PRI-D or plain old Power Service for the bulk tank

[Farmmal]

It's that time again. Spring bulk tank fill time, and as usual, I'm conflicted.

PRI-D seems to have a better lubricant for our older pre ULSD Diesel tractors, but as seen last winter, sucks for anti-Gel in the cold.

Power service is awesome for an anti-Gel, and we have never had gel issues even down to -20.
Gunk forming in the tank however, seems worse than with the PRI-D.

Anybody have an opinion on which way to lean?
Last year I went with the PRI-D and had to dump 911 into everything including the shop heater, but did notice reduced fuel system Maint. using the stuff in season.

Thanks if ya got a suggestion!

 

[mattwithcats]

I would fill the tanks with either B5, 5% biodiesel, or B20, 20%....

Biodiesel has some cleaning effect, so keep an eye on your fuel filters.
Usually this is not a problem unless using B100, and only on the first tank.
It's the gunk in the bottom of the tank...

Second, biodiesel does not tolerate cold as well.
Not as bad a problem with B20, but put some anti-gel in early in the winter.

Been running school buses on B20, fuel is made from bad / old crops locally, no impact on food stocks...
Only problem is it smells like French Fries, and makes me hungry....

 

[Rob_Roy]

If you had gelling problems last winter, I suggest using up what fuel you have before refilling the tank. Use the Power Service Fuel Supplement (white bottle) when you get your next delivery.

Do you have a filter on the pump?

 

[Dave01]

Farmmal, are you filling the tank for the summer, then filling again before cold weather? If so I'd use the PRI-D or Power Service grey bottle for now, then switch to Power Service white bottle for the fall. You really shouldn't be keeping diesel fuel that long anyway if it's lasting you till winter. I don't know enough about PRI-D to know whether combining with Power Service might give you the best of both worlds or not.

Don't use biodiesel!!! Even in 5% it will do a tank cleaning that will have you changing filters over and over, not to mention it will make all your gel problems that much worse. I like biodiesel but only for people that are prepared to deal with the issues that happen when beginning to use it. And anti-gel does not lower the gel point of BD nearly as much as the BD raises it when mixed with diesel.

 

[Donald]

I use 2 cycle oil for increased lubrication in my Cummins diesel. Power Service is the standard for most truckers.

PRI-D makes claims for their gasoline products (brings back old gas) that are just not possible by any additive. Thus I cross the entire company off my list.

 

[doitmyself]

There are tradeoffs to using bio-diesel and one needs to manage them. I have a small 160 gallon bulk tank at my workplace. During the winter, we use very little, so it sits from early winter until mid spring. When we switched to B5, I noticed more "gunk" formation in the tank. I emptied the tank last year and washed it out.

-I try to let the tank get near empty in late fall and refill when our supplier has switched to winter formula (already has gel and other additives).

- I use premium diesel in the winter. It supposedly stores better and is cheaper than B5.

- I fill the tank often during the growing season to avoid condensation on the inside walls.

I remember Terry Dyson not liking Power Service products....something about bearings, but this needs to be confirmed and take it for what it's worth. I use Stanadyne products occasionally, but again, our supplier doctors the winter fuel already.

Here's a link: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2356228

Maybe a good tank washing is in order. Mine had about 2 inches of gunk in the bottom.

 

[Bandito440]

Opti-Lube XPD

 

[Farmmal]

Originally Posted By: Dave01
Farmmal, are you filling the tank for the summer, then filling again before cold weather? If so I'd use the PRI-D or Power Service grey bottle for now, then switch to Power Service white bottle for the fall. You really shouldn't be keeping diesel fuel that long anyway if it's lasting you till winter. I don't know enough about PRI-D to know whether combining with Power Service might give you the best of both worlds or not.

Don't use biodiesel!!! Even in 5% it will do a tank cleaning that will have you changing filters over and over, not to mention it will make all your gel problems that much worse. I like biodiesel but only for people that are prepared to deal with the issues that happen when beginning to use it. And anti-gel does not lower the gel point of BD nearly as much as the BD raises it when mixed with diesel.

I see I ain't the only one that has actually tried running Bio-diesel on a small farm with typical mix of old and new equipment.
No...I wont do that again.Ever. Nope.

This fill will probably last until August, when it will get a top off before winter demand for heating oil jacks prices to the moon.
Never had a problem with our old bulk tanks, and keeping #2 for a couple years, but that was before ULSD, and the issues with water and etching tanks, as well as the lubricity issue.
Now, with new smaller tanks I just run until spring, clean the tank, and start over.
If I need to burn brush, I'll rack off from the low end and get any water that has settled.

I didn't even think about the Grey bottle power service. Never used it.

The PRI-D seems to really do a good job on keeping the crud down in the tanks.
When I got to the bottom I racked off the 3-4gallons in the low end of the tank and hardly had any water and sludge. A LOT less than the last clean out after running white bottle PS.
Which is why I am at this junction.

Yep! Water trap and filter on the pump.

Thanks for the replies!!

 

[Farmmal]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Opti-Lube XPD


Off to check out Opti-Lube XPD and Grey bottle Power service.