Diesel Fuel Additive

E

elkhound

Member
I am new to the diesel tractor world. Just bought my first one a little less than 2 weeks ago. It's a 2001 L3000dt. I was at the local Kubota dealership early last week and asked about a fuel additive to prevent it from gelling. They recommended Stanadyne Performance Formula for not only cold weather, but year round use.

I bought a 16oz. bottle. Stanadyne recommends adding to fuel tank or fuel can prior to filling for thorough mixing. If I did my math right that is 1.2oz. in my 5 gal. can.. My question is: My fuel tank is nearly full, we are just a few days before our first frost. If I put some in the tank will it properly mix? Or do I need to start topping the tank off every time I park it? Thanks for your input.
 
Just add what You need ,and drive it around a bit . That should get the Stanadyne mixed into the fuel ,and give it time to get into Your fuel filter as well .
 
It can't hurt to add directly to your tank, as suggested, but cold temps that gel fuel are still a ways off.
 
Year round? Maybe improved smoothness is what your dealer wants for you. (and I assume some antibacterial effect too).

My elderly Yanmar clearly runs smoother and starts easier using Power Service. I've read that US diesel is spec'ed 40 Cetane minimum while this tractor was designed for the 45 Cetane minimum in Japan.

PS gray bottle claims to add 6 Cetane points but no anti-gel, while PS anti-gel, white bottle, claims 3 Cetane points. I don't think the brand name makes much difference in diesel additives.

Without additive the Yanmar clanks badly, not a clatter but a real sledgehammer-on-a-manhole thunk at each idling stroke. It doesn't exactly purr with PS but at least you don't think you will suffer immediate hearing loss. (Sound file. - Listen at 0:45. This is *with* PS.)

I have a steel rod I stir with if I have to pour additive into a full tank.
 
Erik said:
I use the power service anti-gel year round.
Click to expand...

I use it in the winter only.

There are diesel conditioners with anti-gel and there are anti-gel winter agents without conditioners. I think Power Service is a good brand. Used it in a fleet of trucks and use it in my tractors.
 
Diesel fuel doesn't gel until it gets to about 9 degrees Fahrenheit. I would think that you are in an area where this kind of temperature is very rare. I would put the bottle on the shelf and wait until deeper into the Winter. It will mix okay without pouring the fuel on top of it, it just takes longer.

Also gasoline or kerosene work well as an anti gelling agent. The proportion is very low, but it works well. The owners manual that came with my 77 MB diesel way back then had the proportions and as I remember it was less than a gallon for a 18 gallon fuel tank. You have to be careful not to let it get too high though.
 
Thanks for all the advise. Like I said I'm new to diesels, so I'm trying to learn how to take care of my new pride and joy. Ronald Reagan use to say "There's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse." But after having my Kubota for just over two weeks I'm thinking one could replace the horse in Reagan's statement with tractor.

As far as the Stanadyne Performance Formula on the label it says it prevents gelling, cleans and lubricates, reduces fuel consumption, reduces smoke, and helps remove water. I figure I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.
 
I've used both Stanadyne and both of the Power Services, mainly to keep things clean and the enhanced performance and both work. As for the gelling, you probably don't need to worry, but if it does happen, you'll invent some new words. I think cheap fuel and water contribute to it so keeping the tank full in the cold weather will cut down on the condensation and maybe help, but then again, how cold will it get in your neck of the woods. As for the gas, I generally stop at about 10% and have never had a problem, but then my engines generally don't get worked as hard in the winter. I'd see what Kubota has to say about the gas thing first, and I wouldn't worry too much about it or the gelling.
 
Keeping the tank full in the Winter will indeed help with the gelling problem, but not because of the prevention of condensation. The reason is that it takes longer to remove the heat from a larger mass.

Throughout the late eighties all the way through the early 2,000's I was driving diesel automobiles sixty to seventy thousand miles a year. I never used any fuel additive during this period. I simply ran fuel mostly from truck stops since they turn over alot of fuel and changed fuel filters regularly.

In the Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana climate I only experienced fuel gelling one time during a super hard freeze that was totally unusual for our part of the country. The temperature was in low single digits and I had driven about 80 miles after startup before experiencing it. If you ever experience temperature related fuel gelling in your climate I would be very surprised.

With a tractor the situation is different because it will sit still for longer periods as opposed to my car that never sat over 48 hours at a time. For long periods of fuel setting in the tank, your biggest potential enemy is algae. That said, I just resurrected my old Ford 3000 after setting several years. I poured some Power Service Kleen in the tank, bled the filters and ran it about fifteen minutes. It now starts and runs perfectly.

All that said, attitude is everything and you have the correct attitude regarding care for your tractor.

As for Ronald Reagans horse comment, I agree with you, for many people their tractor is the modern horse. Growing up around horses, however, it's not really the same, but I understand totally what makes you feel that way.
 
What model is your Ford 3000? One of my Uncles has a 1974. I asked him the other day how it was doing, and he said it's not a pretty as it used to be, but it can still do a days work just as good as it ever did.
 
That pretty well sums up my Ford 3000 diesel as well. Looks bad, but can work all day long on a thimble full of fuel and using no oil. These old machines were masterpieces.

Mine is an early model with vented hood and metal grill. It is probably about a '66 model.
 
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