Fuel Additives for Performance and Protection

Fuel Performance Problems and Solutions
Old Fuels, New Fuels
Fuels have changed greatly in the last few years. These changes have come about as the result of the declining quality of crude oil, more severe refining processes and government regulations.

In many states, we have seen the use of large amounts of alcohol in fuels while other states have mandated special fuel formulations to meet emission standards. In short, it has become difficult to know what to expect from fuels purchased anywhere. Deficiencies in fuels not only lead to the formation of gum and varnish but to rust and corrosion as well. Alcohol fuels and special blending stocks like MTBE (Methyl-Tert-Butyl-Ether) have created new challenges to keeping systems rust-free. Hydrotreated fuels are becoming increasingly common and can have storage and stability problems. Mixes of these various fuel types can form new types of sludge, gum and varnish that will quickly bring a fuel system to its knees. And all of these problems exist before the fuel even gets to the engine!

Carburetor
Cleanliness

Sludge and Deposits
from Base Fuel

System stay Clean
when Treated

Each of these new fuels (gas and diesel) has different lubricity, cold weather properties, burning characteristics and fuel by-products. Some can choke up an intake valve or plug a fuel injector or dirty-up an engine in a very short time. Most experts agree that fuels today are more apt to cause problems than at any time in the past. The use of special fuel additives at a concentration much greater than that used in regular gasoline and diesel fuel helps provide insurance against costly repairs and maintenance costs. Not only do Protect All Peak Performance Additives shield the fuel system from rust and corrosion and sludge and varnish formation, they also help keep the injectors/carburetors clean, prevent damaging deposits on intake valves and manifolds and, keep the entire engine cleaner. All of these benefits are available from the simple addition of either Protect All Gas Performance Treatment or Protect All Diesel Performance Treatment to your fuel. They are many times stronger than competitive products and have a broad range of additives that have been tested over millions of miles in all types of climates and vehicles. They are compatible with and enhance all types of gasoline or diesel fuels.

Fuel Storage Problems and Solutions
Crude Oil To Fuel
Declining crude quality, more severe refining processes and government regulations have resulted in our fuels being less stable. Most people think of gasoline or diesel as being a pure substance and not a complex mixture. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Both gasoline and diesel are mixtures of thousands of different kinds of hydrocarbons that are extracted from crude oil.

Refining used to be a simple process of heating crude oil and condensing the vapors at various points in the refining column. The "lighter ends" such as gasoline rise nearly to the top before condensing while kerosene, diesel and fuel oils condense further down. The residue left after the kerosene, diesel and fuel oil are removed is generally used as heavy fuel oil or asphalt that sells for much less than fuel. Therefore the refiner tries to maximize the amount of gasoline and diesel produced. Newer refining methods (such as the "cat-cracker") can literally tear apart the larger molecules in the residue and form lighter products that can be used as fuels, thus greatly increasing the refiner’s profits.

Refineries Use Additives For Their Own Benefit
While these newer refining methods sound like a great idea, they have a few drawbacks. While the fuel made from cracked stock burns well, the molecules are not as stable and tend to deteriorate more quickly during storage forming gums and varnish. To combat this, refiners use various additives stabilize the fuels. This costs money and therefore the refiners usually err on the side of putting in too little rather than too much. Remember, the refiners want to keep their refinery, pipelines, storage tanks and underground service station tanks in good condition. But after the fuel leaves their equipment, it is no longer of great concern. Major refiners today may only use additives that are sufficient to provide protection for three months or less. It may take a month or more to get fuel through their distribution system, so the consumer usually has less than two months until most of the protection provided by the refiner is gone.

Pistons: Sludge, Varnish and Wear

Poor

Good

Why Fuel Breaks Down
There are many factors that influence how long a fuel can last before beginning to break down. Oxygen is the major cause of degradation. All fuels absorb oxygen during refining and storage. Aeration or sloshing of the fuel helps promote the entry of even more oxygen. Because the cracked fuel components are less stable, they can quickly combine with oxygen and form different and potentially harmful compounds such as acid, gum or varnish. This process is greatly accelerated by the presence of metals that promote oxidation such as copper, brass, lead, cadmium and some stainless steels.

Storage temperature is also important, as fuels break down faster under heat. Even without much oxygen, fuels tend to break down because they also contain amounts of sulfur, nitrogen, and other elements that can form acids, sludge and gum. These unstable fuel components can also react with each other to form new compounds that drop out as sludge. Nearly everyone has seen first hand evidence of these problems when changing clogged fuel filters, cleaning carburetors or fuel lines. Others have had fuel tanks rust or corrode and begin to leak.

If you ignore your fuel during storage, be prepared to pay the price!

Fuel System Storage Protection
Fortunately, there is an easy way to avoid these problems — through the use of additives such as Protect All Fuel Storage Stabilizer. This product contains carefully selected chemicals designed to protect the fuel system — whether gas or diesel. It contains metal deactivators to help prevent metals from catalyzing oxidation, rust inhibitors and acid neutralizers to help protect the tank and lines, dispersants that help prevent the formation of sludge and varnish that would drop out to form deposits, antioxidants that shield unstable fuel components from oxygen, a detergent that helps keep fuel injectors clean and finally, a unique additive that increases water tolerance.

Treat your gas or diesel with Protect All Fuel Storage Stabilizer every time you park your vehicle for more than 30 days. One treatment lasts up to 12 months of continuous storage.

Pre-Storage Preparation:
Pour Stabilizer into your fuel tank and fill with fuel.
Vehicles Already In Storage:
Pour Stabilizer into full tank of fuel and run engine for at least five minutes.

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