So, are fuel additives (lubricants) even necessary? I hear about adding tranney fluid etc. to a tank of diesel (quart per 60 gallon tank) now and again to 'lubricate' the fuel pump... If occasional additive(s) were a good idea, wouldn't 2-cylce mixing oil be ideal??? Meaning there is no harsher condition than chainsaw at high RPM's - wouldn't this be a most economical additive? Thanks for your thoughts, Mark
I don't know if additives are necessary, probably not for an older, simpler, low pressure injection system. Lubricity is more critical for some newer systems, that are designed for better fuel than we have. Bio diesel is the most effective and economical additive for lubricity, it's also a very effective injection pump concreter, and fuel tank crapper as well (especially with any amount of moisture and time). Basically 2 cycle oil or tranny fluid are useless for lubricity.
Thanks Delmer - somehow I knew you'd respond...(congratulations also on your 1,000th post!) Oh, and I meant injection pump, but I could not find the edit button... Also, a bit of a tangent here: but if my motor was 17:1 compression, what kind of pressure is the injection pump putting out? (Just curious) It is a JD 490D, 1990. Thanks again, Mark
Always happy to offer an uninformed opinion. Most modern turbo diesels are about the same compression ratio, except for indirect injection which are 20+, or hot rodded pulling tractors. If you have a rotary pump the peak pressure is probably around 5,000 PSI, an inline pump maybe a little higher?. Unit injectors are ~10,000 PSI, and common rail is even higher. Add to that, some common rail injectors will fire more than once per stroke, you see how they are more sensitive than an old indirect injection pump that had glowplugs and a precombustion chamber to light up the dribbles of fuel.
ATF and 2 stroke oil are meant for trannys and 2 stroke motors only,says so right on the labeling/directions,PERIOD!!!!If you want proper pump and injector lubrication with our dry ULSD that is available,you should treat each tank with a quality additive meant for lubricity,anti-gelling,cetane boost,and/or fungal type bugs.Do yourself a favor and go over to the DP[Diesel place] and look up the most extensive additive study on the planet and pick one that's in your area.
Good info here.... http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf
Thanks for posting that study on diesel fuel additive report- seven years old but still very good info.