n1das
TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2002
- Location
- Nashua, NH, USA
- TDI
- 2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
What MichaelB said.As I have been following this thread my thoughts are the same as Davids. I believe that the fuel has been properly treated either with blending with about 20% D1 or anti gell adds. Neither of those two approaches deals with water. If you had water in your tank or the source of your fuel had water in their tanks all the winter treatment for gell point doesn't mean hill o beans. DBW has stressed in many threads here the importance of using PS White to negate water issues not just because it freezes but because it is your hpfp and injectors worst enemy. PS 911 is designed to absorb frozen water in your fuel system once it has frozen (it contains alcohol) alcohol is not a friend of your fuel pump or injectors either but in an emergency (hence 911), it might get you going again. I believe if you use PS white year round you will never have a water issue. nuff said I guess.
Free water in diesel fuel appears to be what's killing HPFPs in CR TDIs and doing so faster than poor lubricity. People express concerns about lubricity and rightfully so but often forget about the importance of avoiding water. The HPFP in CR diesels are more susceptible to damage from slugs of free water compared to older rotary injector pump systems. Water in diesel fuel absolutely must be avoided at ALL costs.
People often mistake icing for gelling. They think they have gelling issues but actually have icing instead. Gelling seems to be the catch-all term used whether icing from water or actually gelling.
My priorities for fuel additives are (#1) to take care of any water I can't avoid getting and also to (#2) improve lubricity. Providing anti-gel for winter use and increasing Cetane levels are of secondary importance. I use an additive year round with EVERY tankful. PS Diesel Fuel Supplement (white bottle) is good for year round use. I don't use PS Diesel Kleen (silver bottle) because it doesn't have any anti-gel stuff and doesn't do anything for water.
My other favorite additive is Howes Lubricator Diesel Treat. I used it for a long time in my TDIs but have switched over to PS Diesel Fuel Supplement (white bottle). Howes contains a demulsifier to cause water to drop out so a water separator can catch it. PS contains a solubilizer to keep water completely dissolved so it can harmlessly pass through the system. I transitioned over to PS DFS because my BMWs don't have a water separator that I can drain plus the fuel filter is under the car and a PITA to get to.
Bottom line is proactively treat your fuel and fill up ONLY at high turnover stations along major routes that get lots of heavy truck traffic to avoid getting watery fuel. I also keep the tank totally FULL and topped off whenever one of my cars won't be driven for a while.