Fuel additive

[Bvill01]

Should I add a fuel additive to tank of my of my bobcat it gets cold sometimes -below but not sure if I will mess up the motor ?

 

[lesgawlik]

I went through this about a year ago. After a lot of reading, I decided on Opti-Lube. They make a winter version which will help with gelling. The point is that most people are putting ULSD fuel in their machines. When the sulfur is removed, much of the lubricity of the fuel is removed. Older machines especially do not do well without the lubrication which diesel fuel used to contain. Additives put back some of that lubrication. I think that additives should be used all the time, and ones with anti-gelling properties should be run in the winter.

 

[TriHonu]

I went through this about a year ago. After a lot of reading, I decided on Opti-Lube. They make a winter version which will help with gelling. The point is that most people are putting ULSD fuel in their machines. When the sulfur is removed, much of the lubricity of the fuel is removed. Older machines especially do not do well without the lubrication which diesel fuel used to contain. Additives put back some of that lubrication. I think that additives should be used all the time, and ones with anti-gelling properties should be run in the winter.

I use Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement in my truck and Bobcat with every tank-full. In the fall I run a couple of bottles of Isopropyl alcohol through the tank to remove any water that has accumulated. This was recommended by my Bobcat dealer and friends with a lifetime of experience with diesels.
I also keep a couple bottles of Power Service Diesel 911 for emergencies. I have never needed them, so something is working...

 

[Bobcatdan]

I use Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement in my truck and Bobcat with every tank-full. In the fall I run a couple of bottles of Isopropyl alcohol through the tank to remove any water that has accumulated. This was recommended by my Bobcat dealer and friends with a lifetime of experience with diesels.
I also keep a couple bottles of Power Service Diesel 911 for emergencies. I have never needed them, so something is working...

DO NOT add isopropyl alcohol to a diesel ever! Alcohol will remove the lubricity, which modern fuel has little of to begin with. Injector scoring will happen. Any good diesel additive will remove water. Fuel additive should be ran year round to prevent water from ever collecting to a harmfull amount.

 

[TriHonu]

DO NOT add isopropyl alcohol to a diesel ever! Alcohol will remove the lubricity, which modern fuel has little of to begin with. Injector scoring will happen. Any good diesel additive will remove water. Fuel additive should be ran year round to prevent water from ever collecting to a harmfull amount.

BobcatDan,
Thanks for the info on injector wear. Hopefully I haven't caused too much additional wear. I'm running off road diesel in the Bobcat. The station couldn't tell me for sure whether it is just dyed ULSD or if it still has a higher sulfer content.
I guess manufactures of all these emergency deicing products figure you are only going to use them in an emergency, since the primary ingredient of these deicers is alcohol.

 

[Bobcatdan]

BobcatDan,
Thanks for the info on injector wear. Hopefully I haven't caused too much additional wear. I'm running off road diesel in the Bobcat. The station couldn't tell me for sure whether it is just dyed ULSD or if it still has a higher sulfer content.
I guess manufactures of all these emergency deicing products figure you are only going to use them in an emergency, since the primary ingredient of these deicers is alcohol.

To the best of my knowledge, all diesel fuel is ULSD, dyed or not. Diesel additve like powerservice do not have any alcohol in them. I had always heard do not put isopropyl in a a diesel, but never knew why. Earlier this year had a customer who put a whole bottle in a new toolcat with a tier 4 engine in it. I call the local diesel shop I deal with to get their opinion on it and could hear the the guy on the phone turn white when I asked. I then drained the full tank of fuel and so far no problems that I have heard.