We’re reposting this article put out by AMSOIL in the July 2019 issue of the AMSOIL Dealer Magazine.
We have been AMSOIL users since 1999 and AMSOIL Dealers since the year 2000. At that time we owned a Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel car. Each and every tank we would add our AMSOIL Diesel fuel additives depending on time of year. This was prior to the current formulations, but we knew that protecting the expensive fuel system (fuel pump and injectors) was important to the longevity and performance of this car. Over the years we’ve own several diesel engines and like the first one, we took extra car to ensure that the fuel system was protected as well as the the fuel economy and performance was maintained at it’s highest level.
AMSOIL Diesel fuel products are designed for modern diesel engines to combat the effects of poor diesel fuel, to include lowered sulfur, low cetane levels and low cold weather pumpability.
Why everyone doesn’t use some sort of Diesel Fuel Supplement is beyond me. Hopefully the article below will help change some minds.
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel doesn’t provide sufficient lubricity
AMSOIL has a simple solutions
by Mark Nyholm | Technical manager, heavy duty and mechanical R&D, AMSOIL Inc.
It feels like forever ago, but it’s only been 13 years since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated reduced sulfur content in diesel fuel in 2006. Boy, were people angry. They knew sulfur helped protect their fuel pump and injectors from failure. Change is scary, and the thought of replacing expensive components even more so.
Fast-forward to 2019, and I rarely hear anyone talking about this. But the problem is even more prevalent now than it was then. Modern diesels demand even more from the fuel pump and injectors than before, increasing the potential for failure. So, why aren’t people still up in arms? My hunch is they have accepted the new reality. Or, they just don’t know what they don’t know when they buy a new truck today.
Today’s ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD provides significantly reduced lubricity – a critical property in controlling fuel-pump and injector wear. While diesel fuel has traditionally had high lubrication properties, the desulfurization process used to strip the diesel fuel of the sulfur content to meet ULSD requirements also strips the fuel of some of its organic compounds responsible for lubrication. The ASTM D975 diesel-fuel standard mandates a minimum lubricity level. However, the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) wants the standard to provide for increased lubricity, but lost out on the control of the specification. While the EMA claims there’s a problem, it doesn’t carry enough clout to change the specification.
Since 2006, ULSD has accounted for nearly all diesel available in North America because the EPA mandated reduced sulfur to curb harmful emissions. ULSD now contains a maximum of just 15 ppm sulfur, compared to fuel that had up to 5,000 ppm sulfur prior to the EPA regulations.
Waxes in diesel fuel lubricate the fuel pump and injectors, helping fight wear. Without them, the highly engineered components in modern diesels, particularly high-pressure common-rail (HPCR) engines, can wear out and cost thousands in repairs. They also develop deposits that interfere with an optimum spray pattern, reducing power and fuel economy. The editors of Diesel Power Magazine covered the problem with ULSD in the April and May 2019 issues. As reported, the Bosch* CP4.2 fuel pump that comes stock on the 2011-2016 Duramax* engines has led to thousands of catastrophic failures. It’s culminated in class-action lawsuits in Texas and California against Bosch, GM* Ford* and other vehicle manufacturers on behalf of individual diesel owners whose vehicles use that pump. When the CP4.2 fuel pump fails, it instantly contaminates the entire fuel system with metal particulates, costing $8,000 to $12,000 in repairs. The magazine reiterates what AMSOIL has been saying for years: “The way to be proactive in protecting a CP4.2 equipped diesel from an early demise is being diligent about using fuel additives that add lubricity with every fill-up.”
The CP4.2 fuel pump is said to fail because of two reasons: 1) It’s designed with about 20 percent reduced flow volume than the previous generation pump, requiring it to work even harder. 2) ULSD isn’t providing enough lubricity.
Our (AMSOIL Inc) testing of base fuels across the U.S. confirms the second point. AST< D975 requires diesel fuel to limit the wear scar in lubricity testing to 520 microns. The EMA, meanwhile, sets its own, stricter requirements of 460 microns. As the chart shows, many of the fuels (blue bars) failed to limit wear to 520 microns. And none of them met the EMA’s 460-micron limit.
Fuel treated with AMSOIL Diesel All-In-One performed far better (red bars). It not only met the ASTM D975 standard, it also met stricter EMA lubricity requirement.You can find the same technology in AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean and Diesel Injector Clean + Cetane Boost.
AMSOIL diesel additives deliver a healthy boost in lubricity to help lubricate diesel fuel pumps and injectors. The extra lubrication helps prevent wear in fuel pumps and injectors. They’re also great for maximum winter performance, too (Cetane Boost and Cold Flow Improver).
I strongly recommend that all diesel owners use AMSOIL diesel fuel additives with every tank of fuel.
AMSOIL Diesel Fuel Products
The easiest product to use is the AMSOIL All-in-One diesel fuel additive. This covers everything in one convenient bottle. The All-in-one contains Injector clean for lubricity and cleaning, plus cetane boost to improve fuel and starting in cold weather along with cold flow to prevent gelling. We use this year round in our farm equipment since we don’t know how often we’ll use a full tank of fuel.
In automotive and light truck application we would recommend the Diesel Injector Clean + Cetane Boost for maximum fuel economy and performance.
If you are running a biodiesel already, there is probably no need for cetane, since biodiesel is naturally 50+ cetane. Just run the Injector clean in the summer and the the Injector Clean+Cold Flow in the winter months.
Whatever your situation AMSOIL has a diesel fuel supplement that will help prevent premature wear on your fuel pump and injectors as well as combat other typical problems associated with operating diesel engines.
Need larger quantities or to treat bulk fuel, AMSOIL has you covered up to 55 gallon drum of each
product listed! Let us know what your application and we’ll work with you to help you find the best cost effective solution to your diesel fuel needs.
Looking for best pricing for your commercial fleet or heavy equipment? Ask about the AMSOIL Commercial Account Program. Factory direct wholesale pricing, free shipping plus additional discounts based on yearly quantities.
Check out the AMSOIL Commercial Account Program
If you liked this article check out: Let’s Look at Biodiesel and How AMSOIL Fuel Additives Help
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