Lubricity additive: Do you use one or not?

[justRich]

I ask this question here because I believe that HDT owners are more closely aligned with commercial big rig operators AND may have information that is not readily apparent to small diesel engine trucks.

Do you use a lubricity fuel additive or not?  Why?
(citation sources appreciated)

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Rich&Sylvia
"Fuel" added to distinguish from oil additive

[Danandfreda]

We use it year round in our diesel pickup 

[Brad & Jacolyn]

I put Diesel Kleen (in the gray bottle) in when I fuel. Have not had any injector problems since I started doing this faithfully. I don't know about lubricity but it is a cetane booster. I don't know for sure why the gray bottle instead of the white bottle but that is what my diesel mechanic brother in law said so I do it.

[DesertMiner]

My older Cummins ISX sometimes has problems with asphaltene and the only additive I have found that is designed to address this called  Penray.  Ive been using it at each fill up and it’s seems to have decreased the amount of black particles in my Davco fuel/water separator. As the info states it does add lubricity as well as a cetene booster. I’ve also used  Opti-Lube products and they get good reviews here. 

Diesel Kleen products also work well as Brad mentioned. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by DesertMiner

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

I use Hot Shot Diesel Secret oil additive in our old Cummins.  It really doesn't make the MPG any better, but the engine runs quieter and smoother.  https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/hot-shot-s-secret-diesel-oil-additive-hots52387/11826910-p?c3ch=PLA&c3nid=11826910-P&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&store_code=7119&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhdTqBRDNARIsABsOl9_7SCMw6x-8FgAoHdPfzIVw1hZGKmcOKMXn6TRKUuQkiLKIhFfXJBgaAhpSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Darryl&Rita]

Howe's. Have used it in all my Cummins engines, all the way back to the old 12 valve. They run quieter, start faster, but don't get any better mileage. 

[Imurphy907]

I use additives in my N14 Cummins eggg most of the time. Usually Opti-Lube XPD if I dont have any I will use power service. 

I have not seen much of a performance difference as far as mpg, Cetane boost do not make as much of a difference in our low speed engines as it does in smaller higher rpm engines. But it definitely makes the old girl start quicker and she runs a bit quieter.

[rickeieio]

3 hours ago, Rich&Sylvia said:

I ask this question here because I believe that HDT owners are more closely aligned with commercial big rig operators AND may have information that is not readily apparent to small diesel engine trucks.

Do you use a lubricity additive or not?  Why?
(citation sources appreciated)

 

All the above answers refer to fuel additives, but your question may be about engine oil.

So, I used to use an engine oil friction modifier.  It caused issues.  I now use oil straight from the container.

As to fuel, we use a lot of diesel.  Used to buy in tanker load lots.  I never doctored it, and never had an issue. YMMV.

[justRich]

Thanks, I edited the original post to include the word "fuel".  (thou I am interested in oil additives as well).

Professional Boat Builder carried an article that claimed 40-percent of fuels do not meet specifications for lubricity.

Quote

. . .according to Power Service, www.powerservice.com, an additive manufacturer that operates its own testing lab, “approximately 40% of the ‘ready for sale’ fuels obtained in North America during 2010 did not meet the 520 HFRR 

It should be noted that was 2010 and the article was published in 2018- perhaps things have improved.

[Brad & Jacolyn]

23 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

I use Hot Shot Diesel Secret oil additive in our old Cummins.  It really doesn't make the MPG any better, but the engine runs quieter and smoother.  https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/hot-shot-s-secret-diesel-oil-additive-hots52387/11826910-p?c3ch=PLA&c3nid=11826910-P&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&store_code=7119&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhdTqBRDNARIsABsOl9_7SCMw6x-8FgAoHdPfzIVw1hZGKmcOKMXn6TRKUuQkiLKIhFfXJBgaAhpSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

What is the secret Jim?

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 hours ago, Brad & Jacolyn said:

What is the secret Jim?

Don't cut yourself when opening the bottle. 😁

Since we have an old Cummins engine that was once described as a farm tractor engine, the oil additive from Diesel Secret works in taming some of the rattle.  Don't know why... it just does.

