Winterizing Diesel Fuel

From the AMSOIL Dealer Magazine (Action News) December 1994.

Trucking’s a hard business anytime, but even harder in the winter when balancing diesel fuel gelling against fuel economy gets tricky. AMSOIL diesel fuel additives tip the balance in the truckers favor.

The wax in diesel fuel solidifies in cold temperatures, first reaching the cloud point, the temperature at which a few wax crystals become visible. The fuel actually looks cloudy, but the wax crystals are not large enough to plug the fuel filter and stop the engine. However, crystals do grow large enough to plug the filter before they reach the pour point, the temperature at which the fuel no longer pours or pumps.

AMSOIL Diesel Fuel Additive packaging 1994
AMSOIL Diesel Fuel Additives 1994

Unfortunately, no test for cold filter plug point exists, so truckers must extrapolate between the cloud point and pour point to determine their fuel’s safe cold temperature range. If they don’t figure right, truckers filling tanks in warm states and heading for colder regions face potential fuel flow problems.

Some truckers defeat the cold temperature trap by blending light, less waxy #1 fuel with heavier, waxier number two. However, light fuels contain less energy than heavy fuels do, so blending reduces fuel economy and power. Number one fuel also costs more at the pump than #2 does, so truckers end up paying more and getting less.

Plus, blending does nothing to counteract the ill effects of water, entering the fuel system as a vapor and condensing to a liquid. Bacteria and fungus grow in the fuel-water interface. Large colonies can plug fuel filters. Ice crystals grow from water even more rapidly than wax crystals grow in fuel. Ice crystals can clog fuel filters and fuel lines.

A better solution? AMSOIL Diesel Fuel Additive Concentrate (ADC) reduces wax crystal size, so fuel passes readily through fuel filters in lower temperatures than it could if unadditized. ADC suppresses ice formation, again expanding the fuel’s dependable temperature range.

ADC kills bacteria and fungi and continuously cleans and protects fuel systems for superior fuel storage stability, full injector spray patterns to ensure high fuel economy,’ and reduced fuel system wear even with low lubricity fuels.

For hard winter startups, AMSOIL Cetane Boost (ACB) is just the boost some trucks need. ACB raises cetane three to seven numbers for quick’ starting and smooth running in cold temperatures.

With AMSOIL diesel fuel additives, truckers can get dependable, economical fuel year ’round … without paying through the hose.

Reproduced With The Permission Of AMSOIL INC. All Rights Reserved.

*All trademarked names and images are the property of their respective owners and may be registered marks in some countries. No affiliation or endorsement claim, express or implied, is made by their use. All products advertised here are developed by AMSOIL for the use in the application shown.

SLS Note: Over the last 25 years AMSOIL has expanded its line of Diesel Fuel Additives and now offers:

AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean (ADF) (Replaced Diesel Fuel Additive Concentrate)
  • Cleans dirty injectors
  • Lubricates pumps and injectors to reduce wear
  • Extends fuel-filter life
  • Improves fuel economy up to 8%
  • Restores power and torque
  • Reduces smoke and emissions
  • Helps prolong time between EGR and DPF regenerations
  • Combats fuel-system corrosion
  • Reduces downtime and maintenance costs
  • Safe for use in all diesel fuels, including biodiesel
  • Alcohol-free
AMSOIL Cetane Boost (ACB)
  • Increases cetane up to 8 points
  • Delivers maximum horsepower
  • Increases fuel economy
  • Improves startability
  • Smooths idle
  • Reduces smoke & emissions
  • Safe for use in all diesel fuels, including biodiesel
  • Alcohol-free

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AMSOIL Diesel Cold Flow (ADD)
  • Lowers cold filter-plugging point (CFPP) by up to 40ºF
  • Enhances engine reliability in cold temperatures
  • Fights gelling in cold weather
  • Improves low-temperature startability
  • Prevents wax settling during storage
  • Inhibits fuel-filter icing
  • Safe for use in all diesel fuels, including biodiesel
  • Reduces downtime and maintenance costs
  • Alcohol-free

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AMSOIL Diesel All-In-One (ADB) Combines The Benefits Of The Diesel Injector Clean, Cetane Boost & Cold Flow
  • Cleans dirty injectors
  • Lubricates pumps and injectors to reduce wear
  • Extends fuel-filter life
  • Improves fuel economy up to 8%
  • Combats fuel-system corrosion
  • Prevents wax settling during storage
  • Lowers cold filter-plugging point (CFPP) by up to 40ºF
  • Delivers maximum horsepower
  • Increases cetane up to 4 points
  • Safe for use in all diesel fuels, including biodiesel
  • Alcohol-free
AMSOIL Injector Clean + Cetane Boost (ADS) For When You Don’t Need The Benefits Of Cold Flow
  • Cleans dirty injectors
  • Lubricates pumps and injectors to reduce wear
  • Increases cetane up to 8 points
  • Extends fuel-filter life
  • Improves fuel economy up to 8%
  • Combats fuel-system corrosion
  • Delivers maximum horsepower
  • Safe for use in all diesel fuels, including biodiesel
  • Alcohol-free

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AMSOIL Diesel Recovery (DRC) For When You Didn’t Add Cold Flow But Should Have. (Emergency Treatment Of Gelled Diesel Fuel)
  • Quickly Dissolves Gelled Fuel
  • Thaws Frozen Fuel Filters
  • Performs Well in ULSD, Off-Road & Biodiesel
  • Alcohol-Free
  • Non-Corrosive

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