Which Diesel Anti-Gel Additive is Best? Let's find out!

6

6oh

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Location
Toronto
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI Sedan / 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Project Farm is one of the YouTube channels i subscribe to, and he's a great watch for impartial product comparison tests.... he just did a video of something of our interest (or not, if you can do not use the stuff), Diesel fuel additives.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8gDN_6esfs
 
imo000

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
Is he testing it against a winter blend diesel?
 
6

6oh

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Location
Toronto
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI Sedan / 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Thought that was well, and looks like a summer blend... some commenters did ask for an update to exactly which control sample of the diesel fuel used.
 
amit9

amit9

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2004
Location
Toronto/Scarborough
TDI
None...
The guy is in a t-shirt in the video, so that gives it away that it was shot in warmer weather, hence used summer fuel...
 
L

lanorg

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Location
GTA
TDI
ALH, 11mm, vnt17, 1019, Jeep TJ @ 285km
I'm not sure about the rest of you, but winter blend fuels in Ontario hit my fuel economy by a good 10% give or take - some of it might be cold related, not sulfur.

I only add cetane booster to my fuel, nothing with anti-gel properties.
 
Savageman69

Savageman69

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Location
ontario
TDI
2012 Highline Touareg TDI
i have always used power service.....but recently in the last couple years been using hot shots stuff and i really like it.
 
imo000

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
Uberhare said:
I've always just used the fuel as-is that comes out of the pump. :eek:
Click to expand...
Me too. No additives of any kind, EVER! Had a diesel for 15 years and never had a gelling issue. The internet hype is so strong on this that people now believe additives are must or else they engines will fail. The car manufacturer would have never demanded this since it would have been a nightmare for all the cars when they were under warranty.
 
P

phantom1260

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Location
Brampton, Ontario
TDI
1997 Jetta GL IDI, 2010 Jetta TDI (Sold)
I only use additives if I'm going on a road trip and may have to fill up from a questionable fuel station. For cetane and lubricity reasons. Other than that I'll consider an additive if were getting into -45 C territory.

I remember my dads sprinter would not start some days when the temperatures dipped that low and he had not added an anti-gel. That's also because the sprinter would not fit in the garage. If it were to get that cold the Jetta would be okay since it would be parked in the garage with the frost heater plugged in.

I've also seen my uncle having trouble getting his Semi-Truck started on those days. After using a lot of starting fluid and an anti-gel it would eventually start.
 
imo000

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
phantom1260 said:
I only use additives if I'm going on a road trip and may have to fill up from a questionable fuel station. For cetane and lubricity reasons. Other than that I'll consider an additive if were getting into -45 C territory.

I remember my dads sprinter would not start some days when the temperatures dipped that low and he had not added an anti-gel. That's also because the sprinter would not fit in the garage. If it were to get that cold the Jetta would be okay since it would be parked in the garage with the frost heater plugged in.

I've also seen my uncle having trouble getting his Semi-Truck started on those days. After using a lot of starting fluid and an anti-gel it would eventually start.
Click to expand...

When is the last time you were anywhere near where it was -45C?
 
P

phantom1260

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Location
Brampton, Ontario
TDI
1997 Jetta GL IDI, 2010 Jetta TDI (Sold)
imo000 said:
When is the last time you were anywhere near where it was -45C?
Click to expand...
I think it was February 2015 something about a polar vortex it was around -45 with windchill and I think again around new years 2018 it was in that range.

I know windchill doesn't really make much of a difference to the car though. It must have at least been in the -25 area without windchill in those days.
 
jackbombay

jackbombay

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 12, 2002
Location
Diesel knows best
TDI
A4 Jetta
DivineChaos

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
imo000 said:
When is the last time you were anywhere near where it was -45C?
Click to expand...
last winter. minnesota baby. has gotten as cold as -60f. last year coldest was -56f without wind one day. also seen temps as high as 114f in summer.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top