Cetane boosters ??? Any good?

[BoostFiend]

So what is your guys opinion on Cetane boosters? I heard they improve cold starts etc but wanted to get some real world feedback. I did a search didn’t really see much?

Thanks!

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

So what is your guys opinion on Cetane boosters? I heard they improve cold starts etc but wanted to get some real world feedback. I did a search didn’t really see much?

Thanks!

My understanding of CETANE is it is sort of the diesel equivalent of OCTANE in gas.


From what I have recently read somewhere, plain old FRESH pump fuel has all the CETANE that is of any benefit and adding any more will gain nothing, unless the fuel has sat a long time and gotten "stale"; at least that is my understanding.


I can't remember where I got that information, but I read pages and pages about fuel and additives --- I think it was in an over sixty-page thread about mixing two-stroke oil in diesel (which I have now been doing for over a year with excellent results).



By the way, that thread had a link to a site-sponsored independent laboratory study of a bunch of popular fuel additives; it is amazing how many are nothing more than paint-thinner disguised behind fancy labels, and many that claim lubrication benefits actually do the opposite and reduce what little lube that was in the fuel before any additive.

 

[funnyman06]

Cetane as i understand it is the octane of the diesel world. Octane lets you run a high compression gas engine and a more advanced timing to get a better burn. The same can be said about cetane, the higher the cetane level the more resistant your fuel is to combustion through compression, delaying the combustion till later in the compression stroke. The Cetane level in the US is actully very low compaired to Europe. Cetane levels in the US are on avg about 40, where in europe they are a tad higher with a minimum cetane level of 50 i believe, someone from the otherside of the pond can comment on that. But if you ever fill up with diesel you will see the sticker in the US stating that it is at a minimum 40 Cetane.

I know that when i use power service, they grey bottle the truck seems to warm up faster, and has a little bit more pep than otherwise but at between 7 - 10 dollars a bottle its expensive.

I cant comment on any other centane boosters since ive never used any of them, but a good place to look some stuff up is just do a google search, maybe diesel power mag did a study on it, i couldnt tell you, but someone out there has an answer for you, its just not me.

 

[tractorman86]

you aren't really going to get any performance out of a cetene booster alone what our trucks need is more lube that is where you get the extra power from, less friction.
here is a chart done by an independant party take it for what it is worth though, more info from who knows where. unless someone here remembers who posted it first on sdd.com
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16976&d=1190130539

 

[RLDSL]

In a nutshell:
Octane= ability of a fuel to resist autoignition from compression
Cetane= ability of a fuel to obtain autoignition from compression

Yes, some cetane boosters do work very nicely. Amsoil cetane boost is some great stuff, really smooths out an engine ( do not consider me impartial , I sell the stuff , but I wouldn't pull your chain).
Howes Meaner Power Cleaner is some great stuff. they don't call it a cetane boost, but it does all the same things . It really smooths out an engine and helps with the power.

Anything made by power service or FPPF you can pretty well figure doesn't do much.

 

[discbrks]

Any opinions on the Lucas fuel additive compared to others?

 

[Papabear]

in the winter i run howes stabilizer and in the summer i just mix any oil i have in with the diesel