# Sticky  GM's Advice on Diesel Fuel Additives



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

"Some customers may desire to use a lubricity additive to aid in the longevity of their fuel system components."

Interesting...


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Just another example on how a little common sense goes a long ways, even if the manual says otherwise.....


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Xtreme - would you know if the Amsoil product meets the restriction of no metal, no alcohol and no water emulsifiers?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

So, according to this, I could put orange juice in my tank. No metal, no alcohol and no water emulsifiers.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

Performance Formula « Stanadyne Additives This is what i used year round when i had a diesel.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Xtreme - would you know if the Amsoil product meets the restriction of no metal, no alcohol and no water emulsifiers?


No, but I can find out for you. I'll get back once I have an answer.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I got a response back from AMSOIL technical services. 



> You can feel confident using AMSOIL diesel fuel additives. Our products are alcohol free, emulsifier chemistry, as our product description pages of our website indicates. Also, no metal additives in our chemistry.
> Thank you.


AMSOIL has the following products available for the GM Diesel engines:
Diesel Injector Clean
Diesel Cold Flow
Diesel Injector Clean + Cold Flow
Diesel Cetane Boost


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## Jdugie123 (Jul 29, 2014)

nebojsa said:


> Performance Formula ÃÂ« Stanadyne Additives This is what i used year round when i had a diesel.


Where I work we sale this and I use it in every tank I usually just get a one shot bottle that does 30 and just dump it all in.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I got a response back from AMSOIL technical services.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Okay - so the way I read that response is that there are no alcohol emulsifiers - but there are indeed emulsifiers. And GM says no to all emulsifiers as they will defeat the design function of the fuel filter and its water separator.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Okay - so the way I read that response is that there are no alcohol emulsifiers - but there are indeed emulsifiers. And GM says no to all emulsifiers as they will defeat the design function of the fuel filter and its water separator.


I checked the Injector Clean additive and found this blurb:



> Separates Fuel and Water
> AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean is an alcohol-free product that protects fuel systems against water contamination. It helps prevent fuel/water emulsions so that separating filters can safely remove water before it reaches the pump and injectors, where it can cause corrosion. Water can be drained easier, ensuring drivability.


It would appear that the additive actually prevents the function of emulsifiers, so I think we're good on that one.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> emulsifier chemistry


I wonder if that is just an unfortunate choice of wording on the part of the person that responded to you. Did they mean to say "emulsifier free"? "Emulsifier chemistry" tells me that it *does* have emulsifiers.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

diesel said:


> I wonder if that is just an unfortunate choice of wording on the part of the person that responded to you. Did they mean to say "emulsifier free"? "Emulsifier chemistry" tells me that it *does* have emulsifiers.


Since they did refer to the product description guide, that's what I took from it. The product guide did indicate it was emulsifier-free.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Could there be confusion between *E*musifiers and *DE*mulsifiers? I noticed the GM document was making distinctions between the two, and maybe typographical errors or un-careful reading has caused some confusion in communication?


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

I'll do a common sense translation with no fancy words needed. 

GM wants you to use something that doesn't makes the water turn into even smaller droplets going past the water separator and into the combustion chamber where it's going to attempt to be compressed and we all know water doesn't compress and causes corrosion to the tiny sensitive parts of the fuel system. 

AMSoil's product clearly states it does NOT do that and that the function of the product assists the water separator in doing it's job. Sounds like a win to me. 

If we did not have a water/fuel separator like the common rail VW TDI's, I'd probably want something that did get the water through the fuel system rather then accumulate in the tank leading to a big slug of it possibly going down the pipe later.


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## Muir86 (Dec 25, 2018)

Been using pure cetane as additive the 4 years i've had my Corsa diesel, and while it doesn't make for a roadgoing jet it certainly helps cold starts and (according to the butt-dyno) gives the fuel some extra oomph.
It's some pretty hefty stuff that blends 1:350 for average supermarket diesel, so a 5L cannister goes a long way.

