Simple question

[turtleboy]

Do I need to add a fuel additive to my 2013 Golf TDI?

 

[tdiatlast]

Welcome to the club.
I thought I'd help you out and post a couple of links, but I couldn't decide which few dozen of the zillion threads on fuel additives to post. There's no simple answer.
Buy a few buckets of popcorn, a case of beer, and then search in the fuel section for "Fuel Additives".

 

[AVEngineer]

Welcome to the club.
I thought I'd help you out and post a couple of links, but I couldn't decide which few dozen of the zillion threads on fuel additives to post. There's no simple answer.
Buy a few buckets of popcorn, a case of beer, and then search in the fuel section for "Fuel Additives".

Well put.

I personally don't use any on a regular basis in my 2012 JSW. I keep some with me in case I get off the beaten path and have to fill up and am feeling uneasy about the station.

 

[wensteph]

Diesel fuel in the US is generally sold at minimum quality standards.

The chemical compounds in additives each do certain things. It's chemistry, not magic.

Most here pursue additional lubricity for fuel pump protection. I use them with every fill up more for cleaning and soot control, but then my engine doesn't have any HPFP issues.

If you don't mind spending the money, use an additive, but don't feel like you 'need' to.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Diesel fuel in the US is generally sold at minimum quality standards.

I think this is an incorrect statement. Diesel fuels are only quoted as meeting the minimum standards as that is all anyone wants to be legally held to. It is very difficult to find their real values. Texas did testing in 2011 and maybe 90% exceeded minimum standards by a long shot. Lubricity wasn't part of the testing so I can't tell anything about that. Cetane was though and the majority of the random stations tested were in the 47 to 52 range which is way above the 40 minimum standard.

Still additives are a personal choice as there is really no definitive evidence that they help or hinder.

 

[RNDDUDE]

"need"?...no. "should"?....well, do you believe in the concept of insurance?

 

[1854sailor]

As tdiatlast said this topic has been discussed ad nauseum on these forums. A lot of folks with CR cars just use biodiesel as an additive to increase the lubricity of ULSD.

 

[Daekar]

It depends on how long you're going to keep it. If you go through cars like my Dad does, then you'll likely never see the results. If you keep cars for a while and/or care about the next owner's experience, then yes, do use additives. The issue is that not only does the quality of fuel from the pump vary drastically, but the lubricity standard in the US is not as good as the standard for which the fuel system was designed. Sometimes pump diesel exceeds the design spec and sometimes it doesn't. If I had a new TDI, you can bet your bottom I wouldn't gamble that investment by giving the fuel station a chance to send shrapnel through my fuel system by causing a HPFP failure or wearing out my injectors early.

My vote is use them in sensible doses and in every tank.

 

[wensteph]

Texas did testing in 2011 and maybe 90% exceeded minimum standards by a long shot.

Texas mandated a cetane number of 48 in 2005. I would hope a 2011 test would have exceeded minimum standards of 40.

 

[Lightflyer1]

I am aware of that, but your statement above was still incorrect. No one that I have found so far sells at minimum standards. All are usually at least somewhat above the federal minimum standards so as not to fall below for any reason. Texas also allows an alternative formulation to be used instead of meeting the 48 cetane and aromatic requirements. Diesel fuel is no different than any other product. They are usually manufactured to just above an acceptable minimum standard that the majority of consumers will tolerate. Anything more than that is sold as a premium product and charged accordingly. Short of every station in the US being required to post fuel specs for every load they get, we will never know what is coming out of the pump. Even then it isn't guaranteed that someone didn't make an error and contaminate it after the fact. I try to buy fuel that has a B5 or less bio component and don't worry any more about it.

 

[tdiatlast]

I stand corrected...we now have a "zillion and one" threads all saying the same thing, again, repetitively, redundantly...over and over...again...

It's no wonder the search function on this forum is overwhelmed...sheesh...

 

[03_01_TDI]

Yes, if you care about not getting stranded if the hpfp should fail. This is about a 1% chance. And if you plane on keeping the car past the warranty period.

If you don't care about the 1% failure rate and will trade the car back in before the warrant is up. Then just drive the car and don't worry.

Fuel additive use provides other benifits. Such as improved mpg and better long term resale value. When I soldy tdis private party both buyers valued the use of additives.

For the price of power service when its on sale or order some of the other brands- it's a why not. Cost very little per tank. Then you can argue and debate it everyday with us...

 

[Joe_Meehan]

Use it if you like. It is very unlikely to cause you any problems. Then again, chances are good that you would have no more problems if you did.

Don't worry be happy has long as you don't

 

[wensteph]

I stand corrected...we now have a "zillion and one" threads

Is not. Lightflyer and I are arguing over fuel quality

 

[Lightflyer1]

Discussing

 

[romad]

Actually, you guys are "debating".

The topic: Diesel fuel sold in these United States is generally of minimum quality.

