So i know this is probably a dumb thing to ask and i should have searhed harder but id like to clarify. I am curious about fuel additives when using ULSD.My 08 LMM is supposed to be fueled with ULSD which to me means it will be fine using ULSD with no additives or anything. Reading on here and looking through different threads i see some guys saying that its perfect to run with ULSD all the time and others are saying that you have to use additives. Im just trying to get some more clear input because most of the threads i have read nobody is specifying which engine they have or anything. I assume in my LMM i dont need and additives with ULSD right?

thanks, sorry for the dumb question

you can run ULSD fine by itself. Some guys feel you might increase the fuel milage and life of your truck by adding some additives every couple of tank fills. I personally have not added any additives to my truck (LMM) and i just rolled over 25,000 miles. I haven't had any problems. Besides the fuel filter plugging quickly on the first 8000 miles. I'm going to start using additive though, the older trucks that have been using additives seem to extend life of the truck, what's an extra couple bucks right. I say use it anyway! But no, you don't NEED it!

Many people do use fuel additives. I have a LMM engine, and I like the anti gell qualities for winter use, plus the increased lubricity should make my fuel injectors last a little longer. At 3-4K for the set, it's a cost that I'm not looking forward to spending anytime soon.
Just for your reference, the ULSD is thought to have less lubricity than the previous LSD fuel. Do a search and you will find dozens of great posts on additives.:)
Fuel additives may improve you MPG, but I have not noticed any difference myself.

I had the same concern as you and have done a lot of searching on here concerning this topic. My conclusion is that its not mandatory, however, for cheap insurance to get the most longetivity out of the vehicle, its best to use an additive. The ULSD has much less lubricating properties which over time can cause premature engine wear. Remember, the ULSD is a federal mandate for emissions and probably not much thought was considered to make sure the affected vehicles lasted just as long.

FYI...I started using Power Service fuel additive every other tankful. Can easily get this from Murray's and even on sale most of the time.

Maybe some of the more experienced folks here can add to this...

thanks for the info guys, im still on the tank of fuel from the dealer but im soooo paranoid. ive never spent this much money on a truck before and i freakin love the thing. i want it to last forever and as such am double and triple checking before everything i do. i think i nearly blinded myself reading all the threads about break in and what not. thanks again for the input. i do see a lot of people on here that say stanadyne is the best stuff and even found a bulletin from gm saying that they dont mind stanadyne because it contains no alcohol and thus demulsifies any water in the fuel. thanks again
mm

I swear by Stanadyne.........

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178848

Seen this yet?

http://www.thedieselstop.com/contents/getitems.php3?Breaking%20in%20a%20Diesel%20Engine

:)

Is there a vendor/sponsor that has a deal on the Stanadyne performance formula? It's time to start with it I think.

I started using Opti-Lube on my second tank of gas. With only a couple hundred miles on the truck I was getting ~ 12mpg on my 17-mile daily commute to/from work (lots of stop-n-go and back roads). With about 1000 miles on the clock now and no other changes I am seeing ~ 14mpg under exact same routine. No idea whether this is tied to break-in or whether the additive plays a part. Also, truck seems to be a tad quieter and a little less sluggish for the first couple of miles after cold start in the morning. Beyond that no noticeable difference.

IMO its only a few $$ spent on some peace of mind so that makes it worthwhile.

Is there a vendor/sponsor that has a deal on the Stanadyne performance formula? It's time to start with it I think.


PM Sent.

:cool:

I started this thread soon after I got my LMM
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212348

My .02c, if you believe in the afterlife, and you get nothing what did it cost?

I've been using Howes (Plenty of other good choices out there) since I bought the truck, even put it in at the dealership. IMHO, it's your $50K. GM says its good and fine. Remember in these capitalist days, some mechanic needs to feed his family too. There is no proof yet that you should or should not.

Your choice .

