The Importance of Winter Fuel Additives

Winter fuel additives are essential for diesel-powered engines as temperatures drop. They ensure the fuel remains stable and the engine runs optimally by preventing the icing and gelling of diesel. Unlike gasoline, which is highly refined and remains unchanged through the seasons, diesel contains paraffin wax to improve stability and lubricity but it crystallizes when the temperatures drop.

Fuel Ox^® winter fuel additives are the best on the market. They stop the formation of crystals that threaten to clog fuel lines and filters, ensuring optimal winter performance and preventing expensive repairs.

What Are Winter Fuel Additives?

Winter fuel additives are substances that include ingredients like engine lubricants, cleaners and performance enhancers. You add them to the fuel or holding tank in the appropriate dosage quantities to solve or prevent problems related to fuel movement in the engine affordably during the winter and beyond.

They’re mostly safe to use because they’re designed to solve engine problems without harming your engine or the fuel. You can add them before or after a fuel top-up in varying amounts. When using them for winter protection, you should:

• Add them as soon as the temperatures start dropping or approach freezing.
• Increase the amount of fuel additives you use as the temperatures drop.
• Remember to use winter fuel additives before filling up the tank to ensure it mixes well with the fuel.

How Do Winter Fuel Additives Work?

Winter fuel additives improve fuel performance and protect your engine in the winter by reducing the rate at which diesel gels or crystalizes. Parrafin wax in diesel thickens and forms crystals when the temperature dips to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When they reach 11 or 15 degrees Fahrenheit, the paraffin turns into large gel chunks that clog filters and restrict fuel flow.

The point at which the wax begins to thicken is called the cold filter plugging point (CFPP). The fuel can’t pass through a 45-micron screen, and if the temps drop further, it reaches the pour point where it can no longer flow. You need to add fuel additives at this point to lower the CFPP and the pour point so that the fuel continues flowing again. When the fuel is flowing again, you can safely start and run engines of vehicles, generators and farm equipment.

Removing the paraffin wax crystals is not an option because it contains components such as cetane that ensure enhanced engine power and performance. Winter fuel additives also treat water present in the fuel, preventing it from freezing.

5 Benefits of Winter Fuel Additives

Winter fuel additives have more benefits for your fuel system, engine, pocket and the environment beyond maintaining the viscosity and lubricity as the temperatures drop. Below are some of these top benefits.

1. Prevents Fuel Gelling

Winter fuel additives lower the cloud point, which is the temperature fuel gellling starts occurring. Beyond the cloud point, typically between 32ºF and 40ºF, the crystals form and block engine fuel filters, causing hard starts and sluggish engine performance.

By reducing the cloud point, additives ensure the fuel starts flowing again with ease, reducing the downtime associated with engine slow starts and decreased performance even at lower temperatures. It also eliminates acceleration, spluttering engine and hard start problems that are more common in the winter. These additives also improve fuel efficiency by enhancing combustion and removing heavy fuel deposits from the fuel.

2. Cleans and Maintains the Fuel System

While diesel burns more cleanly than gasoline, it still produces residues that turn into sludge build-up that clogs fuel filters and injectors. When these parts are clogged, restricted fuel and compressed air flow reduce engine performance.

Fuel additives clear existing sludge, grime, dirt and other deposits that build up in your fuel system. They also remove heavy deposits from your fuel, ensuring it runs smoothly without leaving gunk or trace deposits. A clean fuel system is key to preventing slow starts and sluggish engine responses.

High-quality fuel additives extend engine life and performance by increasing lubrication to prevent corrosion and premature engine wear and tear caused by heat and friction. They ensure your engine is running more efficiently and optimally, even in the winter.

3. Improve Fuel Efficiency and Performance

Winter additives boost performance by ensuring the fuel remains stable even as temperatures drop, so every last drop of fuel is utilized and circulates through the engine completely and effectively. They also prevent premature deterioration of stored fuel and reduce foaming when filling the tank, which normally leads to fuel wastage as the fuel overflows out of the tank.

For instance, our winter fuel additive, Fuel Ox^® Cold Charge contains a combustion catalyst, which lowers the combustion point of the fuel, ensuring it combusts at a lower temperature and burns for longer. More complete combustion reduces the amount of wasted unburned fuel at the end of the combustion cycle.

4. Saves You Repair and Maintenance Costs

Winter fuel additives are an affordable preventative maintenance measure that saves you costs in the long run. They save you money at the pump by ensuring a cleaner fuel system that facilitates slight improvements in fuel consumption.

Increased lubrication and reduced engine wear and tear decrease the need and cost of repairs while extending the life of your engine. A cleaner fuel system also reduces the need to replace fuel filters often and maintains the performance of the fuel injector.

5. Reduces Carbon Emissions

Fuel additives ensure complete fuel combustion, reducing the production of unburned fuel diffused into the atmosphere as smoke or soot. They ensure your vehicle is environmentally friendly by eliminating carbon emissions, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.

They also remove heavy fuel deposits and reduce the build-up of soot and particulate matter, ensuring a clean and efficient combustion process. Besides, the emissions are lower because fuel additives remove carbon deposits caused by incomplete combustion from essential components such as injectors and intake valves.

Winter Fuel Additive Products by Fuel Ox^®

Fuel Ox^® has a broad selection of high-quality winter fuel additives that meet different needs. These include:

• Our Fuel Ox^® Winter Max: It’s a super concentrated formula that prevents the crystallization or gelling of diesel and other heavy fuel oils, enabling fuel to flow even when temperatures are below -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fuel Ox^® Cold Charge: This anti-gel solution lowers fuel’s cold pour point, ensuring it can flow even when the temperatures are freezing. Its formula is enhanced with our patented Combustion Catalyst to improve combustion and fuel efficiency while reducing emissions.
• Fuel Ox^® Freeze Guard: This is a military-grade winter fuel additive that removes water from fuel and prevents gelling or crystalization by lowering the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) by up to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fuel Ox^® Rack Winter: It’s a cold pour point fuel treatment designed to clean and lubricate fuel systems to improve vehicle performance and extend engine life span.
• Fuel Ox^® Heat Bomb: It’s a reliable emergency winter fuel additive for after fuel has gelled to thaw it and restore it safely and efficiently. Fuel Ox^® Heat Bomb also removes water.

Buy Winter Fuel Additives From Fuel Ox^®

Fuel Ox^® winter additives are specially formulated to prevent crystals from forming at the tank’s bottom and clogging your fuel filter while boosting vehicle performance. Our concentrated formulas promote clean and efficient gas and diesel fuel combustion, leading to increased fuel economy and fewer emissions.

Improve the performance of your vehicle in the cold by stocking up on our winter fuel additives online or visiting your local retailer. You can also connect with us online for bulk orders.