diesel additive

Not sure affirmation by the oil industry in meeting a Gov't standard puts the issue to bed.

I have always been a "snake oil" thinking type and never used additives on a regular basis.

But if you read the engine manufacturer's recommendations...many do recommend a lubricity or biocide as necessary or as a generality.

The only way to know for sure is to have your fuel tested all the time which is impractical in my eyes.

Ethanol is an additive at the distributer level and it rarely in my area meets the specs of E-10...of then it's only around E-5 so you are getting lower octane fuel..most vehicles today don't care but it's what it is...I wonder if lubricity additives could be the same?

I actually am swinging more to the additive camp as what can it hurt except the pocketbook yet some also claim a bit of economy increase so maybe it's a push after all.

Shy of an "absolute test" of what's best like anchor tests....I just may sit this fence awhile longer...

It's hard to believe Chevron, Shell or Texaco would sell diesel fuel that will wear out you're engine prematurely. I use Biobore though. Having 100 gallons of fuel and burning 1gph means I've always got some very old fuel in the tank.

It may NOT be the "big oil" that's doing it.... if the additives are added at the distributer level and you just happen to get Mr. Chucklehead adding the additive that day.

I really don't know if that is the case...but it is with ethanol because of the longevity issues with ethanol.

I'm lucky, there is a service station about 5 miles from my boat that sells biodiesel. I"m going to jerry can about 25 gal per tank, 10%, and go with that.

Larry in Hobo gave me this tip as he had used this stuff due countless hours.
Also, it's not expensive and it addresses your concerns about lubrication.

BandB said:

9,000 gallons a month qualify? That was my usage in June and July.

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I could go around the world with 9,000 gallons

I would add Marvel Mystery Oil. I know exactly what it does but if I divulge that information I will be reduced to chum.

Sorry, Never Use MMO. Proven in several tests to make diesel worse and increase wear.

The product is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard.

It is a mixture of aliphatic and alicyclic C7 to C12 hydrocarbons with a maximum content of 25% of C7 to C12 aromatic hydrocarbons.

Might as well pour lacquer thinner in. If you were to change oil with 4 qts 30wt and 1 qt MMO you end up with 20wt oil. It thins that was the original intention to clean the paraffin left from Pennzoil.

Capthead said:

Sorry, Never Use MMO. Proven in several tests to make diesel worse and increase wear.

The product is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard.

It is a mixture of aliphatic and alicyclic C7 to C12 hydrocarbons with a maximum content of 25% of C7 to C12 aromatic hydrocarbons.

Might as well pour lacquer thinner in. If you were to change oil with 4 qts 30wt and 1 qt MMO you end up with 20wt oil. It thins that was the original intention to clean the paraffin left from Pennzoil.

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Aww heck Capt... Stop tryen so dern herd ta sell MMO!

Will it lower my cholesterol?

Wxx3 said:

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Larry in Hobo gave me this tip as he had used this stuff due countless hours.
Also, it's not expensive and it addresses your concerns about lubrication.

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Same here. If I'm not refueling with ValvTect additives already in the fuel, I add Biobor JF for its biocide properties. ValvTect also has a biocide called BioGuard.

Both products claim to improve lubricity in ULSD.

Art said:

Aww heck Capt... Stop tryen so dern herd ta sell MMO!

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BWAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha!!!!

I used that stuff. I ruined an injection pump in my diesel truck in about 6000 miles or less. It locked up the IP so hard it broke the timing chain.

I have personal experience with MMO.

Do research. Bio baby, Plant based. The only true lube, Look at the testing. Reading labels isn't research, I found that out the hard way.

So who here has a Diesel engine that is suffering from lubricity issues because of out of spec fuel?If so, what are the problems and symptoms?

A Great game plan for all the name brand lubricity additives, they won't hurt is the common refrain. But do they help?

Bug killers work , but the brand needs to be changed every so often.

Water in the fuel is where the bugs live , so a bottom tank drain , or lowering a plastic tube to the tank low point and pumping is the drill.

Ez on some boats impossible on others , but always worth the try.

>I do not know what the mystery is in Marvel but I am not gonna change, seems to work.<

A friend at Mobil Oil claimed its #1 diesel and oil of wintergreen to change the smell, and a bit of red dye.

sunchaser said:

So who here has a Diesel engine that is suffering from lubricity issues because of out of spec fuel?If so, what are the problems and symptoms?

