If you were going to buy a brand new truck with a diesel engine, is there an additive that you would run in it right from the start? Something to enhance the fuel to keep it cleaner or oil or ??? Something like a Lucas product.... OR would you just do the preventative maintenance like you should and let it be?

Thanks in advance.
Bob

Were it me, I would follow manufacturers recommendations to a tee.
I have read reports of warranty issues being declined due to the use of unauthorized additives.

diesel kleen has a good rep I believe. It’s a fuel additive. For oil, I’d just run rotella with no additives.

^

I’ve never had a problem with Delo 400 in Cummins and my hunting pard has a fleet of Powerstrokes and also uses it. Between us we have millions of miles with no engine problems using Delo 400 and no additives.

No, all the additives the engine would need is in the oil.

What about winter? What do you use to prevent fuel gelling or is it not an issue unless extremely cold?

Cold areas blend their fuel for the climate in that area.

#1 fuel in the winter for the pickups.

I like to use #1 with anti gel dope added to the bulk tank for the tractors.

We run no.2 all year long with additive.

I cant stand to burn much no.1

use Stanadyne or Howes for lubricity when using plain jane #2 , or use a premium diesel like Cenex Roadmaster

cold weather , 50/50 #1/#2 with some Howes added to fight moisture

When I bought my new 2004 Dodge 3500 with the Cummins, I talked to the service manager about this, he said I should use an additive, he said I could use anything I wanted as long as it was Stanadyne Performance. . I have used it religously ever since and suffered no engine problems in 110,000 miles . I dont do cold weather any more and dont expect my engine to do so either.

On the newer Cummins in dodge trucks rotella T6 is the only oil that I’m aware of that is rated for that engine.

We tow quite a bit which will take us into some super cold areas which requires us to use anti-gelling additive since our rigs will fill up all with #2 much cheaper locally. My 1 ton carries nearly 140 gallons which can be between $150 to $200 or more savings to fill up here.

Yikes, that's 980 pounds of fuel.

Doesn't phase my Ram. It makes it a damn sight more relaxing to be able to drive long distances without hunting very often for decent places to fill up. It is as much a convenience thing as it is a savings.

It is really only about 700 lbs more when it is completely full. About 280 lbs is in the truck's tank.

Fortunately, my 7.3 has zero emmissions controls. Even so, I run Shell Rotella in the crankcase & nothing else. I have run ATF in the fuel since the low sulfur fuel became standard. It boosts the fuel mileage back up to normal, which is 20 mpg. At near 300,000 miles it still rattles nicely.

I use Rotella in mine. It has 180,000 miles on it. We don’t have cold issues down here. Just bought a new 2018, supposed to be here in a few days. I’m eager to see what oil it calls for.

I will run some anti-gel additive if it gets really cold, but otherwise I just run straight diesel (winter blend in the winter) and follow the maintenance schedule. I have done that for 25 years on dozens of fleet and personal trucks in the Rockies and Alaska without any issues. Running 5-40 synthetic will also help with cold weather. I run it year round.

Blended fuel down to ambient 0F temps, straight #1 below that. I add some FPPF Total Power for stability and to combat gelling beginning about Thanksgiving through Easter or so. Nearly 140K on my '11 all by me and never ever experienced any sort of fuel related hiccup.

Only diesel I ever gelled was my '06 6.0L Powerstroke and that was my fault. Got caught with a full tank of straight #2 when a cold snap went to -18F ambient. Was fine until I started/stopped a few times and I figure I built up a little condensation in the fuel filter @ the top of the motor.

I've had issues with #2 and power service below 0, if it's going to get cold I like 1/2 blend because gelling up sucks. Some of our local winter #2 has sucked. I've switched to Howes additive since the loggers seem to have good luck with it and it's cheaper than power service. If it gets cold I'll let you know how that works out .

We had better luck before the switch to ULSD.


I use PowerService and no.2 all winter in my 01 Duramax.

In my 93 7.3 Ford and 6.5 Turbo Chevy I use Stanadyne.

I add 2 cycle outboard motor oil to mine, at a rate of approx. 1 oz per gallon. If I don't have a measuring cup its one glug per gallon. The ashless TCWIII stuff, burns nice and clean, and lubricates the pump. This on a Chevrolet '84 K5 Blazer variant with the 6.2 engine. Love the sound of that engine!

Not brand new though....

My brother is my mechanic. When I got into diesel trucks he always advised me to run Stanadyne, all year round. He told me to treat every other tank. The reason is that modern diesel fuel is too 'dry' and needs some lubrication added to it. In the winter, I treat every tank because of gelling etc. I pull my snowmobile trailer into the storms, up to 9000 feet of elevation in the cold weather and then park it for a most of the day, at a minimum, sometimes a long weekend. I want to make sure its going to start back up.

I use either power service or diesel kleen (white or gray bottle) in the fuel, and I use Delo 400 15W-40. This is on a '06 Duramax with 140k. I intend to change to 5W-40 Delo at the next service.

I spent three hours on Thursday pulling fuel filters out of the skidsteer after it gelled up with straight #2 and Powerservice.

Other than setting fire to the skidsteer trying to heat the filter with a propane weed burner, the day was otherwise uneventful..... Did have a discussion with the fuel company to share my thoughts about shipping straight #2 for our late October fuel delivery..... The seemed shocked the fuel delivered on Halloween could end up being used in cold weather.

I've also gelled up with the semi and a bottle of Howe's in each tank (that was in Great Falls at -35), so none of them are perfect....

For a modern engine, buy locally blended fuel and the correct oil for the motor, and change oil and filters based on the heavy duty use cycle, and quit worrying.

#1 is 50 cents more per gallon compared to #2.


I don't know, less mileage and 'lubricity' with the #1?



I do know that you have to work to get that chit to light up when trying to start a fire.




Every so often drain the fuel filter/water separator on the Power Strokes.

I’ve been using Hot Shots Diesel Extreme

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/hot-shots-secret-diesel-extreme-32-oz

Google the arlen Spicer diesel additives report.. I run Opti-lube in all of my diesel equipment.Good chit..

I do add the anti-gel stuff from Ford in the winter; mostly just to ensure I don't get caught in -30F weather and a gelled fuel system.. Otherwise, no need to.. Reason I use the Ford product is the truck's only a year old and I don't wanna even think about having warranty issues by using some aftermarket stuff..

But that's probably just me..

This^^^^

I've ordered in a 50/50 blend before just 'cuz dad did it. But these days I use #2 year round with an additive in the colder months.

Might just be my imagination, but I think I can feel quite a hp loss with #1.

I my 2008 Duramax (338K), I run Rotella T6 and add a quart of Lucas Stabilizer in the oil. I use either Power Service or Howes in #2 Diesel in the winter. I got gelled up one time when I didn't get the tank treated, that sucked. I have had no problems to date as long as I do my part.

I've used Castrol 15-40GTX in my 2002 Duramax. It has 301,000 trouble free miles. It has only been in sub zero a couple times, but it started without plugging it in. I now change my oil every 4,000 miles after years of every 3,000 miles. I'm by the book on all maintenance and maybe that's why I've had no engine or transmission problems.
If I move back to Alaska I might do things a little differently.

Why?

Cost?

Diminished performance?

Stanadyne Performance Formula

performance formula