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How Diesel Fuel Additives Keep Fleet Costs Down.
Hard to find the truth!
Snake oil! This tends to be the first reaction of many people when approached about the use of a Diesel Fuel Additive (DFA).
And rightfully so. There are so many additives on the market, all claiming to guarantee better mileage, easier starting, more power.... and on and on.
But how many actually back up their claims with proven tests? Very few. The reason is simple. Most of these products, used at recommended treatment rates, will not meet the standards they lay claim to.
Why? Well there are several different reasons. Some of them are just poor products which simply do not contain technically advanced chemicals capable of such performance. Others are just too diluted. Yes, the base product would be capable of meeting industry standards and performance and mileage claims, but only if you used three or four times the recommended rate.
At EGO we believe that the additive market can be separated into two categories: professional and marketing.
Marketing based products are usually displayed in attractive bottles, with very vague information, and tend to hide the true cost: how much to treat a gallon of fuel. Consumers tend to look at the price of the bottle and disregard the treatment rate.
These products are typically watered down, and the cost of the packaging is more than the value of the additive it contains. The huge profit generated from the watered-down product goes to marketing, advertising and promotional stunts. These products are typically sold in retail environments where no time is taken to explain the product and its capabilities, and will be purchased as impulse items.
Products that fall into the Professional category are typically sold through specialty outlets such as performance shops, bulk fuel and oil dealers, professional repair shops, or directly to fleets. People selling these products will typically spend some time with you, detailing the performance aspects and benefits of these products.
Finding the Facts
How do you separate the snake-oil products from the Professional products? For a start, ask your sales representative some tough questions:
1. What type of water dispersal technology does your product use, if any?
2. Does your product contain a fuel stabilizer? If so, is it a thermal stabilizer or storage stabilizer?
3. What level of lubricity enhancer is included and what tests will it pass?
4. Does your product meet any industry standards with respect to degradation of seals, rubbers and neoprene?
5. If it is a winter additive, does it use seed crystal technology to control wax?
6. What tests does it meet with respect to corrosion and detergency?
7. Do you know the top tier treatment rate for the product in parts per million?
8. Does your product meet any "Clean Up" and "Keep Clean" industry standards, and do you know what these are?
9. Does your product contain any cetane enhancers, and if so, how many points?
10. Does your product significantly change the flash point of diesel fuel?
If your sales representative appears to be comfortable in answering these questions, and clearly understands all these concepts, then you are probably dealing with a professional who represents a professional product.
The bottom line is that too much is a stake these days to be dumping a product into your expensive diesel engine, when not even the person selling it knows what it contains. Believe me, there are some products out there that can be detrimental to your engine and fuel system. Beware of Snake Oil!
Understanding Diesel Fuel Additives
Good diesel fuel additives can and will give you many cost saving benefits. The right additive can save you expensive repairs, give better fuel economy, and improve starting and performance.
But not all additives are made equal. First of all, there are single purpose additives such as Lubricity Agents or Flow Improvers.
A Lubricity agent will provide additional lubrication to your diesel fuel, protecting pumps, injectors and upper cylinder parts such as valves and rings. This is all it will do! Yet I have seen lubricity agents with claims of improved mileage and starting. I suppose that at a stretch, you could argue that if the fuel system was operating with less friction, it would improve mileage! However, the lubricity of standard diesel fuels has improved significantly since the early days of low sulphur diesel fuel, and it is hardly necessary at this time to use a high percentage of a lubricity agent. You would be better off putting your money into other benefits.
Flow improvers will alter the pour point of diesel fuel at low temperatures. You also need to be sure that such a product contains a good wax controller, typically a product that prevents the formation of wax seed crystals. It is seldom water that causes plugged filters in cold weather, but more often than not, it is the accumulation of wax on the filter surfaces. Such a product will control paraffin and wax, prevent filter plugging and vehicles stalling in cold weather, which as we all know can prove very costly indeed.
How Diesel Fuel Additives Keep Fleet Costs Down.
Hard to find the truth!
Snake oil! This tends to be the first reaction of many people when approached about the use of a Diesel Fuel Additive (DFA).
And rightfully so. There are so many additives on the market, all claiming to guarantee better mileage, easier starting, more power.... and on and on.
But how many actually back up their claims with proven tests? Very few. The reason is simple. Most of these products, used at recommended treatment rates, will not meet the standards they lay claim to.
Why? Well there are several different reasons. Some of them are just poor products which simply do not contain technically advanced chemicals capable of such performance. Others are just too diluted. Yes, the base product would be capable of meeting industry standards and performance and mileage claims, but only if you used three or four times the recommended rate.
At EGO we believe that the additive market can be separated into two categories: professional and marketing.