A Great game plan for all the name brand lubricity additives, they won't hurt is the common refrain. But do they help?

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On my GMC truck, when the IP was failing the only symptom was hard starting. It would not restart. The IP has a setting for cold starts like a choke on a gas engine. I had to get water and pour it over the IP to cool it down enough to go into the cold start mode. It took a gallon or two. I finally started having fun with this. I found a plastic 1.75L vodka bottle and filled it with water. On the second pouring of water on the IP I'd bring that bottle out. It took two bottles to cool it.

Here's the picture. I'm in a shopping center parking lot with the hood up on this Jimmy 4X4 pouring water on the front of the engine. People start watching. I bring out a vodka bottle and take a gulp, then pour it over the IP. Get in and it starts.

It would run great. NO other symptoms until it refused to start. When I would switch IP's and take the worn one to the rebuilder, he'd say all hard parts were worn out like fine sandpaper had been between them.

90% of the time we fuel up at a Valvtect fuel dock, now I have not read any studies, but without a doubt on long runs my transom is much cleaner using it then not (no noticeable operation difference). I have friends that made the same comment as well, just FYI on that fuel, it does have lubricity/cetane boost/bioguard already blended.

I think if you read the engine manuals carefully you will see the manufacturers 'approve' certain additives, they do not 'recommend' them.

Marvel Mystery Oil. The makers must laugh their asses off every time a load of that crap leaves their factory. It even has an in-your-face snake-oil name! "One born every minute."

I think the diesel oil with wintergreen is WD40.

>It's hard to believe Chevron, Shell or Texaco would sell diesel fuel that will wear out you're engine prematurely.<

Fuel coming out of a pipeline is unbranded , a commodity that simply meets certain minimum specks.

Majic cures are perhaps added at the dist. level.

This is why fuel might need treatment , but lube oil which is packaged needs nothing.

Marlinmike said:

90% of the time we fuel up at a Valvtect fuel dock, now I have not read any studies, but without a doubt on long runs my transom is much cleaner using it then not (no noticeable operation difference). I have friends that made the same comment as well, just FYI on that fuel, it does have lubricity/cetane boost/bioguard already blended.

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I'm not disputing your transom may have less soot, but a sooty transom can be an indicator of an over loaded engine, fuel to air mismatch, poor ER ventilation, injectors shot, or worn out engine. Or, over propping

Knock on wood, I see no soot on my transom, but if I do the first suspect will not be lack of additives - unless of course I stopped for fuel in the Baja following the recent hurricanes.

When still working, our fuel deliveries would have specs as part of the refiners paperwork. In CA today and most other places in North America selling non compliant fuel is akin to the NFLers beating their significant other.

The purveyors of lubriciity enhances try very hard to keep the public alarmed, and are quite successful at it. And by the way I just added startron to my tanks to keep bugs and water at bay, or so I hope.

Less soot meaning, zero vs that of some blackness seen when washing it off. I reach max RPM's plus 100 over that at WOT. As far as the rest of your post of mismatch air I think you are reaching.

sunchaser said:

I'm not disputing your transom may have less soot, but a sooty transom can be an indicator of an over loaded engine, fuel to air mismatch, poor ER ventilation, injectors shot, or worn out engine. Or, over propping

Knock on wood, I see no soot on my transom, but if I do the first suspect will not be lack of additives - unless of course I stopped for fuel in the Baja following the recent hurricanes.

When still working, our fuel deliveries would have specs as part of the refiners paperwork. In CA today and most other places in North America selling non compliant fuel is akin to the NFLers beating their significant other.

The purveyors of lubriciity enhances try very hard to keep the public alarmed, and are quite successful at it. And by the way I just added startron to my tanks to keep bugs and water at bay, or so I hope.

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Marlinmike said:

now I have not read any studies,

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For some it can be enlightening. For our recreational vessels a great site to read and ask questions on this issue is boatdiesel. With soot being a permitting bugaboo for over the road diesel vehicles, California's CARB diesel fuel implementation history and specs are readily available.

What engines and vintage does your vessel have Marlinmike?

sunchaser said:

For some it can be enlightening. For our recreational vessels a great site to read and ask questions on this issue is boatdiesel. With soot being a permitting bugaboo for over the road diesel vehicles, California's CARB diesel fuel implementation history and specs are readily available.

What engines and vintage does your vessel have Marlinmike?

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2000, Yanmar LP-STE, 2000 hours