It wont clean your fuel system or anything like that, but it raises cetane numbers by 3-5 depending on mix and adds some lubricity that non-premium tend to lack.
So basicly "octane booster" for diesel fuels.


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## oreo382 (Sep 17, 2014)

Talking about cetane boosters etc. I see there are Top Tier diesel fuel standards now,just like there are Top Tier gasoline standards.They say less emissions,cleaner injectors etc.Unfortunately its not available everywhere.I quizzed Co-oP fuels here in Canada and its only available in Regina, Saskatoon and Calgary.Shell Canada says their V-Power diesel meets the Top Tier standard.From what i understand if its Top Tier it has to say so on the pump.I haven't yet checked Shells V Power pumps here in Winnipeg to see if it does.Reason i'm bringing this up is my Cruze has had to have the head pulled and cleaned of intake valve carbon at 70,000km.Others on this forum have similar symptoms to what I had so I think this issue is starting to rear its head now that some miles are accumulated on these 1st gen models.I think driving conditions contribute to this (city) but there is no where in chevy's literature that says you need to drive highway for a certain amount of time.I see lots of diesels in the city (delivery,school busses etc).I'm thinking the new Top Tier fuel may help.In addition our cetane standards here in Canada are low compared to Europe,Austrailia,California.Higher Cetane makes less pollutants,less junk for the EGR to recycle and gum up things.So using that Amsoil cleaner,cetane booster may be a good thing for us.We here in Canada have a new "carbon tax",its too bad the govt.doesn't legislate higher cetane fuel,a known pollution reducer.That way if I have to pay a little more for fuel at least diesel owners are getting a benefit directly.


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

oreo382 said:


> Talking about cetane boosters etc. I see there are Top Tier diesel fuel standards now,just like there are Top Tier gasoline standards.They say less emissions,cleaner injectors etc.Unfortunately its not available everywhere.I quizzed Co-oP fuels here in Canada and its only available in Regina, Saskatoon and Calgary.Shell Canada says their V-Power diesel meets the Top Tier standard.From what i understand if its Top Tier it has to say so on the pump.I haven't yet checked Shells V Power pumps here in Winnipeg to see if it does.Reason i'm bringing this up is my Cruze has had to have the head pulled and cleaned of intake valve carbon at 70,000km.Others on this forum have similar symptoms to what I had so I think this issue is starting to rear its head now that some miles are accumulated on these 1st gen models.I think driving conditions contribute to this (city) but there is no where in chevy's literature that says you need to drive highway for a certain amount of time.I see lots of diesels in the city (delivery,school busses etc).I'm thinking the new Top Tier fuel may help.In addition our cetane standards here in Canada are low compared to Europe,Austrailia,California.Higher Cetane makes less pollutants,less junk for the EGR to recycle and gum up things.So using that Amsoil cleaner,cetane booster may be a good thing for us.We here in Canada have a new "carbon tax",its too bad the govt.doesn't legislate higher cetane fuel,a known pollution reducer.That way if I have to pay a little more for fuel at least diesel owners are getting a benefit directly.


That carbon is not due to the fuel. It's from the EGR soot mixed with oil from the intake that deposits in the intake. The fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, it never sees the intake side. So, it can't clog, nor keep clean the intake valves. An EGR and DPF delete will however prevent that build up of crud.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

FWIW I have been running Diesel Kleen additive for cetane boost and lubricity for 35,000km or so. It seems to have increased my mpg. Should help the injectors and fuel pump last longer too. Maybe it even helps the intake by reducing soot a bit.


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## oreo382 (Sep 17, 2014)

MRO1791 said:


> That carbon is not due to the fuel. It's from the EGR soot mixed with oil from the intake that deposits in the intake. The fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, it never sees the intake side. So, it can't clog, nor keep clean the intake valves. An EGR and DPF delete will however prevent that build up of crud.