[rickeieio]

57 minutes ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

Since we have an old Cummins engine that was once described as a farm tractor engine

Just about any Cummins found in our trucks has had an ag equivalent.  Deere uses the ISX at around 650 ponies, but painted green and "Made in China" on the side of the block.  I had a Versatile Bi-Directional w/ a 4 cyl. B Cummins.  (noteven, I know what you folks call that tractor)

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

4 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Just about any Cummins found in our trucks has had an ag equivalent.  Deere uses the ISX at around 650 ponies, but painted green and "Made in China" on the side of the block.  I had a Versatile Bi-Directional w/ a 4 cyl. B Cummins.  (noteven, I know what you folks call that tractor)

I've installed many sets of Cummins and Volvo marine engines.  From the B series 4 bangers to the big boys.  We once had a customer that we took on a test cruise, that particular show model had Cummins engines in it and the potential buyer complained about how they sounded so much like a tractor.  He put in an order for a nice yacht but wanted the BMW marine diesels for power... could not talk him out of them.  So we built the boat... and he complained non-stop about how much soot was acclumating on the transom, about all the injector issues he was having, etc.  At the 1 year mark we brought the yacht back and re-powered with.... Cummins engines..... His choice... I wanted to put a new Volvo package in, but he went with the same Cummins he talked crap about...

[WILDEBILL308]

I only run Diesel Kleen in the white or gray bottle depending on temps. Diesel Kleen is now endorsed and recommended by Cummins.

If you have any concerns about oil lubricity just run Shell Rotella T-6.

Bill

[tyates007]

I have used Lucas fuel additive in the HDT for quite a few years. Last year while fueling a really nice old Pete pulled up next to me and of course we started while our tanks filled and our wallets emptied. We both had Cat motors. He saw me putting in the additive and mentioned Howe’s fuel treatment. He swore it made his old Cat run better. Since I was out of the other I grabbed some Howe’s for the next trip. Truck does seem to run quieter. If your truck is old like mine they were before low sulfur diesel and can use some sort of lubrication no matter what it is. I have used amsoil diesel plus cetain in the lgt for years. I guess that was a long winded way of saying I use stuff and they all seem to provide some benefit 

[chief916]

I use Lucas fuel additive in my WIA64.  It's got a Detroit 11.1 motor.   Can't talk to fuel mileage cause I started using it just as soon as I bought the truck.  We went out to Sturgis and then onto Yellowstone last year and pulling the toyhauler and 2 motorcycles avg around 8 to 9 mpg.  Here's the thing...I get around the same mpg when I pull using the F-350.  My mechanic mentioned to me about how he keeps water out of his fuel tanks because like me..he has no really good water removal system.  I'm not advocating his method but I am researching it.  He puts a bottle of Lucas power steering fluid into his tanks when he fuels up.  He says that the Lucas power steering fluid does something with any water in there that breaks it down and blends it in with the fuel to be burned up and removed.  If anybody out there has knowledge about this...please share.

[rpsinc]

Anybody familiar with Lubri-diesel.  I used some Lubri-gas some years back, in a 350 Chevy and what a difference it made.  Put it in the fuel and motor ran better, less throttle needed and boosted MPG by more than 10%.  I know it works.  Not had any experience with the diesel additive but have no doubt it works, if the gas additive works.

[noteven]

Why do people think “lubricity additives” should or should not contribute to fuel economy (mpg)?

[rickeieio]

Why not?  Laxatves can contribute to weight loss.........

[justRich]

9 hours ago, noteven said:

Why do people think “lubricity additives” should or should not contribute to fuel economy (mpg)?

I'm not sure that it has anything to do with fuel economy.  The purpose of a lubricity additive is to reduce the "wear scar" scratches on engine components.

From the (pdf) white paper Lubricity Additive Study Results:

Quote

How Diesel Fuel Is Evaluated For Lubricating Ability:

Diesel fuel and other fluids are tested for lubricating ability using a device called a “High Frequency Reciprocating Rig” or HFRR. The HFRR is currently the Internationally accepted, standardized method to evaluate fluids for lubricating ability. It uses a ball bearing that reciprocates or moves back and forth on a metal surface at a very high frequency for a duration of 90 minutes. The machine does this while the ball bearing and metal surface are immersed in the test fluid (in this case, treated diesel fuel). At the end of the test the ball bearing is examined under a microscope and the “wear scar” on the ball bearing is measured in microns. The larger the wear scar, the poorer the lubricating ability of the fluid. The independent lab runs every sample twice and averages the size of the wear scar. The U.S. standard for diesel fuel says a commercially available diesel fuel should produce a wear scar of no greater than 520 microns. The Engine Manufacturers Association had requested a standard of a wear scar no greater than 460 microns, typical of the pre-ULSD fuels. Most experts agree that a 520 micron standard is adequate, but also that the lower the wear scar the better.

And the topic was originally posted and discussed ad infinitium here: https://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76-speciality-forums/64-maintenance-fluids/177728-lubricity-additive-study-results.html

I'm assuming that big rig engines are usually fueled up at stations that reliably provide fuel with the appropriate additives added at the refinery. 

[ARGO]

Was ready to reply, but I read the thread & realize you guys are talking about ENGINES.

[noteven]

12 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Why not?  Laxatves can contribute to weight loss.........

you motorcycle riders🤣