Fuel Additive: Should you use it? Or is it just hype???
Updated: Jan 30, 2024
The short answer is yes, you should be using a good fuel additive. But why should you use it? That’s a longer answer. Today’s Ultra Low Sulfur diesel fuel no longer has the lubricity needed for today’s diesel engines. Lubricity is needed to extend the life of your injectors. Some people worry that fuel additive is just an extra cost on top of the already high cost of fuel, but the cost of fuel additive is minimal compared to the cost of new injectors and fuel system repairs.
Here are four types of fuel additives:
1. Anti-gel: In the winter, the anti-gel can save the day! When used as directed, a good anti-gel will decrease the temperature at which a fuel will gel by an additional 20 degrees. For example, if your fuel is rated for 20 degrees, adding anti-gel will protect it down to zero degrees. Fuel stations often claim to have winter-treated fuel. The problem is, you don’t know for what temperature the fuel has been treated. Gelling up is a huge waste of time and money, yet easily avoidable if you just add anti-gel!
2. Detergent: Keeping your fuel system cleaned will make your truck more reliable and you will have fewer repairs. Sometimes you can get clogged injector nozzles that can cause hard starts and sluggish acceleration. This problem can be solved with a fuel injector cleaner. The detergent will also prevent additional buildup.
3. Cetane Booster: The higher the cetane rating, the more efficiently your diesel motor will run. Cetane Booster will give you cleaner starts and improved fuel efficiency. The cetane will also improve combustion, reduce emissions, and give you smoother idle and acceleration.
4. Lubricant: The lubricant coats internal parts of the fuel system to allow better fuel flow and less friction. Your fuel system is very sensitive, take good care of it!
Moonlight Diesel uses and promotes the new Alliant Power brand of fuel additives. We have been using this product line for a while now and are impressed with its performance and quality. We especially recommend the Alliant Power UltraGuard treatment which we carry at our store. It has all the good stuff (all four types of additives in one!) and is perfectly blended to help your diesel engine start better, run better and last longer. We have definitely noticed that our customers who consistently use fuel additive in high-quality fuel and perform their proper maintenance have fewer fuel system problems.

Thank you for reading my blog post. Mention it next time you’re in and receive 10% off any of our Alliant Power fuel additives!
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