Top Five Reasons To Use a Diesel Fuel Additive

Diesel engines are meant to work hard and put in long hours, but they do require routine maintenance. While many diesel owners are quite particular about maintenance practices, we submit that there is a vital practice that is often overlooked. What should happen religiously (and often doesn’t) is the addition of a diesel fuel additive at every fill up. Today’s fuel additives employ sophisticated chemistry that might be the most cost-effective performance boost money can buy. Diesel fuel makers are given very minimum standards regarding additives and you can’t assume that all fuel will provide adequate cleaning properties and lubricity.

Five Reasons Why Simply Filling up with Diesel Fuel Isn’t Enough

A good diesel fuel additive contains hardy detergents and lubricants that keep injector and fuel pumps clean and lubricated. There are many benefits of proper fuel system maintenance and here are the top five.

1. Performance

When diesel fuel injectors become fouled with deposits, the fuel spray pattern becomes distorted. Once this occurs, raw fuel shoots into the cylinder in a haphazard fashion rather than in a healthy vaporized pattern. This has a harmful effect on the combustion process which naturally places a drag on performance and overall operation. A good diesel fuel additive will clean up fuel injectors, fuel pumps and even piston crowns and combustion chambers. Engine output from start-up to idle to full throttle is revitalized once a good fuel system cleaning takes place.

2. Fuel Mileage

As with performance, when fuel patterns are fouled and the combustion process is compromised, fuel economy also suffers. Once a good diesel fuel additive completes the “clean up” process and healthy spray patterns are restored, fuel economy can be refurbished and improve anywhere from 1 percent to almost 5 percent. When one applies these numbers against the amount of diesel fuel consumed over the course of a year, it certainly adds up.

3. Lubrication of Fuel Pump and Injectors

Over the course of the last decade, Canadian and US federal governments slashed the allowable sulfur content of diesel fuel by a staggering 97 percent. Sulfur is a vital fuel additive that provides lubrication and crucial anti-wear protection for fuel pumps and injectors. Fuel producers were not obliged to add other anti-wear additives to replace sulfur. Therefore if you want to stave off pump and injector wear, it is up to you to use an additive that can provide this protection.

4. Emissions and Exhaust Smoke

When diesel fuel injectors are clogged, the telltale sign is plumes of white smoke from the exhaust when the operator hits the throttle. Incomplete combustion leads to more fuel burned and increased exhaust smoke and emissions.

5. Soot

Poor fuel combustion can lead to soot deposits in the engine. Soot is a black carbon substance that is exceptionally hard and abrasive. Excessive soot can lead to premature engine wear. A good diesel injector cleaner keeps fuel patterns in good shape which prevents excessive soot production and can also clean out any built-up soot that may be present.

Diesel Fuel Additive Solutions Offered by Oildepot

AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean Fuel Additive

This potent additive utilizes the latest in fuel additive technology. Diesel Injector Clean removes fuel system deposits to maximize your diesel engine’s performance and fuel mileage potential. Lubricity agents keep everything running smooth and protected from wear.

AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean Plus Cold Flow Fuel Additive

This product offers diesel gel resistance in cold weather along with all of the same cleaning and lubricating benefits of the aforementioned Diesel Injector Clean additive. This additive lowers the diesel gel point by 15C which greatly improves winter reliability.