Diesel additives

[450c]

I was at the local auto parts store and noticed a diesel additive called cetane. It is supposed to aid in cold weather starting and provide faster warm up of the engine. Does anyone know if this product is recommended for a 450B.

[jdemaris]

I was at the local auto parts store and noticed a diesel additive called cetane. It is supposed to aid in cold weather starting and provide faster warm up of the engine. Does anyone know if this product is recommended for a 450B.

450B has a pump that is basically the same as used in many cars and trucks, e.g. GM 4.3,5.7, 6.2, and early 6.5 diesels, as well as Ford-IH 6.9s and 7.3s. Nothing in a cetane additive that's going to hurt it, and I doubt it will help anything either. I've got engines with gool-old heating oil in them - no additives, and they start as good as anything else if working right.

When the 350C series first came out - new - we had many cold starting problems and tried every additive under the sun including high-priced, high cetane diesel. Made absolutely no difference in cold starting.

Now, antigelling is a different story. I know, for sure, the white-bottle Power Service works great. May be others also. But, two years ago I was paying $8 for a big bottle that treats 300 gallons and now it's up to $18.

[digitup2]

Just so you know cetane doesn't help much in cold weather starting .It will brake down the fuel slightly but only slightly. It dose have a small lube value to add to the pump that might add to cold weather start some but only marginal .You have to get an additive that will anti gel or wax break down your fuel for good results .Also when adding to the flash point like alcohol based additives do you need to advance your timing so you don't go there .Alcahol only mixes with the water and water is easy enough to filter from diesel fuel .Only add a antigell agent to your fuel as seasons and tempriture will factor also buy clean fuel and keep it clean as the old saying goes .Years ago we installed fuel filters on all three mobile tanks and all three pickups with fuel tanks as well as the main tanks at the shop it cut down on our dirty fuel filters and down time by four times the grief using a fine micron filter always look for a fine micron filter that is cheap to change and install it just before the fuel gets into the fuel tank .Filter your fuel as you buy it dirty no mater where you get it and 5 gallon cans are the most dirty damnd way to handle fuel I have found .Don't ask me why but when they filter fuel at the pumps they don't do it fine enough for your crawler filters and you will be buying dirt no mater what .Digitup.

[mini kahuna]

we had an old timer years ago that always ran his fuel through another super fine filter after buying it,he never came in to the dealer with fuel related problem,never dealt with or opened up an injection pump either.
most of the problems with diesels all come back to dirt or water in the fuel.