/agAWXnT4-EQ

 

[psneeld]

gas and diesel are definitely different animals.


Best to study the manufacturer's literature on additives, and web forums discussing the make and model of the engine in question...then the use and geographical area of use.



generalities can be misleading.