Fuel additives

'howes fuel treatment' big yellow jug not too expensive works good. Their all about the same just make sure it says anti-gel on the bottle

 

There are many to use. Howes and Power Service seem to be the most available. This last cold blast we had I still jelled up. I put a 1/2 gallon per tank when fueling and most of the time not much below a 1/2 tank when I stop. Quality of fuel can also make a difference as I found out this week.

 

anyone heard of putting in trans. fluid? I heard it's good for older engines it replaces the bad stuff they took out of the "new" fuel

 

yes it looks pink, and will cause delays if the right person looks in your tanks but a simple test will show the difference. I was told that part by a co-worker that runs trans fluid, he was suspected of running dyed and they tested his fuel on the spot

 

First off there's no difference in the fuel between red dyed diesel or reg diesel. It's the same and pulled from the same large above ground tank. Some loading terminals will have a special lane for red dye where the dye is injected as the diesel is being loaded into the tanker and some terminals (the smaller ones) will have the driver splash load the red dye after he's loaded. There might be a difference between #2 and #1 but off road equipment will jel up too, besides it's on the BOL. So I don't know what test DOT would take and I really don't believe they did any testing since we have to have a lab test all our products.

Now here's the problem. Red dye diesel is for off road use only. So that means there's no road taxes on the fuel along with other taxes. I have never seen DOT inspect for red dye but I have seen the IRS (yes the IRS) nail a few trucks right after leaving the terminal. There is a large fine to the company anywhere from 6 digits to 7 depending how many trucks get caught. I know of one driver that ran low on fuel and he had just dropped a load of red dye so he put a few gallons in the tank to get him back to the terminal and he got nailed. The dye really won't stain the tanks because the tanker trucks may have one load of red dye then come back for a load of diesel #2 but he's got to make sure all of the red dye is gone. It doesn't take much to dye the diesel.

I have heard using ATF as a last resort for jelling problems but I would use the store bought stuff if it was really cold. #2 diesel already has some anti jelling additive but some like to add more when it gets real cold.

By know just about all the fuel handling companies know better than to use red dye. You'll see the feds go after companies that work in construction before you would a petroleum company. But it does happen and nothing would surprise me. I knew a driver that work for a lower company that got stuck in the snow in a national park in Utah and he just opened the down spout and let a 1000 gallons of diesel go down the hill. The last I heard the driver was on the run and the company was fined in the thousands.

If anyone tells you to use red dye say no. It's the taxes that get you.

 

I can't remember where I was, but I HAVE seen them get the sticks out and check for dye in the fuel. Seems it was down south somewhere.
ParkRanger, next time you get fuel, look at the receipt. Lots of times there is a not at the bottom something like "No evidence of dye" in their fuel.