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Old 11-23-2015, 03:10 PM   #31 (permalink)
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A lot of aromatic solvents will have napthalene and a touch of trimethylbenzene. I design chemicals and have to search for what we called "naphthalene depleted" so it won't contain those. Doesn't change the performance, the napthalene depleted just costs more and allows for a better looking MSDS/SDS, no listed ingredients.

I've found most injector cleaners have an medium to heavy aromatic solvent, depending on the flashpoint. Great ingredients and not too bad. But, use too much and it will attack rubber o-rings and fuel lines. Makes them swell and soften. The naphthalene is essentially mothballs. Remember when folks were putting mothballs in their gasoline. Well, there's a hint of validity to the idea that it would help on octane. For diesel, it just cleans is my guess.

The ethylhexly nitrate is what gives the cetane boost.

As for biodiesel, I've run almost a quarter million miles on heated veg oil and/or diesel. I maybe saw a 1/2 mpg drop in economy. Some see a slight improvement. Lots better lubrication, making up for the loss of lubricity when they removed so much of the sulphur.

Regarding fuel efficiency monitoring, on gas engines I've long been a believer in the vacuum gauge. Same for the boost gauge on turbo diesels. But what about a naturally aspirated diesel? I have a couple of those and have always wondered. Anything?

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Old 11-23-2015, 03:13 PM   #32 (permalink)
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Also, as for fuel efficiency, I'm going to assume your Duramax has a tachometer. I've always heard and found from personal experience that 2,000rpm is the magic number. Going higher from there and the economy drops off like a rock. Kind of like how drag increasing much more the higher you go. It isn't a straight line drop. Logarithmic increase in drag with speed. Seems the same on rpm to me.
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Old 11-23-2015, 07:28 PM   #33 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToddT58 View Post

Regarding fuel efficiency monitoring, on gas engines I've long been a believer in the vacuum gauge. Same for the boost gauge on turbo diesels. But what about a naturally aspirated diesel? I have a couple of those and have always wondered. Anything?
My only though on n/a diesels would be a pyrometer. Lower exhaust temp should equal better economy.
Travis..
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Old 12-13-2015, 11:25 AM   #34 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToddT58 View Post
I've touched 22mpg a few times over the 345,000 miles with my 7.3 with 3.73 rear end. What does your truck do withOUT the cetane boost? What other mods did you do to get the 22mpg? That's pretty good.
Sorry for the long delay.

The only mods I've done on my 7.3 F250 is install a round downpipe from the turbo to replace the restrictive flat factory "cobrahead" downpipe they put on the original body style Ford diesels, along with a large round airfilter to replace the problematic air filter box on those models. I don't think either of these "mods" had any effect on fuel mileage.

I attribute my 14 mpg towing and 22 mpg solo on the highway to a 3.55 rear axle ratio that keeps my engine speeds to about 1500 rpm towing at about 60 mph and about 1800 rpm solo at 70 mph. I also have a permanently-attached campertop which may help a bit with aerodynamics, but I also keep the bed loaded with camping junk. Also, I have a 91-gallon auxiliary fuel tank in the bed. All this keeps my truck's weight at about 8000 pounds, which hurts in stop-and-go and climbing in the hills but has relatively little effect steady-state on highway flats.

Regarding my PowerService and 2-cycle fuel additives, I cannot tell if they help or not with fuel economy. My use of them is strictly for any benefits relating to engine lubrication and cleaning.
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Old 12-13-2015, 11:40 AM   #35 (permalink)
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Thanks for the reply. Once again, rpm comes out as probably the biggest factor. Was yours shipped with the 3.55 or did you change the gearing? What kind of weights can you tow with that rear end?
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Old 12-13-2015, 12:15 PM   #36 (permalink)
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The 3.55 axle came on my truck from the factory when I bought it new in 1996. As I recall, the only other axle offered that year with the 7.3 diesel was a 4.10. I didn't want the 4.10, since I knew I wasn't going to need its extra pulling power. Actually, your 3.73 would have been a better compromise for me since I bought and use the truck strictly for towing the 6000-pound travel trailer, but you play the hand you're dealt. My choice has worked out well.

I believe the factory in 1996 rated the maximum gross combined weight at 15,000 pounds with the 3.55 axle and the diesel. Since my 27-foot travel trailer weighs 6000 pounds and my normal truck weight with full fuel load (128 gallons) and camping junk and passenger load is at 9000 pounds, I'm towing what the factory rated as maximum. Of course, the thing can tow a lot more, but I got as much as I can stand fooling with anyway, so it works out well for me.

One thing I do have to watch when towing is the exhaust gas temps. I have a pre-turbo temp gauge that I watch closely when towing in the hills. The reason is that I don't have an intercooler, so the exhaust gas temps can climb quickly with a load going up the hills especially with a 3.55 axle. Managing the situation is no problem, however. When the EGTs reach around 1200F, I just push the button on the gear shift for the auto tranny to get out of overdrive. If the hill is too steep, I downshift to 3rd or 2nd or whatever is needed to keep the RPMs fast enough to lighten the engine load and get it breathing faster. This drops the EGTs way down to safe levels.

My engine is only rated at 215 HP. This is half what the new pickup diesels are rated at. However, my mileage is at least as good as the new models, and I have much fewer things to worry about like particulate filters and emission fluids and disasters related to extreme high pressure fuel systems which can blow up at the slightest hint of water or sediments.

I'm feeding my baby liquid vitamins (PowerService and 2-cycle) to keep her healthy. By the way it's looking, she'll be happily serving my heirs in a few years, but only if they're smart enough to keep her in the family. Time will tell.
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Old 12-13-2015, 12:59 PM   #37 (permalink)
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I'm with you on keeping an engine healthy. For me, it is extra filtration. Even though I use Rotella, I have the Amsoil bypass filter on the engine oil plus a spin on coolant filter as well as a spin on transmission fluid filter. And like you, I'm a believer in real gauges, not the computer driven instrumentation from the factory.

I'm currently rebuilding the turbo and installing a complete exhaust system... new up pipes from the exhaust manifolds and turbo back 4" system. Also installing a regulated return fuel system. I want this engine to last another 350,000 miles.
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Old 03-25-2017, 07:24 PM   #38 (permalink)
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Woody - '90 Mercury Grand Marquis Wagon LS
Last 3: 19.57 mpg (US)

Brick - '99 Chevrolet K2500 Suburban LS
Last 3: 12.94 mpg (US)

M. C. - '01 Chevrolet Impala Base
90 day: 17.09 mpg (US)

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Night_Sailor, Have you tried anything else Opti-Lube sells such as their "Boost!" formula which increases cetane by 7-9 points instead of XPD which raises it by 3 points? I don't know if "Boost!" will increase MPG more than XPD or not. I have a bottle of "Boost!" and haven't used it yet. Nobody else I've seen online outside Amazon reviews has used it.

EDIT: I've been using Opti-Lube's "Boost!" and "XL" (the latter's a lubricity improver) simultaneously.

Boost: 1 oz/10 gallons
XL: 2 Oz/10 gallons (slightly lower than the recommended maximum treat rate of 2.5 oz /10 gallons, or 5 oz/20 gallons.)

I have noticed a small increase in engine power with this mix, but it's not much. It's enough to prevent as much downshifting up hills when the torque converter's locked, which does help.

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