Diesel Fuel Winter Storage

JVM225

Well-Known Member
Apr 8, 2008
6,560
New York
Boat Info
2002 410 Sundancer, Monaco Edition.
Engines
3126 Cats.
I’ve religiously follow Frank W’s guidelines for treating my diesel fuel during the season.
My first season is coming to an end and planning for winterization is now happening.
My question is: Should I fill my tanks and treat the fuel in them with the recommended dose of STA-BIL Diesel Formula, or is there a better product to use?
Naturally, I would be adding the additive before the fill so it gets mixed around and running the motors to get it through the system.
 
If you already follow Frank’s regimen I would continue to do so. I use Startron only with no other additives. Whatever you use you should fill your tanks before winter. I’ll have Rising Tide deliver to the boat in a few weeks. I believe he is now delivering Valvtec diesel.
 
If you already follow Frank’s regimen I would continue to do so. I use Startron only with no other additives. Whatever you use you should fill your tanks before winter. I’ll have Rising Tide deliver to the boat in a few weeks. I believe he is now delivering Valvtec diesel.

Are you doing a double whammy on your diesel with the additives in Valvetech plus what you are pouring in ?
 
I’ve religiously follow Frank W’s guidelines for treating my diesel fuel during the season.
My first season is coming to an end and planning for winterization is now happening.
My question is: Should I fill my tanks and treat the fuel in them with the recommended dose of STA-BIL Diesel Formula, or is there a better product to use?
Naturally, I would be adding the additive before the fill so it gets mixed around and running the motors to get it through the system.

Stabil would be fine or startron or whatever???
I'm sure it all works.
But just to add another choice, I am bias toward Power Service products, probably because that is what I used on all our equipment over the years. Clear Diesel would always go into the tanks of equipment going to be out of service for long periods of time. Now I put it in my boat tanks at final fill up before hauling.
http://powerservice.com/psp_product/clear-diesel-fuel-tank-cleaner/
 
Are you doing a double whammy on your diesel with the additives in Valvetech plus what you are pouring in ?


If you are following the fuel management procedure I described in the article I wrote, then you cannot over treat with those additives, whihch is one of the reasons I use them.

If you are following the lubricity additive, general diesel additive (Power Service DieselKleen), and biocide or using Clear Diesel from Power Service) then all you need do is add the additives and top off the tanks. For a 6-9 month lay up, the fuel will be fine in the spring or next summer without a stabilizer because diesel fuel doesn't phase separate and the BTU content doesn't degrade over time like gasoline.

Nobody around here uses Startron additives and their MSD sheets were not readily found on their website, nor is there any statement of meeting any engine makers certifications for fuel additives. They claim some benefits that leads me to believe that Startron may contain alcohol which is very hard on the seals, gaskets and o-rings in the fuel system on late model diesels. Startron is a Starbrite product and they are a repackager of volume products they make nothing themselves. I'd bet that Starbrite they will not give you any info on Startron because is is repackaged from a 55 gal drum from an industrial source.

One other point, is that I do not know if you can over-treat with Stabil diesel or Startron either by themselves or in conjunction with other fuel additives. I don't use them so I have never needed to find that out. I do use Power Service and Stanadyne products and you cannot over treat with them.

Finally, I wrote the article because there seemed to be a mystery among diesel engine owners about additives and over all fuel system management. I included the products I have used for years because I know they work and are cost effective. Other additives may be perfectly fine and you are certainly free to use whatever you want in your fuel systems, but do the homework. Find out specifically (if you can) what your additives do to lubricity and cetane.....a claim of "easier starting" or "lubricates your fuel system" in the label on the bottom isn't good enough. Find out what from the manufacturer, if they will/can tell you, how many cetane numbers their additives increase the base fuel and by what standard was the additive tested for lubricity.
 
Thank you, Frank, for your knowledge and taking the time to explain it....
 
I seem to remember that Startron states that over dosing will not cause harm, Sta-bil has no alcohol but the diesel formula specifically warns not to over dose. Sta-bil gas does not. I use Sta-bil gas formula for all my gas powered layups.
Just a fwiw, which is probably not much except to power service's bottom line, but may be of interest to Cummins owners who may be reluctant or fear that using these products may void a warranty, I saw this article earlier this year.
https://www.equipmentworld.com/for-...mmends-fuel-additives-for-its-diesel-engines/
 
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Thanks Frank! Yes, I am following your recommendations and adding the general diesel, lubricity, and biocides additives in the recommended doses every time I add fuel.
I was just wondering if they were sufficient for a 5 or 6 month winter layup or if I needed to add anything else to hold it over the winter.
 

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