Marketing based products are usually displayed in attractive bottles, with very vague information, and tend to hide the true cost: how much to treat a gallon of fuel. Consumers tend to look at the price of the bottle and disregard the treatment rate.
These products are typically watered down, and the cost of the packaging is more than the value of the additive it contains. The huge profit generated from the watered-down product goes to marketing, advertising and promotional stunts. These products are typically sold in retail environments where no time is taken to explain the product and its capabilities, and will be purchased as impulse items.
Products that fall into the Professional category are typically sold through specialty outlets such as performance shops, bulk fuel and oil dealers, professional repair shops, or directly to fleets. People selling these products will typically spend some time with you, detailing the performance aspects and benefits of these products.
Finding the Facts
How do you separate the snake-oil products from the Professional products? For a start, ask your sales representative some tough questions:
1. What type of water dispersal technology does your product use, if any?
2. Does your product contain a fuel stabilizer? If so, is it a thermal stabilizer or storage stabilizer?
3. What level of lubricity enhancer is included and what tests will it pass?
4. Does your product meet any industry standards with respect to degradation of seals, rubbers and neoprene?
5. If it is a winter additive, does it use seed crystal technology to control wax?
6. What tests does it meet with respect to corrosion and detergency?
7. Do you know the top tier treatment rate for the product in parts per million?
8. Does your product meet any "Clean Up" and "Keep Clean" industry standards, and do you know what these are?
9. Does your product contain any cetane enhancers, and if so, how many points?
10. Does your product significantly change the flash point of diesel fuel?
If your sales representative appears to be comfortable in answering these questions, and clearly understands all these concepts, then you are probably dealing with a professional who represents a professional product.
The bottom line is that too much is a stake these days to be dumping a product into your expensive diesel engine, when not even the person selling it knows what it contains. Believe me, there are some products out there that can be detrimental to your engine and fuel system. Beware of Snake Oil!
Understanding Diesel Fuel Additives
Good diesel fuel additives can and will give you many cost saving benefits. The right additive can save you expensive repairs, give better fuel economy, and improve starting and performance.
But not all additives are made equal. First of all, there are single purpose additives such as Lubricity Agents or Flow Improvers.
A Lubricity agent will provide additional lubrication to your diesel fuel, protecting pumps, injectors and upper cylinder parts such as valves and rings. This is all it will do! Yet I have seen lubricity agents with claims of improved mileage and starting. I suppose that at a stretch, you could argue that if the fuel system was operating with less friction, it would improve mileage! However, the lubricity of standard diesel fuels has improved significantly since the early days of low sulphur diesel fuel, and it is hardly necessary at this time to use a high percentage of a lubricity agent. You would be better off putting your money into other benefits.
Flow improvers will alter the pour point of diesel fuel at low temperatures. You also need to be sure that such a product contains a good wax controller, typically a product that prevents the formation of wax seed crystals. It is seldom water that causes plugged filters in cold weather, but more often than not, it is the accumulation of wax on the filter surfaces. Such a product will control paraffin and wax, prevent filter plugging and vehicles stalling in cold weather, which as we all know can prove very costly indeed.
EGO Additives are an essential part of the trouble free operation of this large power generation plant in South America
What About Detergents?
Detergents are used to clean gums, varnishes and carbon’s. Like everything else, there are good detergents and bad detergents. EGO's additives contain the very latest in detergent technology, meaning that the chances of harming parts such as seals are non-existent. Many of the old generation detergents contained strong alcohols, and even products such as turpentine. These products can easily do more harm than good.
New generation detergents are capable of cleaning at very low treatment rates, and do not contain any harmful formulae.
EGO Additives meet Cummins L-10 clean up test
criteria even when applied in very low dosages - cost savings for the fleet operator!
Detergents also play a very important part in extending engine life. Most of us tend to focus on the benefits of diesel fuel additives as they relate to fuel injection components. However, a huge benefit is related to piston ring and cylinder bore life.
When compression is developed in the cylinder, the compression enters the area behind the piston rings, forcing the rings outward, thus getting a good compression seal. When that pressure is released, the rings will actually turn in their grooves.
Because low sulphur fuel develops a great deal of carbon, this carbon will collect behind the piston ring, destroying its sealing and rotating action. This results in reduced engine life. By using 4PLUS additive, you can prevent carbon deposits from building up, and in the case that they have already accumulated, the detergent, especially with the use of a DieselPro Flush Machine, will effectively remove accumulated deposits.
Another area that is effectively treated by a good detergent is the build up of varnish and gums. Low sulphur fuel tends to have poor thermal stability, meaning that a variety of unwanted chemical reactions take place at high temperatures. These reactions lead to the development of varnish and gums, which can be seen in the form of plugged filters, sticking valve stems and even stuck piston rings.
