Project farm diesel additive test

Irish80 · November 5, 2019

Interesting watch and this guy has some really good unbiased product tests. I use hot shots secrets. What about you guys?

Cowpie · November 8, 2019

I let biodiesel take care of any lubricity needs in my diesel fuel. A simple 2% blend of biodiesel offers more lubricity than anything off the shelf. Most of the diesel I buy is roughly 5% biodiesel, so it is a total waste of money to buy anything off the shelf for lubricity.

For all the other aspects, I use Schaeffer Diesel Treat Fuel Additive. I have used it for many years. Very cost effective. Only costs about 3 cents for each gallon of diesel when dosed at the recommended amount. I haven't found any other diesel fuel additive and anti-gel that is that cost effective. And the stuff works, so I see no need to spend more for any other product.

I just ordered another 5 gal pail of the Schaeffer. $148.50. Treats 5000 gallons of diesel fuel. That equates to about 1 oz to 7.8 gallons of diesel fuel. About 3 cents worth of additive for each gallon of diesel.

Using these two things, the biodiesel and the Schaeffer, my Detroit 60 now has 1,038,374 miles / 22,486 engine hours on it and it is still all original except for the water pump. It is working this week just like it has since I bought it in August of 2012. Original injectors, fuel pump, etc. Only uses about 1 qt of oil every 11-12,000 miles. And my truck has to deal with the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, etc all year, especially in the cold months. Never have needed a start assist or a tow due to bad fuel or fuel related issue. Oh... and I shut the truck off at night to conserve fuel, so it isn't like I am running the truck around the clock to prevent any fuel issues.

Another one that I used before and seemed to be a good product, the Amway (yes... Amway) diesel fuel additive. It is made by Chevron and it also is very cost effective.

Edited November 8, 2019 by Cowpie

Irish80 · November 11, 2019

Totally agree with the use of biofuel, but a lot of the stations I fill up at don't have biofuel or at least they don't advertise it on their pumps. The hot shots secrets works out to about $2 a tank. It's not a huge amount of added cost and I don't know if it works, but I have to have this truck last me a lot of miles so it is piece of mind using it. I do seem to get a little better fuel mileage when using it, .5 to 1 mpg better but you know it's pretty hard to get a true number since there can be so many variables involved.

Grumpy Bear · November 11, 2019

On 11/7/2019 at 9:18 PM, Cowpie said:

Using these two things, the biodiesel and the Schaeffer, my Detroit 60 now has 1,038,374 miles / 22,486 engine hours on it and it is still all original except for the water pump.

Then again it might be that diesel engines have cylinder liners between 30 and 50 points harder on the Brinell scale. (30-40%) That they a slide honed instead of plateau honed. That they a laser surface treated after honing. That the top ring used is industrial hard chromed and diamond coated. It could be that diesel engines have a much larger W/D bearing ratio. Much lower rotating speeds. Could be they circulate gallons not quarts of oil and have surgical filtration It might be that by design these motors wear rates are 200 - 300% lower before a drop of oil goes in them.Or and, or and, or and....

OR

It could be the Schaeffer

Cowpie · November 12, 2019

On 11/10/2019 at 10:04 PM, Irish80 said:

Totally agree with the use of biofuel, but a lot of the stations I fill up at don't have biofuel or at least they don't advertise it on their pumps. The hot shots secrets works out to about $2 a tank. It's not a huge amount of added cost and I don't know if it works, but I have to have this truck last me a lot of miles so it is piece of mind using it. I do seem to get a little better fuel mileage when using it, .5 to 1 mpg better but you know it's pretty hard to get a true number since there can be so many variables involved.

Check with the station manager. The Feds do not require a label at the pump for biodiesel blends under 5%. A high percentage of retail fuel outlets are having bio mixed in the diesel. Usually at around 2%, which has been shown to beat the lubricity of any additive one can buy off the shelf. Nice thing is, it comes with the fuel at no additional cost!

Here is a snap of the Federal Trade Commission labeling requirements for biodiesel. Only required for blends of 5% or more. Also included is a snap from a publication by the National Truck Stop Operators of America.

Edited November 12, 2019 by Cowpie