Diesel Additives

[Bad Obsession]

What is your favorite Diesel Additives that you put in your boat? What does it do? How well does it work? How often do you add it? Where do you get? What does it cost?

I am just curious to see the variety of replies that will come up with this one because I talk to a lot of different people and I have heard a lot of different answers.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I think you hear various, sometimes contradictory, response because there is really no single definitive one.
My theory is that the crucial ingredient is fresh fuel; anything else is either a bonus (e.g., cetane booster) or a "feel-good" additive.

 

[MoonSailer]

The bad thing about additives is that you have no ideal what you are adding!!!! The oil companies say that no additives are required if you use fresh fuel. So keep the tank low adding only the amount of fuel that you use every 2-3 months. Condensation is a myth. http://www.yachtsurvey.com/myth_of_condensation_in_fuel_tanks.htm

 

[RAD]

After tons of reading and research I've been using a product from Stanadyne and got a thumbs up from a few of my motor head truck mechanic friends, I'm using this in a 32 year old Westerbeke and the only reason I did all this research was to improve the lubricity to the fuel injector because the new fuels are missing the sulfur which is needed.

http://www.stanadyne.com/view.php?id=74http://www.stanadyne.com/view.php?id=45

 

[PaulK]

Our diesel engine was new in 1982. We don't add anything to the fuel, except over the winter when we add a stabilizer as we top it off. Over the summer we may go through a tank or two, depending upon how little wind there is.

 

[Dave Groshong]

all of the big fish processor's in Alaska use:

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?group=720

I've used it, and had great results.

 

[Ken13559]

The best additives I've heard so far is fresh fuel.

 

[RichH]

Best additive is NO additive - when you 'can' purchase marine RECREATIONAL fuels which usually have all the additives already in them.
I prefer both diesel and gasoline from ValvTek dealers - already 'juiced' with stabilizers, no ethanol, high cetane/high octane.
If boaters would INSIST to their dealers to sell/offer RECREATIONAL grade fuel ... there would be much less angst about 'bad fuel', fouled filters, stalling engines, 'fuel problems'.

Other than that: buy 'fresh' fuel, dont always 'top-off', and use an onboard polishing system.

 

[larryw]

In the West, Unical (76) marine fuel docks already have ValveTek additives in.

 

[Big Windy]

If you store your boat for the winter, and don't run the engine, you need a biocide to keep crud from growing.

 

[Sam Salter]

Nobody's mentioned the ultra low sulphur diesel and older engines.
I've not been able to figure out whether you need extra lubricity (what a cool word?) or not.

I've got a Yanmar 2GM20F so I add a lubricity additive from NAPPA, just in case.

I also put in a stabilizer over the winter - but I suspect at -25 deg C most things will last forever!

sam

 

[kloudie1]

Sam, I don't know if Yanmar has issued paper, but I put a lubricity additive in mine ('85 3GMF) to make sure that the pump lasts as long as it can.. I know that the later Yanmars have slightly different metallurgy to accomodate the ULSD.. Uhhhh My buddies at the engine/fuels research lab said that the sulfur was improtant to prevent wear in older injection pumps and injectors and that they'd measured additional wear in old pumps running straight ULSD..

 

[Steve Dion]

I doubt that this is a problem.

"The processing required to reduce sulfur to 15 ppm also removes naturally-occurring lubricating agents. To manage this change, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) adopted the lubricity specification defined in ASTM D975 for all diesel fuels. The standard went into effect January 1, 2005."

Cetane may be a problem and there are always the issues with contaminants.

http://fleetowner.com/mag/fleet_abcs_ulsd/

 

[zeehag]

LOL i have used biocide for years with excellent results--no algae growth in 5 yrs and still works great--isnt a shelf life for diesel like there is for gas unless algae grows thenye have to clean it or messes up the fuel intakie and clogs jets./

 

[MoonSailer]

ULSD has one great advantage over old style diesel in that it is low in many nutrients that microbes require for growth. The "washing" process removes a lot of nitrogen etc so that this nutirents become growth limiting. All life requires nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium to grow. It is like clean water. Very little will grow in clean water such as distilled water. But a lot will grow in your average tap water after a few weeks.

 

[andy k]

Stanadyne is what I use in my truck and it works really well. I do not know how well it will work in the marine enviroment

 

[MoonSailer]

Stanadyne is what I use in my truck and it works really well. I do not know how well it will work in the marine enviroment Andy

Works really well compared to what???? Does your truck not work without it's use???? How do you know that it is helping your truck??? This type of testimonial is worthless in trying to evaluate a product. Only a controlled experiment using a fleet of trucks with and without using the same high quality diesel fuel would allow a meaningful comparison.

 

[jibes138]

Diesel Additive

I have always used an additive and found it works great. :>) The engine runs much better and starts a lot easier. I think it is also lasting longer and running smoother. One year in a big storm I was running the motor to charge the batteries and it died. Changed out the filters and got it running again. Drained some fuel into a plastic baggy for inspection, it was pretty rotten looking, this after using additives for years. Note: changing out the filters is no fun in 12 foot waves at 3:00 am. Ran it for a couple hundred mmiles then same thing. Had all the fuel removed and replaced. been fine since. From my perpective the additives don't do anything. I drove an F250 for 155000 miles in 8 years with a diesel. Changed the filter every 20,000 miles. It would be full of sludge and brown grit and awful looking stuff. This in a vehicle with complete changeover of fuel at least once a week. No question at all in my mind that you can get bad fuel at the pump. I have filled five gallon jugs and after pouring in the truck look in the jug bottom and see all kinds of rust and dirt particles, water, etc. I contend the best thing to do is to buy diesel in jugs. Then filter it yourself BEFORE PUTTING IN THE TANK to remove any water or contaminanats already in the fuel. I agree with others additives are probably a waste of money.