I went with the findings at bobistheoilguy's study and used b20 for 5 gallons a tank for a while. lift pump was definitely quieter, I noticed, but since I could not always get bio and PS was always available I just use it.

Where did you find the info?

 

Diesel Progress magazine, not sure if they are online or not.
It's free magazine with a ton of up to date info on diesels of all manner.
http://www.dieselprogress.com/subscribe.asp

Another free one with a lot of interesting info is Machinery Lubrication magazine.
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Page/subscriptions

 

I came across this Cummins Service Bulletin concerning fuel specifications for their engines. Pretty good read. Info regarding Fuel Additives is in there as well. Little snippet in there that mentions ULSD has lower lubricity than LSD...

Here it is: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzE...WR2blY1dmJWTk0

 

I imagine the line you are referring to is this one> ULSD has lower lubricity than LSD, so lubricity additives need to be added by the fuel supplier to prevent fuel system damage.

That's exactly what I what getting at, ULSD is required to have lubricity additives to make it up to par (and legal) but no lubricity additives are used with LSD, it's assumed it already meets requirements.

There is no argument that ULSD has less lubricity than LSD straight out of the refinery but once lubricity additives are added before it leaves the refinery it will have at least as much lubricity as LSD and possibly even more.

 

I agree, however the additives are installed at the final distribution point, not at the refinery then piped thousands of miles. So essentially we are at the mercy of someone making sure they add the lubricity package prior to loading the tankers for street delivery.

In a perfect world I would not use any additives, but since I am not perfect I'll stick to using a mix of Howes and 2 stroke oil, my engine loves it.

 

This is not a response to the current question, but perhaps some will offer me advice. I purchased by 2012 3500 to pull my camper. I will likely not drive it much at all during the winter. Any thoughts on parking the truck or preventive actions I should take?

 

Cummins has laid out very specific fuel requirements in this document and the only way to know if the amount of lubricity additive (among many other factors) being added (as Hvytrkmech mentioned below) is adequate, is to have a sample sent out every time you fill up to ensure it meets these exact requirements. It is more cost effect to either go without (and many folks do w/o any problems) or maintain it by using a system cleaner/lubricity additive. I for one won't chance it and don't have the time to sample every time I fill up to ensure the current batch of fuel is good enough. My personal preference is the AMSOIL Diesel Fuel Concentrate and I have never had issues, I have been running it since about 4K miles (now have a little over 46K miles now). I think if you can afford to run an additive, then do it, your truck will thank you for it. If you never run an additive, then decide to run a cleaner/lubricity additive, I am confident after one or two tanks when your system is all clean and running good you will wonder why you didn't do it to begin with. For me, it is just a preventative maintenance that I can afford to do right now.

Not only adding, but adding the correct ratio. I heard when I lived in Montana, there were a few gas stations that folks recommended steering away from because water was being added so people would come back more often. I don't know how true that is since I always filled up at the truck stop, but I think it is clear in today's economy, anyone will do about anything to squeeze out every penny from their wallet and ours.

 

You can search "winter storage" or something like that for some past threads with good advice that address conditions and climates for storage.

I would definitely keep a bottle of Power Service 911 on hand for the springtime start up!

 

something else, I should mention that when I bought my truck with 43K I could find no record of fuel additives involved, but since my dad always used redline in his diesel I figured it couldn't hurt. Atr about the time the ULSD was being introduced so I think I did my truck a favor by starting early with the fuel conditioners.

I started off with Howes, then a few bottles of Redline I found in Idaho, after that it has pretty much been straight PS white bottle/red cap up til now. I usually get about an ounce to 3 gallon ratio. I hate to discuss my vp, but it is still goin well so I try not to worry over it.

I was thinking of contacting bluechip diesel and asking if they have any info/records regarding cores that they have broken down for rebuild and noted anything regarding those who know the history of the miles put on them/fuel suppliers, additives used etc....

 

I splash a little Power Service in every time I throw in some wmo. I dont know if it helps but makes me feel better.

Fuel isn't branded here. The hundreds of thousands of litres we use at work comes from an Alberta distributor called Parkland. Same stuff goes to all the different gas stations. Even their supply varies - some has a green hue and is stinky. Some is practically clear and odorless. None of it is dyed. What shows up is what we get and the paperwork says its all the same - may contain 5% bio, and max 15ppm sulphur.

 

I’ve used OPTI LUBE XPD Diesel Fuel Improver before. It seems to do what it says on the website. It helps clean injectors and improve fuel efficiency. I noticed smoother engine performance and a bit better fuel economy after using it.

It’s easy to use—just add it to your tank with each fill-up. You can also check for any changes in your truck’s performance to see if it works for you.

It’s worth trying if you want to improve your diesel engine’s performance. Let me know if you have any other questions!