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Lubricating fuel additives are essential for protecting the components in modern diesel engines. The desulfurization process, which helps diesel fuel meet modern ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) requirements, strips the fuel of its natural lubricating properties. This has led to the widespread use of lubricity additives, which can be added at the refinery, in the distribution terminal, or by the end user. Various diesel fuel additives are available, such as AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean, Diesel Extreme, Opti-Lube XPD, and Seafoam, each offering unique benefits to improve engine performance and fuel efficiency while reducing emissions.
Characteristics and Values of Diesel Fuel Additives
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lubricity | Yamalube 2R, Opti-Lube XPD, Biodiesel, Stanadyne Lubricity Formula, AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean, AMSOIL Diesel 4-in-1, Seafoam, Power Service Diesel Kleen |
| Improve fuel stability | AMSOIL Diesel 4-in-1 |
| Clean fuel systems | Seafoam, MMO, Power Service Diesel Kleen |
| Improve combustion | Diesel Extreme, Peak's Blue Agri-Clean |
| Improve fuel economy | AMSOIL Diesel 4-in-1, OG additive |
| Anti-gel | Power Service |
| Cetane enhancers | AMSOIL Diesel 4-in-1, Diesel Extreme, Peak's Blue Agri-Clean, OG additive |
| Anti-icing | De-icers |
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What You'll Learn
Vegetable oil as a lubricant
Vegetable oil can be used as an alternative fuel in diesel engines and heating oil burners. When used directly as a fuel, it is referred to as straight vegetable oil (SVO) or pure plant oil (PPO). Rudolf Diesel, the father of the engine that bears his name, initially designed his engine to run on coal dust but later modified it to run on vegetable oil.
History
Periodic petroleum shortages spurred research into vegetable oil as a diesel substitute during the 1930s, 1940s, 1970s, and early 1980s, with the 1970s seeing the formation of the first commercial enterprise allowing consumers to use SVO in their automobiles. In the 1990s, during the Bougainville conflict, islanders cut off from oil supplies due to a blockade fueled their vehicles with coconut oil.
Pros
Vegetable oil has high energy content and can be produced from numerous oil seed crops, such as sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, opium poppy oil, and rapeseed oil. It is a renewable resource that can be blended with mineral diesel or used in its pure form, requiring little to no engine modifications due to its similar properties to mineral diesel.
Mixing 20% vegetable oil into diesel fuel lowers emissions, increases lubrication, and cleans out the fuel system. Biodiesel, a fuel made from plant oils, improves fuel lubricity at a low concentration of 2%.
Cons
Vegetable oil has a high viscosity, which can cause issues with flow, atomization, and heavy particulate emissions. In cold climates, vegetable oil can solidify, so it is necessary to heat the fuel lines and tank. Additionally, biodiesel made from used cooking oil may not be suitable for all engines.
Precautions
To ensure proper atomization and prevent incomplete combustion, which could damage the engine, the viscosity of vegetable oil must be lowered by preheating it. One common solution is to add a heat exchanger and an additional fuel tank for the petrodiesel or biodiesel blend, switching between tanks accordingly.
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$64.37
The best diesel fuel additives
Lubricity is essential for protecting the components in modern diesel engines. The desulfurization process that helps diesel fuel meet modern ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) requirements also strips it of the organic compounds responsible for lubrication.
Some of the best diesel fuel additives on the market include:
- Opti-Lube XPD: This additive increases the fuel's lubricity and is especially useful if you're not using soy diesel, which already includes it.
- Biodiesel: This was rated as the best anti-wear additive in one test.
- AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean: This product is designed to increase fuel lubricity and keep diesel engines operating at maximum performance.
- AMSOIL Diesel 4-in-1: This combines the benefits of AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean, Diesel Cold Flow and Diesel Cetane Boost in one package.
- Archoil: This is one of the most recommended additives on Reddit and was rated #1 by Project Farm.
- Hot Shots: Another highly recommended additive on Reddit.
- Power Service: This is a commonly used additive that conditions the fuel and provides lubricity.
- Seafoam: This product is good for cleaning up dirty fuel systems.
- Diesel Extreme: This additive adds seven points to diesel's cetane score, cleans and lubricates injectors, and helps remove excess water and contaminants from fuel.
- Peak's Blue Agri-Clean: This product is a fuel stabilizer for tractors and other extreme-duty vehicles, but it also acts as an additive for diesel engines, boosting cetane and improving injector performance.
Other possible additives include Yamalube 2R, Stanadyne, and TC-W3.
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The role of cetane in diesel fuel
Cetane number (CN) is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and the compression needed for ignition. It plays a similar role for diesel as octane rating does for gasoline. The CN is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel, but not the only one. Other measurements of diesel fuel's quality include energy content, density, lubricity, cold-flow properties, and sulfur content.