Quote from Special Task Force on Diesel Fuel Emissions, Brussels June 1992 
"In emissions tests employing European procedures (light-duty, ECEI 5 + EUDC cycles; heavy-duty, ECE R49) and using a fuel matrix in which cetane number and total aromatics were the main variables, this study has found that cetane number is the dominant fuel quality parameter influencing gaseous and particulate emissions. For the light-duty vehicles investigated, strong correlations have been observed between cetane number and carbon monoxide emissions, and between cetane number and particulate emissions."
Higher Cetane=less particulate matter=less crap fed back in by the EGR. So highet Cetane is better all around,that's why Europe has adopted it,they are ahead of North America in that respect.


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

oreo382 said:


> Quote from Special Task Force on Diesel Fuel Emissions, Brussels June 1992
> "In emissions tests employing European procedures (light-duty, ECEI 5 + EUDC cycles; heavy-duty, ECE R49) and using a fuel matrix in which cetane number and total aromatics were the main variables, this study has found that cetane number is the dominant fuel quality parameter influencing gaseous and particulate emissions. For the light-duty vehicles investigated, strong correlations have been observed between cetane number and carbon monoxide emissions, and between cetane number and particulate emissions."
> Higher Cetane=less particulate matter=less crap fed back in by the EGR. So highet Cetane is better all around,that's why Europe has adopted it,they are ahead of North America in that respect.


That is a pretty indirect path to reduced soot in the intake, and has zero impact on the oil that flows that way, and the oil is likely as big if not a bigger factor. I'm doing head gasket replacement on a gasoline engine with 75K miles, all premium unleaded, and plenty of crap in the intake, most from PCV (oil), it has no EGR either. So while it might help a little, it is unlikely to be noticed with the oil and EGR flow still there. Just based on observations. I had some serious build up in the Gen 1 LUZ engine at 50K miles. That was not due to low cetane.


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## oreo382 (Sep 17, 2014)

MRO1791 said:


> That is a pretty indirect path to reduced soot in the intake, and has zero impact on the oil that flows that way, and the oil is likely as big if not a bigger factor. I'm doing head gasket replacement on a gasoline engine with 75K miles, all premium unleaded, and plenty of crap in the intake, most from PCV (oil), it has no EGR either. So while it might help a little, it is unlikely to be notices with the oil and EGR flow still there. Just based on observations. I had some serious build up in the Gen 1 LUZ engine at 50K miles. That was not due to low cetane.


Where do you think the soot comes from? The EGR doesn't manufacture it,it all comes from combustion.You keep talking about EGR and yes the EGR feeds the soot produced by combustion back into the engine.My point is anything to reduce the amount of soot produced is a good thing,including EGR blocking (deleting).


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

oreo382 said:


> Where do you think the soot comes from? The EGR doesn't manufacture it,it all comes from combustion.You keep talking about EGR and yes the EGR feeds the soot produced by combustion back into the engine.My point is anything to reduce the amount of soot produced is a good thing,including EGR blocking (deleting).


Look, go ahead and believe all you want that the cetaene is a magic cure for the soot in you intake if you like, I don't need to convince you. What I'm saying is it is likely to be a tiny factor in the issues with clogged intakes. Soot alone is not the issue, it's soot PLUS oil. The EGR won't stop the oil, some of that is coming from the turbo... Sure. less soot is good, but even the highest cetane is not going to eliminate soot, as it's un-burned fuel from combustion, as the engine goes through transient conditions it will always have periods with some soot until the engine controls adjust the fuel to air ratio to keep it in check. In a traditional gasoline engine, before direct injection, the fuel passed through the intake, and that fuel dissolved deposits and helped keep the intake clean, including the intake valves. Now with direct injection gas engines they are having similar issues with the clogged intake, because there is no fuel in the intake to keep things clean, and a gas engine produces much less soot than a diesel, and they are having issues.. so go ahead and keep thinking cetane makes a significant difference if you like, and let us all know if you eliminate that intake crud by boosting cetane, it would be very interesting to see those results.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Updated link to January 2022 TSB below:



https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10213758-9999.pdf


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