Additive in diesel

[RalphVa]

After my experience in finding little wax globs near the bottom of the fuel tank, I'm gonna change from a mostly no additive (for the tractor; never did in our car and am prohibited by warranty to do so on it) to additive at every fuel makeup. There's NO WAY to retro dissolve globs of wax by adding additive or kerosene in the winter. The stuff has to be either mechanically removed like I did it (drain tank and fish out) or get the whole fuel contents up to around 80+ F in temperature. Whereas, if I keep additive in the fuel, it'll automatically keep the wax from coming out of solution and globbing up, to partly or wholly plug the outlet hole from the tank.

I advise anyone in an area that gets much below the fuel cloud point (generally speced at around 5 F) to use additive. The one I've seen most recommend herein is the PowerService stuff in the white bottle.

Some have reported gelling (e.g. wax formation) to be worse with ULSD. Seems reasonable, because they've probably destroyed all aromatics and other similar molecules in the treatment to get almost all the sulfur out, leaving more paraffinic molecules. Wax is a straight chain paraffin.

Ralph

 

[bp fick]

I have no empirical evidence, only the reports of guys here on TBN, but there seems to have been an unusually high number of waxing reports this winter. Hmm....

 

[thatguy]

Ralph,
Just curioius.. How does the Diesel 911 work if it doesnt disolve the wax particles already formed?

Brian

 

[oldnslo]

If you are in an area that uses Bio-Diesel AKA Soybean oil, the gelling problem is way more common than straight diesel fuel.

Born and raised in central Minnesota and never had a problem with Diesel fuel gelling. Ran diesels at temperatures below zero quite frequently with no problems.

You may also be correct that the new emission friendly fuels are more prone to gelling.

Fuel additive is cheaper than plugged filters.

Roy

 

[Casco1]

I'm in Maine and my tractor sat outdoors all winter until last winter. It is now in an unheated garage. and only gets started 2 to 3 times during the winter so it's sitting for weeks.
I did some homework on the internet, found this stuff, It's not cheap but as far as I'm concerned I would buy it at twice the price.


I use the 805

 

[LBrown59]

Some have reported gelling (e.g. wax formation) to be worse with ULSD.
Seems reasonable, because they've probably destroyed all aromatics and other similar molecules in the treatment to get almost all the sulfur out, leaving more paraffinic molecules. Wax is a straight chain paraffin.Ralph

On road and off road both is probably ulsd now days.

 

[big bubba]

yup.....it's that time again......can almost set my watch to it....let's see, about every 2 weeks begin the additive wars ....how many different products will be in combat this time?......keep posted!

 

[RalphVa]

I was a chemical engineer for 31 years and worked mainly on plants that removed wax from lube oil. I looked at the stuff on Diesel 911 and another additive that someone posted about. These will only work if you add them ahead of time.

If you get globs of wax in the fuel tank like I had, there's only 2 things that will get rid of it: 1) mechanical removal like I did or 2) warmup. You'll need less warmup temperature with an additive or with kerosene mixed in. In my opinion, kerosene will work the same as Diesel 911.

We used kerosene to melt wax in propane dewaxing, but we applied it at 180 F. Works quickly then. Hot ketone at 180 F was used to melt wax in ketone dewaxing.

The wax in diesel will probably redissolve at around 85 F (in summer).

Ralph

 

[mustangsallysdad]

I was a chemical engineer for 31 years and worked mainly on plants that removed wax from lube oil. I looked at the stuff on Diesel 911 and another additive that someone posted about. These will only work if you add them ahead of time.

If you get globs of wax in the fuel tank like I had, there's only 2 things that will get rid of it: 1) mechanical removal like I did or 2) warmup. You'll need less warmup temperature with an additive or with kerosene mixed in. In my opinion, kerosene will work the same as Diesel 911.

We used kerosene to melt wax in propane dewaxing, but we applied it at 180 F. Works quickly then. Hot ketone at 180 F was used to melt wax in ketone dewaxing.

The wax in diesel will probably redissolve at around 85 F (in summer).

Ralph

Hi Ralph...I'm just a couple of hours southwest of you and we experience similar weather extremes...I have diesel 911 on hand, but have never used it. For over 6 years I have been adding 16 oz. of Seafoam Motor Treatment to every 15 gal. of #2 diesel and have yet to have any fuel issues whatsoever. I figured since it has worked, why change? So, in order to keep myself from forgetting, I start adding and then discontinue when daylight savings time ends and begins...kinda like changing the batteries in the smoke alarms. 1700 hours on the clock with no fuel problems. BTW, you can find Seafoam about anywhere and it's cheap.

 

[20 20]

howes

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Ralph...out of curiousity, about what would be the flash point of MEK (storage concern)? I keep some on hand as a solvent for maintaining an ink jet printer. Thanks.

 

[RalphVa]

Don't know the exact value. Boiling point is around 175 F. You should be able to find any information you want in a web search.

Volatile enough to where I'd keep it in the garage or other safer (than in house) place. I keep even more volatile stuff (gasoline, etc.) outside the house in my pool equipment area, which is very open.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

The only thing I've had good luck with using Seafoam is carbureted engines. Seafoam keeps them clean and will clean them out, usually not requiring a teardown. It's really good for keeping 2 cycle engine carburetors clean.

I have no idea what's in the stuff.

Ralph

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Don't know the exact value. Boiling point is around 175 F. You should be able to find any information you want in a web search.

Volatile enough to where I'd keep it in the garage or other safer (than in house) place. I keep even more volatile stuff (gasoline, etc.) outside the house in my pool equipment area, which is very open.

Ralph

Thanks for the reply...I actually have the MSDS for it, but it doesn't list the flash point? ...ironically, I keep it in my flammables cabinet (to be honest the doors are open most times) and it has thermal links for automatic closing...wanna guess what temperature??? Yup, 175 degrees. I guess I need to pay closer attention to those cabinet doors.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

The only thing I've had good luck with using Seafoam is carbureted engines. Seafoam keeps them clean and will clean them out, usually not requiring a teardown. It's really good for keeping 2 cycle engine carburetors clean.

I have no idea what's in the stuff.

Ralph

Seafoam is actually listed as a gas and diesel treatment with fuel stabilizer, anti-gel, de-icer, etc. To be quite honest, it smells like "add to the tank" carb. and fuel injector cleaner. However, it seems to work for me...maybe placebo effect, though.

 

[Danno1]

Seafoam is actually listed as a gas and diesel treatment with fuel stabilizer, anti-gel, de-icer, etc. To be quite honest, it smells like "add to the tank" carb. and fuel injector cleaner. However, it seems to work for me...maybe placebo effect, though.

Works for me too. Been using it for years in MC, lawn equip (2 & 4 stroke), tractor.


.

 

[RalphVa]

Someone posted a link in the TDIforum about wax formation in ULSD. Apparently, the older additives don't work that well to lower the gell point. Also, kerosene isn't as effective in doing this either. They also mention wax drop out at temperatures below 10 F. Think this is what happened to me, as we had a few nights down around 9 F.

The message is you need to find an additive that works with ULSD. I'd think that most of them ought to have changed theirs to do so.