The cetane number of a fuel is defined by finding a blend of cetane and isocetane with the same ignition delay. Cetane has a cetane number of 100, while isocetane's measured cetane number is 15. Once the blend is known, the cetane number is calculated as a volume-weighted average, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Higher cetane ratings lead to maximum engine power and efficiency. Diesel fuels with higher cetane ratings have shorter ignition delays, providing more complete combustion and allowing engines to operate more effectively. The higher the number, the better the potential for each droplet in the combustion chamber to burn and produce power. The more efficiently the fuel burns in the combustion chamber, the less possibility there is to produce smoke and byproducts of combustion that the exhaust system must manage.
Cetane improvement chemicals are extremely combustible at the high temperatures found in the combustion chamber. If they're present in the fuel, they start burning more quickly than the rest of the fuel. If one part of the fuel starts burning, it causes the rest of it to join in. Thus, a diesel cetane improver makes the overall fuel blend burn more quickly, and that is why the fuel rates higher on the cetane number test.
Some of the most recommended diesel fuel additives include Hot Shot's Secret, Archoil, Opti-Lube, Yamalube 2R, Stanadyne Lubricity Formula, and Biodiesel.
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How to add lubrication to diesel
Lubrication is essential to protect the components in modern diesel engines. Diesel fuel traditionally had high lubrication properties, but the desulfurization process strips it of these organic compounds. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel is considered "dry" and incapable of lubricating vital components. As a result, these components are at risk of premature or catastrophic failure when ULSD fuel is introduced.
To prevent this, fuel companies must add lubricity improvers to their diesel products. There are two types widely used: neutral or acidic. Both types carry long hydrocarbon chains with polar end groups, which cling to metal surfaces and form boundary protection.
In addition to the built-in lubricants, you can also use aftermarket diesel fuel additives to ensure adequate lubrication of the fuel delivery system. These additives are designed to replace lost lubricity and can also offer benefits such as improved cetane, water separation, or emulsification.
Some examples of aftermarket additives include:
- AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean
- AMSOIL Diesel Cold Flow
- AMSOIL Diesel Cetane Boost
- Yamalube 2R
- Opti-Lube XPD
- Stanadyne Lubricity Formula
- Archoil Friction Modifier
- Hot Shots Secrets
- Power Service
It is recommended to follow the instructions on the label of the additive product you choose and not to add any oil unless your injection pump or injectors are in poor condition.
Additionally, biodiesel has been identified as an excellent form of diesel fuel lubrication. A 2% biodiesel to regular diesel mix performed best in a wear test compared to all the main additives and regular diesel. Vegetable oils, such as canola or sunflower oil, have also been suggested as possible additional lubricants for diesel systems.
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The importance of diesel fuel lubricity
Diesel fuel lubricity is essential for protecting modern diesel engine components. Lubricity refers to the fuel's ability to reduce friction and prevent wear and tear on engine components, such as fuel injectors and pumps, which are integral to the operation of a diesel engine.
Historically, diesel fuels contained high levels of sulphur, which provided natural lubrication. However, due to stringent environmental regulations, the push to reduce sulphur content in diesel fuel has resulted in a corresponding decrease in lubricity. Low-sulphur diesel fuels, such as ultra-low-sulphur diesel (ULSD), lack the natural lubricity of their predecessors, leaving engine components more vulnerable to wear and tear. This has made it crucial to find alternatives or improve additive formulations that meet both environmental and performance standards.
Fuel additives, such as biodiesel, are increasingly popular as eco-friendly solutions to the lubricity issue. Studies have shown that biodiesel blends can improve lubricity without the negative environmental impact associated with other additives. These bio-additives provide a renewable, lower-emission alternative that enhances lubricity and reduces wear in diesel engines.
The use of fuel additives is essential for maintaining the longevity and performance of diesel engines. Without adequate lubrication, engine components can wear out prematurely, leading to increased maintenance costs, reduced engine performance, and a shorter engine life. By using additives, such as Archoil's AR6500 Diesel Treatment, users can reduce wear and tear, extend component life, and prevent costly mechanical repairs.
Additionally, lubricity-enhancing additives contribute to lower emissions by ensuring that engines operate under optimal conditions. Well-lubricated injectors spray correctly, delivering fuel more efficiently to the combustion chamber. This results in better engine performance, responsiveness, and a reduction in the emission of harmful pollutants.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several additives that can be used to lubricate the fuel system in diesel. Some of the most popular ones include Power Service Diesel Kleen, Opti-Lube XPD, Seafoam, Yamalube 2R, and AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean.
Adequate diesel fuel lubricity is essential for protecting the precision components in modern diesel engines. This is especially true for high-pressure common-rail (HPCR) engines, where increased wear and deposits can interfere with the optimum spray pattern, reducing power and fuel economy.
The frequency of using an additive to lubricate the fuel system in a diesel vehicle depends on various factors such as the vehicle's age, mileage, and operating conditions. It is recommended to consult the vehicle's manual or seek advice from a trusted mechanic or automotive specialist to determine the appropriate interval for adding lubricants to the fuel system.