So i know this is probably a dumb thing to ask and i should have searhed harder but id like to clarify. I am curious about fuel additives when using ULSD.My 08 LMM is supposed to be fueled with ULSD which to me means it will be fine using ULSD with no additives or anything. Reading on here and looking through different threads i see some guys saying that its perfect to run with ULSD all the time and others are saying that you have to use additives. Im just trying to get some more clear input because most of the threads i have read nobody is specifying which engine they have or anything. I assume in my LMM i dont need and additives with ULSD right?

thanks, sorry for the dumb question

Not a dumb question, and probably one that someone should have asked for a long time. I'm assuming this is your first diesel, (apologies if not) so I'm going to make a couple of blanket statements.

Diesel injectors and injection pumps usually use diesel fuel as their primary lubricant (some also use engine oil for the IP as well). One of the primary lubricants in diesel is sulfur. But having sulfur in fuel also causes some pollution problems, so take the sulfur out, and the problem goes somewhat away. In theory, the diesel is supposed to be treated with an additive before sale to address the missing lubricity.

At this point, it becomes sort of up to you as to whether you use an additive or not. I suspect there is no right answer, because all of us get our fuel at different places. I will tell you that having diesels for 35 years, and then getting one that seems to specify ULSD has caused some adventures in my fueling routine. Fortunately, I have a 2007 Classic, so I found out that I can use LSD or ULSD, just like my other diesels. But for a long time, I was seeking out only the ULSD pumps which is no fun when you're pulling a 5th wheel.

Not a dumb question, and probably one that someone should have asked for a long time. I'm assuming this is your first diesel, (apologies if not) so I'm going to make a couple of blanket statements.

Diesel injectors and injection pumps usually use diesel fuel as their primary lubricant (some also use engine oil for the IP as well). One of the primary lubricants in diesel is sulfur. But having sulfur in fuel also causes some pollution problems, so take the sulfur out, and the problem goes somewhat away. In theory, the diesel is supposed to be treated with an additive before sale to address the missing lubricity.

At this point, it becomes sort of up to you as to whether you use an additive or not. I suspect there is no right answer, because all of us get our fuel at different places. I will tell you that having diesels for 35 years, and then getting one that seems to specify ULSD has caused some adventures in my fueling routine. Fortunately, I have a 2007 Classic, so I found out that I can use LSD or ULSD, just like my other diesels. But for a long time, I was seeking out only the ULSD pumps which is no fun when you're pulling a 5th wheel.

I agree with everything you have written. Good info for the new diesel owner. Having said that, I might add that if one reads the lubricity study posted on this site

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=44499&d=1188575783

2 things stick out:

1) the new lubricity spec for ULSD fuels is marginal
2) Some fuels tested don't even meet that marginal spec

With those 2 things considered it is my opinion that the longer you want to keep your truck, the more important it is to treat EVERY tank of fuel with a lubricity additive.

Every tank of fuel I run is treated with Stanadyne. If you purchase it bulk and on-line, cost of treatment per tank is a little under $3.00. Or, put another way, about 1/2 a cent per mile hiway driving ($3/600 miles)

Cheap insurance...

Been using power service (WHITE BOTTLE) at every fill-up. Temp was -5 degrees this morning & truck started with no problem.So far so good.

I agree with everything you have written. Good info for the new diesel owner. Having said that, I might add that if one reads the lubricity study posted on this site

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=44499&d=1188575783

2 things stick out:

1) the new lubricity spec for ULSD fuels is marginal
2) Some fuels tested don't even meet that marginal spec

With those 2 things considered it is my opinion that the longer you want to keep your truck, the more important it is to treat EVERY tank of fuel with a lubricity additive.

Every tank of fuel I run is treated with Stanadyne. If you purchase it bulk and on-line, cost of treatment per tank is a little under $3.00. Or, put another way, about 1/2 a cent per mile hiway driving ($3/600 miles)

Cheap insurance...


Where is a good (cheap) online source for buying bulk Stanadyne?

Also, does Stanadyne offer separate winter and summer formulas or does it work year round?

Where is a good (cheap) online source for buying bulk Stanadyne?

Also, does Stanadyne offer separate winter and summer formulas or does it work year round?

I can't post the link as they are not a supporting vendor, but I got mine from Midwest Fuel Injection. They had best price I found.

I believe they have 5 different formulas, just check the MWFI site

Where is a good (cheap) online source for buying bulk Stanadyne?

Also, does Stanadyne offer separate winter and summer formulas or does it work year round?

