Can cetane improvers/additives cause damage?

MalcolmBurke

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Just read a product description for a diesel additive that said it DIDN'T contain harmful cetane improvers/additives. I never knew there was a danger. Why is that? :confused:
 
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wjdell

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Use additives according to instructions, double dosing can sometimes be detrimental. When mixing addititves make sure the manufacturer ok's this. For instance, PDI D which is a stabilizer can be mixed with other additives and will not cause a reaction. If in doubt contact the manufacturer direct.
 

40X40

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Thanks for the link!
I suppose a cetane improver would be counter productive in a gas engine.. and this product claims to be made for both gas and diesel fuels. Perhaps this use in gasoline is where they find the C/I additives to be 'harmful'?

It appears to be primarily a preservative/stabilizer....Rather than a fuel improver like other fuel treatments.

Bill
 

mrGutWrench

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40X40 said:
Thanks for the link!
I suppose a cetane improver would be counter productive in a gas engine.. and this product claims to be made for both gas and diesel fuels. Perhaps this use in gasoline is where they find the C/I additives to be 'harmful'? (snip)
__. Yeah, Bill, there's something about the whole "marketing speak" of this that makes it pretty unintelligible in a technical sense. If I had to guess, I'd guess that they're talking about alcohols -- which are often added to gasoline fuel treatments as water removers -- these really don't have any place in a diesel fuel treatment. But why they'd call alcohols "octane improvers" is beyond me.

__. But "ordinary" fuel treatments don't seem to cause problems at high doses, other than being a waste of money.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Most additives are about 65% diesel fuel. I've yet to see one that warns against overdosing, but why would a manufacturer put that on a label, especially in the country where more is always better? I've been guilty of double-dosing stanadyne because I figure putting in 8 oz instead of four is better than letting it leak in the car and fumigate me.

I was checking stock this morning and was once again reminded that since Stanadyne has raised their pricing it's not selling very well. I think most diesel operators either overlook it or buy something like PowerService locally and save shipping. Perfectly understandable. I am pretty religious about using an additive, mostly for lubricity because I don't want to replace any injection pumps.
 

tditom

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formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
I had questions about ULSD lubricity and spoke to an engineer from Bosch regarding the use of an additive to increase this attribute. He did not recommend using any additives because of the lure of "more is better" that IBW spoke of. He felt that the benefits of using an additive are offset by the hazards of ODing on them.

The bottom line is to be very careful of what additives you use, and by all means follow the additive manufacturer's dosing.
 

gdr703

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mrGutWrench said:
why they'd call alcohols "octane improvers"
because they are.
Ethanol is widely used as a fuel, and it does improve the Octane. (no need for MTBE)
Xylene is also declared as an Octane improver.

Diesel engines need Cetane, not Octane.
cheers
 

mrGutWrench

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tntdifan said:
Straight ethanol has an octane rating of about 120, versus 87 for RUG.
__. Yeah, but do you see any improvement at "attitive levels"? I can see blending 20% to raise octane but what good will 4 oz. do you?
 

unitacx

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MalcolmBurke said:
Just read a product description for a diesel additive that said it DIDN'T contain harmful cetane improvers/additives. ... Why is that?
The operative word is "harmful"; not "cetane".

Some additives, such as amyl nitrate, produce solid particles. This results in increased engine wear. (This is different from amyl nitrite, which is a recreational drug occasionally used in discos.)
 

Georgeseq

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Jan 2, 2002
Location
Columbus, Ohio
With the Primrose additves, which I am most famliiar, the "more is better" does indeed exist. However, the cost/benefit ratio decreases as in a safe falling from a 20 story building.. But no adverse affects with excessive concentration. I know of pullers who are using Primrose 405C by the gallon, waaay overtreating, with no adverse affects. But, yes, there is no performance/cost justification to go beyond optimimum ratio of 1 to 3000 in Primrose 405C's case.
George Morrison, STLE CLS
 
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