Filter section: Filter section:
untreated fuel treated with 4PLUS Premium
Note: Note:
the gum and varnish formation no gum deposits
Corrosion Inhibitors
Corrosion inhibitors are used to prevent the formation of rust and other corrosion, and typically should meet a NACE specification. A good inhibitor will save you a great deal of expense and down time, by preventing small amounts of water and other corrosive agents from damaging internal parts.
EGO Additives again use state of the art technology in this area. These products pass the NACE test with flying colors.
Detergents are used to clean gums, varnishes and carbon’s. Like everything else, there are good detergents and bad detergents. EGO's additives contain the very latest in detergent technology, meaning that the chances of harming parts such as seals are non-existent. Many of the old generation detergents contained strong alcohols, and even products such as turpentine. These products can easily do more harm than good.
New generation detergents are capable of cleaning at very low treatment rates, and do not contain any harmful formulae.
EGO Additives meet Cummins L-10 clean up test
criteria even when applied in very low dosages - cost savings for the fleet operator!
Detergents also play a very important part in extending engine life. Most of us tend to focus on the benefits of diesel fuel additives as they relate to fuel injection components. However, a huge benefit is related to piston ring and cylinder bore life.
When compression is developed in the cylinder, the compression enters the area behind the piston rings, forcing the rings outward, thus getting a good compression seal. When that pressure is released, the rings will actually turn in their grooves.
Because low sulphur fuel develops a great deal of carbon, this carbon will collect behind the piston ring, destroying its sealing and rotating action. This results in reduced engine life. By using 4PLUS additive, you can prevent carbon deposits from building up, and in the case that they have already accumulated, the detergent, especially with the use of a DieselPro Flush Machine, will effectively remove accumulated deposits.
Another area that is effectively treated by a good detergent is the build up of varnish and gums. Low sulphur fuel tends to have poor thermal stability, meaning that a variety of unwanted chemical reactions take place at high temperatures. These reactions lead to the development of varnish and gums, which can be seen in the form of plugged filters, sticking valve stems and even stuck piston rings.
Filter section: Filter section:
untreated fuel treated with 4PLUS Premium
Note: Note:
the gum and varnish formation no gum deposits
Corrosion Inhibitors
Corrosion inhibitors are used to prevent the formation of rust and other corrosion, and typically should meet a NACE specification. A good inhibitor will save you a great deal of expense and down time, by preventing small amounts of water and other corrosive agents from damaging internal parts.
EGO Additives again use state of the art technology in this area. These products pass the NACE test with flying colors.
The above pictures show an injector needle after 250 hours with untreated fuel, followed by fuel treated with EGO 4PLUS.
You can see from these pictures that the anti-corrosion additive has been very effective at saving this injector from severe damage, the type of damage that drives up your maintenance costs.
Water Tolerance Tests
A good additive should meet industry water tolerance tests. This is an area that presents a lot of confusion for many, so I will attempt to describe the technology in lay-man's terms.
There are two schools of thought at to the best way of handling water that builds up in diesel fuel, either by condensation, or because low-sulphur fuel tends to attract water.
The first method uses de-emulsifiers, which in effect remove water from the fuel, and then rely on filters to catch the water. The problem with this method is filter life, and the chances that a significant amount of water could get through a cheap or damaged filter and cause damage to the injection system.
The second method uses technology that transports the water through the diesel fuel and burns it along with the diesel. This is very good technology, because it results in very clean combustion. The downside is that if there is a significant amount of water in the system, and if an anti-corrosion product is not being used, damage will result in the fuel system.
EGO 4PLUS additive uses a combination of both technologies. Limited emulsifiers ensure that only a controlled amount of water is carried through the system; the remaining water is removed from the fuel and caught by the filters.
Water Tolerance Tests
A good additive should meet industry water tolerance tests. This is an area that presents a lot of confusion for many, so I will attempt to describe the technology in lay-man's terms.
There are two schools of thought at to the best way of handling water that builds up in diesel fuel, either by condensation, or because low-sulphur fuel tends to attract water.
The first method uses de-emulsifiers, which in effect remove water from the fuel, and then rely on filters to catch the water. The problem with this method is filter life, and the chances that a significant amount of water could get through a cheap or damaged filter and cause damage to the injection system.
The second method uses technology that transports the water through the diesel fuel and burns it along with the diesel. This is very good technology, because it results in very clean combustion. The downside is that if there is a significant amount of water in the system, and if an anti-corrosion product is not being used, damage will result in the fuel system.
