What are the benefits of diesel fuel conditioners?
If you own or use a heavy-duty diesel vehicle and your days are spent driving it around, chances are good that you want to maximize the efficiency and output of its engine. While there are many small things you can do to help out with that – even making sure your tires are properly inflated can have a positive effect – one of the biggest contributors is simply putting the right stuff into the engine in the first place. Low-sulphur diesel is just the start. Do you know about the benefits of adding a conditioner to your fuel system?
How Does Diesel Fuel Conditioner Work?
Due to modern pollution standards, today’s diesel fuels are very “dry”. They lack lubricity to properly lubricate your fuel injection system, they carry particulates that build up inside the system, and the water content inside the diesel is susceptible to Alberta’s wild temperature swings, condensing into drops that can greatly reduce your fuel efficiency.
Fuel conditioners help combat all of these. They contain cetane enhancers, compounds that help diesel engines start colder, use less fuel, prevent deposits, and more. They improve lubricity, keeping the moving parts of your fuel injection system functioning properly. And they have detergents, designed to clean your injection system and help water go through without damaging it. Is Diesel Fuel Conditioner Necessary?
While not a necessary part of your fuel mixture, diesel fuel conditioner will really help maximize your engine’s efficiency and lifespan in a few different ways, and adding a high-quality fuel conditioner to your diesel fuel system has many benefits (as long as it’s good quality, like our recommended brand, Stanadyne) that substantially improve engine performance across the board.
Diesel Fuel Conditioners and Fuel Economy
To start with, your fuel economy will go up. In nine separate tests that we did, fuel economy went up every single time (some independent tests got up to a 9% increase, with the average being about 4%). This will be especially noticeable on older, more worn engines with fuel injection systems, because it cleans the engines as it works.
Diesel Fuel Treatment and Cold Weather
Adding a high-quality diesel conditioner to your tank will improve your engine’s ability to start in cold weather, as combustibility is easier and cleaner. In the middle of a long, cold Alberta winter, your vehicle sometimes needs all the help it can get, and this is an easy way to keep things moving.
More Benefits of Diesel Fuel Conditioner
Overall, your unit will run smoother and quieter (cetane enhancers also reduce knocking and noise), and you will get more power and torque from your engine as you continue to use a high quality fuel conditioner. If you want your vehicle to be powerful and efficient for years to come, getting started early and staying consistent with diesel treatment is an important step.
Does Diesel Fuel Treatment Go Bad?
If you have a case of fuel additives, you’re probably wondering how long they’ll stay effective before they “expire”. We can’t speak for all the brands out there, but for Stanadyne products, you can store any of the bottles for up to 2 years (unopened, in a suitable environment) without losing its effectiveness. After that, they can still be used, but you might not get the full impact. And yes, these additives can be used in bulk storage tanks, though there are some additional steps to ensure it fully mixes throughout the solution – click the link above for details.
This also ties into another point, about when to treat diesel fuel. The easiest way is to figure out the optimal amount of additive for the size of your tank, and add that in when you fill up from empty. If that’s not possible, reduce the amount of fuel conditioner you’re adding to compensate for what’s still in your tank. The ratio and mix will depend on your vehicle, the size of your tank, how much fuel is still left in the tank when you fill up again, and so on. There is such a thing as too much fuel conditioner (which generally won’t harm the engine, so much as decrease performance), so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the right amount when you fill up. Getting the Best Results from Diesel Fuel Treatment
In order to get the best results, a concentrated and high-quality fuel conditioner is necessary. At West Tech Mobile, we have many different sizes of Stanadyne fuel conditioner – including bulk 19 L pails that we purchase directly from our distributor, leading to big savings that we can pass on to you when you’re ready to stock up.
To learn more, pick up some diesel fuel conditioner to try for yourself, or ask about some of our many other maintenance services, drop by our shop in Calgary’s industrial area from 8-4:30, Mon-Sat. You can also give us a call at 403-265-5699 or drop a line in our easy-to-use contact form. We look forward to helping you get the most out of your diesel fuel!
9 Comments
9/25/2017 09:13:06 am
It's interesting that a diesel fuel conditioner will help increase fuel economy. Considering how all kinds of fuel are getting more expensive having something that will help you save money would be really helpful. I would imagine that you could talk to a diesel fuel distributor to get your hands on something like that, or other tips that could help you save money.
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10/11/2017 12:26:10 pm
It's interesting to learn that when it comes to diesel fuel that there are benefits of using a high-quality conditioner with it. I think one of the main reasons that need to be remembered in things like this is that they help improve the engine's performance. This is something that I believe that all truck drivers need to keep in mind when it comes to getting things taken care of properly.
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That is really nice that fuel conditioners help combat the diesel fuel from being dry and help improve lubricity. I know that my husband has a diesel truck. I wonder if using a fuel conditioner would be a good idea for his truck. Thank you for the information!
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6/25/2018 12:53:09 pm
My husband just bought a used diesel truck and wants to do what he can to improve its fuel economy. I'm glad you talked about using fuel conditioners to improve the fuel economy, especially on older cars with fuel injection systems because it cleans the engine as it works. I had no idea something like this could be so helpful, so thank you for the information about how it also helps with cold weather starting and will make the truck run smoother and more quietly.
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7/25/2018 09:20:11 pm
My dad has a vehicle that's run by diesel and he wants to have its maximum performance. It was explained here that diesel fuel conditioners help combat dryness and lubricate the fuel injection system. Furthermore, it's highly recommended to consult professionals for quality diesel services.
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11/18/2020 02:54:32 am
Smith Lubricants provides the best quality power up diesel additive at the most amazing prices. I have used their products and hence is a great aficionado. Looking forward to more such interesting products from the house of Smith Lubricants.
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12/28/2020 03:55:47 pm
My uncle has been thinking about getting some diesel fuel for his engine. He would really like to get some help from a professional in order to be more efficient. I liked what you said about how fuel conditions can have the right lubrication in the system.
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8/1/2021 10:52:43 pm
Thanks for the tip that efficiency could be maximized through the use of diesel fuel conditioners. I'd like to look for diesel fuel delivery services soon because I found that vehicles that use it tend to be able to go longer before refueling. I can see how diesel cars would be the best choice for my fleet once I start my own touring business someday.
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I like that you pointed out how adding a high-quality diesel conditioner will be able to improve the engine's ability to start in colder weather. I guess it would be best to get my car serviced to have diesel diagnostics before this year ends. It's to know what needs to be done by now after using this vehicle for about five years now.
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