I'm working on a truck project that uses an expensive Bosch rotary diesel injection pump, built in New Zealand. I have some concerns about the lubrication additives or lack thereof blended into US diesel fuel.

I've googled and found only a few results. Mostly statements from diesel additive companies stating US diesel is lacking in terms of lubrication. Being that this pump is an old school design, I want to know if an additave is wise to reduce wear.

Thanks.

I am guessing the company would be the ones to ask on this!

I would use a lubricating additive with your "old school design pump" because it was made for when diesel had 500 ppm (or higher) sulphur which functions as a lubricant. Todays diesel is limited to only 15 PPM.

quote:

Differences between USA diesel fuel and that available overseas

Seem to remember a conversation about the fuel pumps on GM's failing due to them being EU spec pumps and that the USA has less lubrication in the fuel, apparently there is a suit against GM on this.

Link

quote:

Originally posted by shiftyvtec:
I'm working on a truck project that uses an expensive Bosch rotary diesel injection pump, built in New Zealand. I have some concerns about the lubrication additives or lack thereof blended into US diesel fuel.

I've googled and found only a few results. Mostly statements from diesel additive companies stating US diesel is lacking in terms of lubrication. Being that this pump is an old school design, I want to know if an additave is wise to reduce wear.

Thanks.

I would ask the maker of the pump, not my invisible internet friends, unless one was an expert in such things.

Paging tatortodd

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I would ask the maker of the pump, not my invisible internet friends, unless one was an expert in such things.

Wouldn't that advice basically negate your advice to ask others who, being not invisible are better at giving advice, since you are technically by your own definition, invisible

If it is a concern, then maybe this can help?


https://www.archoil.com/produc...500-diesel-treatment



EPA regulations for fuel lubricity standards do not meet the Engine Manufacturer's Association recommendation which means fuel at the gas station is unlikely to meet the lubricity level your vehicle requires.

Lack of lubrication leads to excessive wear, premature failure and the potential for costly repairs.

AR6500 raises the lubricity of fuel to above the required standard, protecting your diesel engine. In ASTM testing, AR6500 increased diesel lubricity by 43%.


https://www.archoil.com/blogs/...tion-for-your-engine

I drive a ‘95 Dodge Ram with the Cummins 12 valve diesel. It has 208k miles on it. I put 113k on it myself.
I ALWAYS use an additive because of the poor lubrication given by the low sulfur fuels.
I have been happy with Power Service Diesel fuel additive and their winter fuel additive as well.
I will not run a diesel without an additive.

With an antique engine or any diesel with expensive parts I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND an additive.

My experience with the Dodge is I can hear and feel a difference when using straight, low sulfur fuel compared to fuel with an additive. No subliminal “I think it’s different”. It is “This is running GREAT, it’s running smooth, it’s a happy engine” vs. “This is running like crap…”

As an aside, I will run a blend of vegetable oil (in another diesel) in the warmer months of the year. By blend I mean 30-50% vegetable oil (recycled) added directly to the tank. It has been dewatered, filtered and cleaned down into the range of 2 microns. This runs in place of any other additive.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris42:
I drive a ‘95 Dodge Ram with the Cummins 12 valve diesel. It has 208k miles on it. I put 113k on it myself.
I ALWAYS use an additive because of the poor lubrication given by the low sulfur fuels.
I have been happy with Power Service Diesel fuel additive and their winter fuel additive as well.
I will not run a diesel without an additive.

I've put 200K+ on two diesels (Powerstrokes) and never once put any additives in. Straight from the pump into the tank. No problems whatsoever. YMMV but I won't waste the money on it.

Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping Tatortodd would chime in. I think there is certainly a difference in lubricity. I'm just curious to know how much we, in the States, are lacking. This is a rotary design that uses a cam plate to provide the impulses of high pressure diesel. There's bound to be more wear points in a pump like this.

Also this is a hobby/toy so the additional expense is not a problem.

of course the correct answer is the guys who built the pump. But saying that its pretty easy to determine what situation you are in. If it was designed for an onroad application after 2010 it was designed to use ULSD no matter the market in the developed world. If it was designed before that or intended for the off road market it likely was designed for LSD (500ppm) unless the design is post 2014.
My position as a large user of diesel fuel is that I'm treating the fuel. Its literally required for 6 months of the year where I live for gel purposes and the lubricity additive is a bonus on that, and I just use straight lubricity additive in the summer. Unless you are burning thousands and thousands of gallons the extra cost is nominal. AND if you are running that much fuel you will be able to discuss what in your fuel with your supplier and engine mfg as a big user.

I have a Cummins M11 Celect - 415HP Diesel in my 1995 Motorhome. I throw a bottle or two(depending on the amount of Diesel in the 180gal tank) of 2 cycle oil in the fuel tank.

quote:

Originally posted by shiftyvtec:
Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping Tatortodd would chime in. I think there is certainly a difference in lubricity. I'm just curious to know how much we, in the States, are lacking. This is a rotary design that uses a cam plate to provide the impulses of high pressure diesel. There's bound to be more wear points in a pump like this.

