I have a 1985 SD and find that an additive is recommended because of a change in diesel fuels now available. Any suggestions?

 

Do not add any additives to your fuel tank. There is not purpose for that other than trouble.

 

I use marvel mystery oil to protect IP from damage.B20 biodiesel you need no additives.

 

I think the change referred to is Low Sulphur diesel. It is pretty much every where I have been to in Indiana. I thought it was a national trend. There are folks who do not believe in additives and those that swear by them. My Dodge diesel mechanic is a non-additive guy, but says he has seen tons of smoking/rough idle/hard start problems since the arrival of low sulphur diesel. He recommends diesel kleen at every oil change for hte dodge. My mercedes mechanic recommends a different additive at each oil change, which is distributed by mercedes, but I don't remember the name. He gave me a can and I put it in and threw it away- I'll try to find it.

 

In Houston we now have ULSD, ultra low, as a mandatory fuel. The low sulfur fuel I bought at a local Chevron was green in color but the new ULSD sold by major oil company retailers around my home is as clear as water. I find that when you stop at a mom and pop store or a Diamond Shamrock the fuel is still brown like in the past when sulfur was used but it has next to no cetane rating and performance and idle are poor. I stopped shopping at the smaller stores because it appeared to me that they were either retailing old stockpiled fuel or their delivery systems are so dirty that the new fuel is being contaminated at their distributors or at the retail location.
It is my opinion that the ULSD is a good solvent and is capable of slowing desolving 20 years worth of sulfur contaminationout ofthe cars fuel system, particularly the bottom of the tank and from the fuel level sensor. One of the things people seem to beasking about morefrequently is why theyare experiencinga lack of power with the new fuels. Most of the cases have turned out to be dead algae and contaminants plugging fuel filters/strainers.
I have noticed a significant drop in tailpipe smoke with the new fuel. On thebad side, I did have to tear down an entire fuel system to clean out the contaminants that were plugging fuel delivery to the pump. Maybe it's these residual contaminants that are causing problems withtheDodge trucks hence the need for Diesel kleen.

 

Yep, could be just releasing particulate matter collected in the fuel delivery system. I would assume that some of this gets injected and consumed, but alot of it can remain in the filtration.