Cetane booster

[DonandJudy_12]

Had a problem with my 7.3- Seems an injector was not operating properly- Injector replacement is a very costly process- The mechanic that last worked on the truck suggested adding a cetane booster to the fuel- I did add the booster and the injector is now operating properly- It also appears to have increased the fuel economy by 2 mpg solo and towing- What experiences have other MOCers had using cetane boosters? Cetane boosters are not cheap but an increase of 2 mpg sure makes the use palitable(sp)- Looking forward to the input I know will be forthcoming- Don

[gpats]

You probably need to be using injector cleaner about every four to six tanks of fuel---I have used the cetane booster and I believe that it does increase mileage up to a couple miles per gallon--

UPDATE: I use two products that I purchase from NAPA-
Meaner Power Kleaner from Howe Products
Diesel Power by the makers of Sta-Bil & Heet

I have also used Lucas brand Injector Cleaner

[richfaa]

Been using it since day one on our 08 Ford 6.4L because the diesel guy at our Ford Dealer said it was a good thing to do that. He did not say we had to use a Ford product and we do not. We use Diesel kleen which can be had at Wallmart. Don't know about better MPG as we have never not used it.

[washley1]

I started using cetane booster after haveing problems with too frequent regens...like every 50 miles. I started out using 4 oz of the Ford product for every 25 gallons. On our South Carolina trip in January I ran out, and got something else at a truck stop. It called for 8oz per 25 gallons. After about a month of using booster, I have increased regen time to about 400 miles, and fuel consumption better by 1 to 2 mpg. I have restocked the Ford product, so we will see if 4 oz keeps us at the right levels. But even if I have to go back to 8 oz, it's only a couple of bucks per 25 gal, so I will be happy paying for it.

[Wiarton William]

Started using it 3 years ago after my third Turbo replacement..It increased the mpg by 1 1/2 towing and 2 general mileage..Havent had a turbo problem since..I found it starts faster in cold weather and is a little perkier too..

[KDS MONY]

WalMart carries two Diesel Kleen products, one is a summer cetane booster the other is winter product to prevent fuel gelling. Supposedly they both increase lubricity and cetane number. I have used the winter product when in very cold weather. Have used the other product sporadically and couldn't really tell much difference, best wishes, Jay and Kathy

[Jdrobone]

See the earlier posting I made on this subject some weeks ago. I buy the Ford Motorcraft Cetane booster in the 1 gal can, the booster comes to about 4 cents per gallon of diesel and ups mileage by 1.5 miles/gallon when towing (from 9 to 10.5 or so). If you were to figure 1 mpg then that's about 10 per cent. Do the math at a ten per cent reduction in diesel use and you pay for that 4 cents a gallon many times over without even considering the benefits accruing to the injectors, etc.
I took an empty "Stay-Bil" bottle I had (large one) and filled it with the booster - taped a table on the side with ounces per 10 gal, 15 gal, 20 gal, etc and dump it in the tank at refill time using the scale/tube device on the side of the bottle. Works for me!

[DnDatGrdJct]

I have not had the same results as others using the WalMart product regarding mileage improvement. Over the last 6000 miles I can detect no difference in mileage compared to before adding the product. I add the product for other reasons and will continue to use it for those reasons.

Dean

[kerry]

The 7.3 was designed before the low sulfur fuel. now the extra low sulfur. Stanadyne has an additive with extra lubricant, one 16oz bottle, around $4, treats 120gal of fuel. your engine will run smoother, have more power, and get better mileage. The new diesel engine with the particulate filter that regenerates (burns up what is filtered) suggest not using any additives.

[kmh3212]

I use the Motorcraft cetane booster PM-22A on my '08 6.4 F450. I find it to be relatively cheap. 4 oz./25 gallons of diesel. I buy it here http://www.dieselfiltersonline.com/P...a-Pm-22-A.aspx

[richfaa]

The manual for our 08 6.4L diesel does say not to use any kind of additive during the "first few thousand miles" as it may prevent proper piston ring seating (page 3).On Page 32 under "Diesel fuel conditioner" and "Fuel quality"

They indicate that diesel fuel conditioner may be used to improve/enhance fuel quality. They do provide parameters.
It was told to me by experts as I am no expert, that the issue is these new diesels run the best on 45 cetane diesel fuel and the low ulsd lack some lubricant qualities. Diesel fuel comes out of the refining process at 40/41 cetane (perhaps there are experts here who can expand on that ) The jobbers are responsible to bring the ulsd up to standards.Being a asker of questions I have asked the bulk truck driver what the delivery sheet says about the fuel and all it says is if it is ulsd or lsd..nothing about cetane rating. We do have a friend who was in management for shell oil and he guarantees that Shell premium Diesel IS 45 cetane or better. We use Shell premium when we can get it.. So since we are not sure and we have the ULSD motor we do use the fuel conditioner. Oh.. The local Ford dealer here in Florida went out and collected samples of the diesel fuel around the dealership last year and had it tested.. None of it was 45 cetane. John the diesel guy at the dealershio said.....use the use the booster.. It works for us...

[PapaBeav]

It looks like all the Ford guys are getting better mileage, but the Chevy guy had no improvement. What's with that.

[mail2us]

As input, it was always my understanding that higher cetane levels help with combustion, cleaner emissions, cold starts, and less smoke. I for some reason am/was ignorant that cetane improved mpg.

Why wouldn't the oil companies put additives in the fuel before it gets to the pump? if mpg were shown to improve; or improve diesel engine performance? Most oil companies add stuff to their gasoline fuels, why not their diesel fuels?

[8e3k0]

I have been using/trying the Wal Mart product just to boost the cetane numbers. Are we getting better fuel mileage? Can't say as we are using the Spartan Tunes with dpf delete and have been getting excellent results both towing and empty (average of 20% increase in fuel economy). As far as lubricity diesel is a superior lubricant so it's very difficult to obtain verification that additives increase lubrication in the top end of a diesel engine.

[PowellsMonty]

I am not getting better milage with it, 10.3 not towing, city driving, think something is wrong with mine.

[richfaa]

Mike..Maybe not.. If that is stop and go low speed city driving 10.3 may be as good as you can get.

[pbahlin]

I am no expert so take this with that in mind....

Cetane ratings do not affect the energy content of your fuel. It's not some magic energy product that gets you more power per gallon leading to magically more M.P.G.s

That said, here is what might be happening to decrease fuel consumption. Higher cetane ratings produce cleaner burning. So if you use a cetane additive and get cleaner burn you are probably stretching regen cycles out, saving fuel in the process.

If your type of driving is 'dirtier' than the norm (short trips, no load, etc.) the cetane would likely have the most impact. If your style is 'cleaner' than the norm (long, steady, loaded treks at 55 mph) then cetane would show less impact.

Got this from staying at a Holiday Inn (once) and reading lots of diesel truck forums.

[richfaa]

For our enlightenment.Very educational

http://alternativefuels.about.com/od...t/a/cetane.htm

[eastridges]

I happen to be on vacation in Lansing MI when I started to read this discussion and since I have time would try the diesel Kleen sold by Walmart. I was getting 17.5 mpg on the trip here from Duluth, mn. After putting some of that in my average is up to about 20.5 as the computer is telling me. It has been quite accurate. Will not know for sure until I fill up again. This is not towing just driving with a few things in the back.

[8e3k0]

Have to be careful with that "lie-o-meter" as there is a tendancy for the computer to give a higher reading than actual. Best is to fill to same level in tank (near top of filler neck) each time and calculate by miles driven for that specific consumption of fuel.