Also this is a hobby/toy so the additional expense is not a problem.

ASTM has a standard for evaluating lubricity in diesel. The standard is here: https://www.astm.org/standards/d6079

To paraphrase a bunch of stuff I read not too long ago doing research into fuel additives myself, some significant portion of diesel fuels tested do not meet minimum standards for lubricity set by ASTM. Lubricity is met by additive packages added by the fuel reseller or the inclusion of biodiesel or biomass derived fuel into the blend.

Even where lubricity standards are met, more lubricity is not necessarily a bad thing. Wear on metal parts is cumulative.

But, what actual parts rely on lubricity of diesel to provide wear protection? That will vary from engine to engine, so the lack of lubricity impacts vehicles differently (but certainly old fuel pumps would benefit).

All said, I use biomass derived fuel (not biodiesel) and HotShots Secret EDT or PowerService, depending on whatever is cheaper at time of purchase.

I had a 2005 Duramax that I traded in December of 2017 at 185,000 miles. In about 2009 I started adding 2 stroke oil from Wal Mart to the fuel. @ 1 oz. per gallon. Never had any injector or pump problems. When I get another I’ll do the same. I WAS also obsessive about changing fuel filters with every oil change.

Diesel grades vary widely by country..

https://stratasadvisors.com/In...iesel-Sulfur-Ranking

Even though Mexico is listed as having the same sulphur levels as the US that is not the case throughout the country.


The lubricity of European diesel is better that what we have in the US…
https://www.hotshotsecret.com/...ywhere-in-the-world/

If anyone is planning of driving their US manufactured diesel vehicle out of the country it pays to be very careful …

Good stuff. I've ordered some Hotshot's Secret EDT.

I've seen some reviews of its lubricating performance and I'll give it a go. The pump builder didn't have much input on the subject. Seems like the diesel additive market isn't very large in their region.

The diesel in the U.S. has more lubricity than Europe or New Zealand. That being said, both have much less than even 10 years ago. If you want more lubricity I like Power Services additives.

European diesel has a higher cetane rating than US diesel, 51 vs 40.

European diesel has better lubricity as well with a maximum wear scar diameter of 460 microns vs 520 microns for US diesel.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

quote:

Originally posted by shiftyvtec:
Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping Tatortodd would chime in. I think there is certainly a difference in lubricity. I'm just curious to know how much we, in the States, are lacking. This is a rotary design that uses a cam plate to provide the impulses of high pressure diesel. There's bound to be more wear points in a pump like this.

Also this is a hobby/toy so the additional expense is not a problem.

ASTM has a standard for evaluating lubricity in diesel. The standard is here: https://www.astm.org/standards/d6079

That's just the lubricity test, not the lubricity specification that the OP was inquiring about.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
European diesel has better lubricity as well with a maximum wear scar diameter of 460 microns vs 520 microns for US diesel.

100% correct!

For the USA, the applicable specification for the OP's question is ASTM D975-22a, Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel. For Grade No. 2-D S15 (aka #2 diesel with 15 ppm sulfur) Table 1: Lubricity, HFRR @ 60 deg C is 520 micron max . 2 tests authorized including the one Aeteocles listed.

For Europe, the applicable specification for the OP's question is EN 590 and Table 1: Lubricity, wear scar diameter (WSD) at 60 deg C is 460 micron max . The test is of course a European one, EN ISO 12156-1.

Both tests are using a high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) so having a larger number means that USA allows 13% more wear. That doesn't mean that you'll encounter 13% more wear. It also doesn't mean that the modern European or modern USA lubricity is appropriate for a New Zealand designed injector, and I'd suggest contacting the injector manufacturer.

To expand on what others have stated, there is a lubricity additive injected in the diesel at the loading rack. Similar to gasoline, there is generic additive that meets the bare minimum of ASTM D975-22a and there is additive requirement for Top Tier Diesel (overseen by GM, VW, Daimler, Navistar, and Ford) which specifically has more lubricity. Is the additive in Top Tier Diesel enough lubricity? Only the injector manufacturer would know.

[soapbox time] If we go back to the beginning of Ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD), this was foisted on the industry and the American consumer by the EPA. The EPA matched the European 15 ppm sulfur specification knowing full-well that it'd cause billions in refinery infrastructure, cost millions in loading rack infrastructure, and cost consumers endlessly for both the additive and the capital investment because that is exactly what had occurred in Europe with the same 15 ppm spec. Of course, the congressional budget office is complicit in this in that there isn't an regulatory impact estimate they can't grossly underestimate.[/soapbox time]

DISCLAIMER: These are definitely my own opinions and not my employer's opinions who would never say the things I wrote about the CBO.