Is the new superclean diesel too dry?

If you are running an older diesel with a mechanical injector pump, like a Bosch, Bendix, or Roosa Master, then I think it would be wise to include something like Power Service additive into your fuel. Around where I live, my local fuel guy puts additive into all his farm fuel, since many tractors are running older style pumps. If you have a newer style engine, with electronic injector units on a common rail system, then you probably don't require any additives. The older engines have more spinning and contacting parts than the electronic engines do, and if you are running farm equipment, it's probably wise to treat both your on road and off road fuel at the recommended ratio, which is about 1 quart per 100 gallons.

 

Oh god, ATF? I hope he enjoys cleaning out gummed up injectors, because that ATF will strip all the gunk in a fuel system and send it downwind. I use ATF to clean out rust in waterjackets on engines, just make sure to flush the system after you do that, otherwise you'll plug up your heater core.

 

It's not the lack of sulfur that causes the problem, it was the refining process to take out the sulfur that reduced the lubricity of diesel fuel. That was a problem in previous years, especially with the CARB 15 ppm diesel fuel that was sold in California before the national ULSD requirement. Supposedly the oil companies have done a better job with refining to lessen the reduction in lubricity, as well as using additives. But we won't know for a few years down the road when the engines have had a few hundred thousand miles put on them to know if it's really ok.

 

Actually, one quart of red colored ATF in 100 gallons or so won't discolor the fuel enough that the issue of the fuel being dyed becomes an issue. Still, I wouldn't run ATF, since that is not what it is defsigned for. Current electronic injectors running at high pressures are not quite as forgiving as the older mechanical ones were for contaminants, and if I were to put in anything, it would be a fuel treatment designed to be used as a fuel treatment. They are out there on the market, and easy enough to find.

 

I put a 1995 with 900k on it on the road just when ULSD came out and am still running the same fuel filters it came with - no problems with stuff stripped off the tank or line walls. Just for yucks I've tried ATF and outboard motor oil. Neither seemed to do anything good or bad. ULSD has a lubricity standard they have to meet which the old fuel didn't - so it really should be as good or better.

 

I have been putting Lucas in with ULSD, and haven't noticed any problems. Like RoadRanger said, the new fuels have to meet a lubricity standard that the old fuels didn't, so you are supposed to be able to go without any additives.
And, if you are going to add something, add an actual additive, not motor oil,ATF,Gear Grease,kerosene,etc.

 

Oops! You used "Lubricity" twice in the same paragraph PackRat. Just kidding. I love that word, slips right off my tongue. Don't laugh at me when I use lubricity in my next post. Oops, dang! I did it too. :smt102

Seriously though, excellent explanation!

 

LOL lubricity! Lubricity! LUUUUUUBRICITYYYYYYYYY.

As for using ATF, you might run into issues if your engine uses a catalyst for exhaust aftertreatment. I think right now only CAT uses one for it's ACERT engines but eventually all the engine makers will be using some sort of catalyst and soot trap aftertreatment.