In the Affirmative: wensteph

In the Negative: Lightflyer1

 

[tdiatlast]

Lightflyer1 continues to assert that the state of TX has "x" quality standard for fuels. I don't believe there is any reason to doubt his assertions.

However, AFAIK, no other state (except, perhaps CA) has standards as high as TX.

It is this variability in fuel quality that provokes many of us to use additive.

 

[Joe_Meehan]

If there was a meaningful difference, then there would not be so many threads on the subject. Everyone would agree. However when the differences are small or non-exixtant, it is usually a good guess that there really is no real difference.

 

[FowVay]

my great great granny once told me that a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I guess 6 ounces of prevention would be even better with each fill-up.

I'm in the 'use additives' camp. My great great granny never steered me wrong.

 

[Lightflyer1]

She probably told you that while forcing Castor Oil down your throat.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

If you want to trust a fuel distribution system that's known by VW to provide fuel that damages HPFPs, then skip the additive. Gasoline mixed with diesel, lubricity additive that's often added manually at the terminal (dump a bucket into the tank truck) or skipped altogether, debris and sediment in storage tanks, pump filters that are often neglected by filling stations...if none of these things concern you then skip the additive. And if you know that you're going to get fuel that exceeds federal specs every time you fill you can also skip it. I don't feel I'm that lucky, so I use it. Always. I think it's more important in the common rail cars than the older ones, as they are far less tolerant of bad fuel.

There are many threads on this topic, along with many threads on HPFP failure. The most common cause of HPFP failures is fuel contamination. Some of that is mis-fueling, some of it is problems at the station, or elsewhere. I think VW has made a big mistake by not recommending additive on common rail cars.

 

[gotsoot]

100% bio is the best insurance for lubing the system.!3rd. party testing over on the dodge diesel forums proved this over any comercial brands hands down.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Running 2% of 5% bio is a great idea, if you have it available and can use it quickly enough. It doesn't have a great shelf life.

 

[romad]

100% bio is the best insurance for lubing the system.!3rd. party testing over on the dodge diesel forums proved this over any comercial brands hands down.

Now you know that VW has stated officially that any biodiesel over 5% will damage the TDI (except in Illinois where an Illinois vehicle registration document magically fixes the problem).

 

[Lightflyer1]

If you want to trust a fuel distribution system that's known by VW to provide fuel that damages HPFPs, then skip the additive. Gasoline mixed with diesel, lubricity additive that's often added manually at the terminal (dump a bucket into the tank truck) or skipped altogether, debris and sediment in storage tanks, pump filters that are often neglected by filling stations...if none of these things concern you then skip the additive. And if you know that you're going to get fuel that exceeds federal specs every time you fill you can also skip it. I don't feel I'm that lucky, so I use it. Always. I think it's more important in the common rail cars than the older ones, as they are far less tolerant of bad fuel.

There are many threads on this topic, along with many threads on HPFP failure. The most common cause of HPFP failures is fuel contamination. Some of that is mis-fueling, some of it is problems at the station, or elsewhere. I think VW has made a big mistake by not recommending additive on common rail cars.

If the situation is as dire as you seem to make it out, why isn't every car sold dying on the road? So far it has been a small percentage of failures and the majority of those were in 09/10 MY's. When has an additive helped stop "debris and sediment in storage tanks, pump filters that are often neglected by filling stations"? The only fuel studies I can find that are current are the ones done here in Texas. These are encouraging to me as they show a great improvement in the general fuel quality available. This hasn't stopped HPFP failures from occurring here though. Neither has the general availability of B2 to B20 in our fuel. I still use stations that sell B5 or less as a safeguard for lubricity issues. I don't have to deal with adding other additives and the leaks and stink associated with it if it leaks or spills. It is my "belief" that the fuel quality has improved since the introduction of ULSD to today. Everyone has their own opinion on this and that is fine with me. But using B5 from a commercial pump is my solution. It costs nothing more, supposedly does the job, and is more convenient than carrying an additve around that leaks and stinks and may not be generally available when needed. To each their own though and everyone is free to dump whatever they want into their tank. Each person should read through all the threads here and make up their own mind about what they want to do. No matter how much high quality fuel is available there is always the chance someone will screw it up between the terminal and your car.

 

[tdiatlast]

100% bio is the best insurance for lubing the system.!3rd. party testing over on the dodge diesel forums proved this over any comercial brands hands down.

Please don't advise a CR TDI owner to use 100%bio...

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Is you're pumping B5 you are, in my opinion, using a lubricity additive. And I agree it's an excellent solution. If pump B5 were available here I'd do that, too. And I also agree that fuel quality has improved, but it had a very long way to go. It's still not up to European or Canadian levels, at least if you look at HPFP failures as an indicator.

For me B5 is less convenient than an additive. And I haven't spilled any, yet.

 

[DubFamily]

Oh, its this thread again...

 

[MedicPatriot]

I've got to ask..

which is a good additive if you don't have biodiesel? Optilube?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Anything that adds lubricity. Stanadyne, Power Service, Optilube, Lucas, doesn't make that much difference, IMO.