Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 00:32:30 -0500
Reply-To: Dominique Cormann <kozmik@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dominique Cormann <kozmik@HOME.COM>
Subject: Just a wee bit confused.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Ok I went to my local Coop today in guelph ( its a farm co-op for those
not local to this area ). I wanted to find this sonic product that drew
on the list was mentioning. Didn't find it but found something else. A
new Kleenflo product. Now I know why it was on sale everywhere. They
were getting rid of the old version, so that they could make room on the
shelf for the new diesel fuel conditioner.
Old product:
* $3.88
* Treats 2000 litres.
* Defreezes fuel lines and acts as an antigel
* Absorbs water
* Cleans gum and varnish
New product:
* $8.78
* Treats 500 litres
* Antigel
* Lubricity additive
* detergents
Ok. This started to get me thinking about alcohols and diesel fuel
conditioners. When I read the can of the old product is basically just
screamed alcohol.
http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/bulletin/diesel/L2_7_1_LTOA_fs.htm
I started to read the diesel fuel review on the chevron page again and
the section on additives.
De-icers, additives that thaw fuel, and absorb water are based on
isopropyl alcohol, methanol, and different glycols. Water in fuel
besides being corrosive, and physically increasing wear on injectors,
also form gummy jelly crap, sometimes described as varnishs. Not to be
confused with deposits for which you need a detergent to get rid of.
The old Kleenflo product sounded just like a can of alcohol. It absorbed
water, cleaned varnish ( which is caused by the water ), and thawed
fuel, and also acted as a pour point depressant. No wonder its so cheap.
The new product has in BIG letters on the front of the bottle - " This
product does NOT contain methyl alcohol ". Made me wonder why they felt
they needed to point that out. It also does not thaw fuel anymore. So
was that a hint that the old product did? I emailed them with long list
of questions on both the new and old product, I'll see what they say.
Did some more searching.
Power service products claim no alcohol either. But Ezoils web page, and
Dr diesel ( competitors ) claim that the diesel fuel supplement contains
isopropyl alcohol. PS says the product thaws fuel...hmm...now I'm
wondering again. So I emailed them, and will see what they say. I
pointed out that their competition says it contains alcohol and they say
it doesn't. So I asked specifically...does it contain isopropyl alcohol?
I'll see what they say.
FPPF products are also the same way. The page says, does not contain
alcohol. BUT on the bottle of the product it says it " contains ethyl
glycol a great pour point depressant". Duh. Guess they don't know what
alcohol means.
Ok...what I'm really actually confused about. I was taught that alcohol
was bad. But now the more I read, the issue is getting very cloudy.
Everything I read says methanol is bad ( effective but harmful ),
special seals must be used with methanol. Perhaps in low quantities its
acceptable, but better options are availible. Isopropyl alcohol from
what I read, is a better option ( less harmful in both gas and diesel
applications ), and seems popular, its hidden in a few products - its in
them, but the companies literture says no alcohol. Glycols I read are
the least harmful, and also exist in a few products ( like FPPF and
others ), but again the companies try to hide that they use them.
I'm wondering if the use of alcohols is okay in small amounts, just like
in gas cars a 2% addition is acceptable - gas line antifreezes use
methanol or isopropyl alcohol, and we have the enviro gases that contain
ethanol. These products in gas cars are okay to use....but pure methanol
would require some modifications.
I'm wondering if in diesels its the same. Small amounts are safe and
provide benefits, and high amounts are damaging over time. My theory
then is that additive companies are aware that the uneducated consumer
might get worries since they were taught that alcohols are bad, and so
they hide the use of them in their products - only brad about the
benefits of the de-icing properties.
What do you guys know about this stuff?
--
============================================================---------
Dominique Cormann Email: kozmik@home.com
Homepage: http://kozmik.guelph.on.ca
Diesel page: http://kozmik.guelph.on.ca/gtdproject
84 Rabbit D - daily driver
84 Rabbit GTD - work'in on it