I just bought 5gal pails of Stanadyne Performance and Lubricity formula from blueridgediesel.com … I’ve purchased from them in the past .. they have the best price I've found on 5Gal pails ..

Prices with shipping:
5 Gals of Performance Formula - $150.71, $0.235/oz - $1 to treat 15 Gals
5 Gals of Lubricity Formula - $126.01, $0.197/oz - 40 cents to treat 15 Gals
Ordered online Sunday – delivered to my door on Wednesday via FedEx

Stanadyne Performance is used year-round ..they also make a winter only version

I just bought 5gal pails of Stanadyne Performance and Lubricity formula ...........

:eek:

Holey cow - How long will that last you ?

:eek:

:eek:

Holey cow - How long will that last you ?

:eek:

About 2 years for the Perfomance Formula, 4 years for the Lubricity Formula

Wonder what shelf life is - thought I read 3 years on a post here. I contacted Stanadyne thru their website with that question but received no responce...... I figure it may be sitting in a non-ideal conditions in a hot warehouse a year before I get it so have been buying a years+ supply.

Wonder what shelf life is ...
First 5gal pail of SPF i bought was in 99 ... got a deal on it from a local service shop ... it was at least a year old at the time ... I used it up after two years with no problems ... I've used three more since ... it smells just as bad old as it does new ... looking at the MSDS there's nothing extremely volatile that would decompose

Cheap insurance...

Don't forget the anti-gel properties of the additive if you live in the frozen tundra. As I've said before, it's you $50K truck.

Wonder what shelf life is - thought I read 3 years on a post here. I contacted Stanadyne thru their website with that question but received no responce...... I figure it may be sitting in a non-ideal conditions in a hot warehouse a year before I get it so have been buying a years+ supply.


Got my responce.......

>

Dear Ric,

THANK YOU for your inquiry! Unfortunately there is no definitive answer on shelf life since we are not able to duplicate everyone’s conditions to accurately measure results. Since Stanadyne additives are petroleum distillate based they will degrade with time just as diesel fuel will. A great deal depends on where you are located geographically, usage and how the additive is stored, but our standard answer is that as long as the bottles:

<LI class=MsoNormal style="COLOR: navy; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1">remain sealed and,
are stored in temperate conditions (not subject to freezing & thawing or in high heat), we estimate that the potency or efficacy (concentration) of the product is not diminished for at least 24 - 30 months. Keep in mind that the formulation in the bottle is a concentrated product and it will freeze solid if the ambient temperature of the solution reaches below freezing. This fact confuses people because clearly the product is meant to keep the fuel from gelling, but it is only when the additive is mixed with the fuel that the chemical reaction takes place to prevent the fuel from gelling, but by itself in the concentrated form it will freeze – just like antifreeze products until they are mixed with water.

If you have a 5 or 55 gallon container, it is best to seal it as tightly as possible. As a petroleum distillate product it will evaporate some, but it is not a product that separates or striates – there is nothing visually that indicates the product has “gone bad” and its not that it will go bad as much as decrease in its potency and not deliver the best benefits that a fresh bottle will. If there is a decrease in the efficacy of the product with age it would affect the entire concentration, not any individual component. The color of the liquid will get darker in appearance as it ages which is a naturally occurring property.

Stanadyne additives are meant to be used on a consistent year-round basis at every refueling to maximize the performance and condition your fuel injection components. Whereas many consumers used to use additives to treat fuel only during the winter to prevent gelling, the new ultra low sulfur diesel fuel (15ppm sulfur content) needs to be treated at every fill up for protection against wear, increased mileage as well as a cold flow improver if you are in a colder climate. While many consumers tend to buy in bulk containers or case lots believing it to be more economical, your usage should dictate the volume that you buy. We suggest that you only purchase an amount that you will consume within a year to be on the safe side.

Thanks again for contacting us and for your interest in Stanadyne products.

Best Regards,
Laura L. Boggs
Additive Sales & Marketing Specialist
Fluid Management Technologies
860.525.0821 ext 5325
Customer Support: 800.842.2496
Fax: 860.683.4587

Wow, great write up from them... Thanks for posting it