EGO 4PLUS additive uses a combination of both technologies. Limited emulsifiers ensure that only a controlled amount of water is carried through the system; the remaining water is removed from the fuel and caught by the filters.
EGO 4PLUS Premium meets ASTM D1094 Water Tolerance Test which means that emulsions do not readily occur, preventing rust and drive-ability problems
Fuel Savings: Our Additives Work
Many claims are made by various additive manufacturers that are very general, and seldom backed by solid facts. For example the claim "improves fuel economy by 6 percent". Is this for every vehicle? The truth is that fuel economy savings will vary significantly depending on various factors such as: the type of fuel used, the condition of the engine, the cetane level of the fuel, climactic conditions and more.
Using Fuel Economy Test J1321 over a period of 15,000 miles, highway trucks using fuel with EGO 4PLUS added were compared against the same trucks with standard fuel.
Significant improvements in fuel economy were observed, ranging from 1.8 percent to 2.97 percent. Taken over a year, these savings alone more than cover the cost of using our Premium Diesel Fuel Additive.
Much of the effect came from the improved cetane ratings achieved by adding 4PLUS. Cetane can be compared to Octane in gasoline. Modern diesel engines are designed to run with a cetane number of 50, but most fuels on the market weigh in significantly lower, resulting in poor running, hard starting and power loss.
Many Volkswagen TDI users have expressed their delight when using 4PLUS. They have told us that their vehicles run much cleaner, start easier and perform better when they use 4PLUS regularly in their diesel fuel.
Many claims are made by various additive manufacturers that are very general, and seldom backed by solid facts. For example the claim "improves fuel economy by 6 percent". Is this for every vehicle? The truth is that fuel economy savings will vary significantly depending on various factors such as: the type of fuel used, the condition of the engine, the cetane level of the fuel, climactic conditions and more.
Using Fuel Economy Test J1321 over a period of 15,000 miles, highway trucks using fuel with EGO 4PLUS added were compared against the same trucks with standard fuel.
Significant improvements in fuel economy were observed, ranging from 1.8 percent to 2.97 percent. Taken over a year, these savings alone more than cover the cost of using our Premium Diesel Fuel Additive.
Much of the effect came from the improved cetane ratings achieved by adding 4PLUS. Cetane can be compared to Octane in gasoline. Modern diesel engines are designed to run with a cetane number of 50, but most fuels on the market weigh in significantly lower, resulting in poor running, hard starting and power loss.
Many Volkswagen TDI users have expressed their delight when using 4PLUS. They have told us that their vehicles run much cleaner, start easier and perform better when they use 4PLUS regularly in their diesel fuel.
Diesel Flush Machine
Environmental Effects
Good Citizens do what they can to help protect our planet. Along with savings in fleet costs, you can do your part in protecting the environment, using EGO Additives.
Tests were run on trucks with between 100,000 and 300,000 miles on them. Base fuel was used, and emissions recorded. 4PLUS was then added to the diesel fuel and repeated tests were run. Progressive clean up was apparent, and after several tests, the following emission reductions were recorded:
Hydro Carbon’s -14.6%-14.6%
NOx -1.00%
Carbon Monoxide -6.80%
Particulates -5.10%
Tests Performed
4PLUS Additives have been subjected to all the relevant industry tests, to ensure that the product we offer does what we claim. Our commitment to customer satisfaction demands that we subject our products to these tests. Below is a list of tests that 4 PLUS has passed with flying colors:
Published by Diesel Services Group 230 - 29th Street East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7L 6Y6
Eastern Greenway Oils Inc. (506)-375-6608
Good Citizens do what they can to help protect our planet. Along with savings in fleet costs, you can do your part in protecting the environment, using EGO Additives.
Tests were run on trucks with between 100,000 and 300,000 miles on them. Base fuel was used, and emissions recorded. 4PLUS was then added to the diesel fuel and repeated tests were run. Progressive clean up was apparent, and after several tests, the following emission reductions were recorded:
Hydro Carbon’s -14.6%-14.6%
NOx -1.00%
Carbon Monoxide -6.80%
Particulates -5.10%
Tests Performed
4PLUS Additives have been subjected to all the relevant industry tests, to ensure that the product we offer does what we claim. Our commitment to customer satisfaction demands that we subject our products to these tests. Below is a list of tests that 4 PLUS has passed with flying colors:
- Cummins Elastomer (O Rings and Seals)
- NACE Rust Test (Corrosion)
- SLBOCLE ASTM D6078 (Lubricity)
- HFRR ASTM D6079 (Lubricity)
- Thermal Stability ASTM D6468
- Cummins Fuel Filter Compatibility
Published by Diesel Services Group 230 - 29th Street East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7L 6Y6
Eastern Greenway Oils Inc. (506)-375-6608