What Is Diesel Fuel Additive, and Should You Use It?

Remember, the performance of your vehicle’s fuel can impact a multitude of things, from the efficiency of tasks to your company’s profit. Read this blog to keep your engine in good condition and reduce fuel expenses with additives today.

Fuel additives are compounds that are added to a fuel tank after you’ve filled it up. Their purpose is to offer a whole host of benefits, such as optimising combustion, enhancing fuel efficiency, and cleaning specific components.

By implementing the additives for fuel engines into your commercial fleet’s maintenance routine, you have the power to boost your fuel performance efficiency and reduce the risk of faulty engine issues.

There are various types of diesel fuel additives out there that you can choose from. Before buying a fuel additive, ensure it is compatible with your vehicle. Here are some examples of common fuel additives.

- Cetane Boosters: The purpose of cetane boosters is to improve combustion as well as power. Increasing the cetane number effectively increases the diesel fuel’s ignition quality. In turn, this can decrease emissions and create a smoother engine operation. This is particularly handy for starting a diesel engine in cold weather.

- Fuel Stabilisers: Fuel stabilisers aim to stop the degradation of your fuel. Protecting engine components from rust, fuel stabilisers can also extend fuel longevity.

- Octane Boosters: Octane boosters are liquid additives that enhance a vehicle fuel’s octane rating. This can aid the fuel in withstanding higher pressures and temperatures, potentially enhancing engine efficiency.

- Corrosion Inhibitors: Corrosion inhibitors prevent rust and corrosion of fuel system components, helping to expand the lifespan of fuel tanks, lines, and injectors.

- Fuel System Cleaners: These are used to clean and prevent deposits in different fuel system elements, including fuel injectors and combustion chambers, stopping components from getting clogged up.

- Lubricity Additives: They are designed to enhance the lubricity of diesel fuel, therefore protecting fuel injectors and pumps from corrosion and wear.

- Anti-Gel Additives: Anti-gel additives prevent diesel fuel from gelling in winter. They help diesel fuel flow freely, decreasing the risk of fuel filter blockages and engine failures.

In explaining what a diesel fuel additive is, we must cover its benefits for vehicles and fleets. Look below to see why you may need diesel fuel additives. They:

- Improve cold weather performance

If you’re having trouble starting your diesel engine in cold weather, have no fear – diesel fuel additives can help. As diesel fuel contains paraffin, it starts to gel once the temperature drops, which can block up the fuel filters and tank. Anti-gel additives can help lower the fuel’s gelling point and improve the diesel engine’s efficiency in the cold season.

- Stop fuel residue from building up

Combustion can leave behind fuel residue that can block vital components like fuel filters. This can reduce your diesel engine’s performance by restricting fuel delivery. Additives can help break down these residues, minimising the risk of poor engine performance.

- Minimise wear and tear

Wear and tear affect even the best engines, but you can reduce it with diesel fuel additives, which can improve the fuel’s lubricity. This is particularly critical with low-sulphur diesel that has lower natural lubricating characteristics. Fuel additives like lubricity improvers can generate a protective layer on fuel system components to decrease friction and prevent premature wear and tear. Not only can this save your engine from corroding, but it can also save you a fair bit of money!

- Lessen the environmental impact

Diesel fuel additives can offer a helping hand to our environment by increasing fuel efficiency, decreasing friction, and improving combustion by minimising the emissions of soot and particulate matter produced in the process.

- Stabilise fuel

Diesel fuel stored for a long time can be degraded, resulting in oxidation and the growth of pesky microbes. However, stabilisers can stop fuel from breaking down and becoming contaminated, meaning it can still be used over time.

You’ve seen when you may want to use fuel additives and how they can be beneficial, but do they have any drawbacks?

You’ll want to be careful about the extent to which you use certain fuel additives. For example, using too much lubricity booster can cause it to react with your fuel’s contaminants, resulting in the filters clogging up.

Furthermore, excessive use of fuel additives like cetane boosters can result in deposits in various components like fuel injectors and combustion chambers, which, in turn, could cause issues from reduced fuel efficiency to engine misfires[VD1] .

Moreover, lower-quality additives may contain harsh chemicals that can damage fuel system components such as seals and gaskets. We recommend using high-quality additives and being cautious about how much you use to avoid these common diesel problems. If you’re still unsure about additive usage, get in touch with a member of our friendly team.

While diesel fuel additives can be extremely effective, there are some ways to reduce your fleet’s dependence on them. These can help you maintain or even improve your diesel engine's performance without relying on additives, saving your fleet precious money.

- Regular maintenance

If you engage in regular maintenance, you can decrease the need for fuel additives. Actions like cleaning or replacing your fuel filters and checking the injectors could greatly help. However, if you need help with this, Foxwood Diesel is always happy to take on the routine checks for you.

- Install a fuel water separator

Fuel water separators can help remove water from diesel fuel before it reaches the engine. In turn, this can prevent corrosion and reduce the fuel’s reliance on water-dispersing additives.

- Store and handle the fuel properly

Ensuring your fuel is stored properly can reduce the chances of contamination and quality degradation. Storing and handling your diesel fuel with care can reduce the need for stabilisers and diesel bug biocide treatment by minimising exposure to moisture and dirt.

Now that you know what diesel fuel additives are and whether they are necessary, it’s time to enhance your fuel performance today. Whether you own one diesel truck or an entire bus fleet, using fuel additives as well as conducting regular maintenance checks can help you take back control of your operational efficiency.

Have a question about what diesel fuel additive you need to buy? Don’t hesitate to contact us today. We stock a range of Forté fuel additives to help each of our customers enhance their engine performance. A team member will be happy to discuss which of our additives can help in your specific circumstances, take care of your diesel engine maintenance checks, and even source the perfect replacement part.

Need more handy diesel engine tips or want to learn why engine quality is important? Check out the rest of our blog.