Today, diesel engines are less noisy and perform as efficiently as their petrol counterparts by producing less smoke. This is because of the gradual improvements that manufacturers have made to the engines. The engines are cleaner and less noisy. They have particulate filters and traps that keep out most of the trash in the black smoke that they used to emit back in the day. However, the nature and chemical composition of diesel fuel put your engine at a risk of damage considering things like weather and the combustion process that occurs in the engine. This is why you should use fuel additives to improve the performance and durability of your vehicle's diesel engine. Here are some important things you need to know about fuel additives, gas treatment, and your diesel-powered vehicle:

Diesel Has More Properties that Need Protection

Generally, most diesel engines use up lesser fuel compared to a similar engine that runs on petrol. This is because diesel is less refined than petrol, making it hard for the combustion chamber to break it down when the engine is running. Essentially, diesel contains more ingredients and properties that you must protect because they make the fuel more prone to going off the recommended specifications. The properties easily compromise the lubricity, cold weather performance, stability, and cetane rating of diesel. With additives, you can make the fuel reliably stable and efficient for a long time particularly if you won't using the vehicle for a long time.

A few Drops of Additives Won't Do It

You need to be weary of additives with labels and stickers that promise to do so much for your engine with just a few drops. The truth is that a few drops of an additive are not enough to impart adequate active chemical ingredients that will provide meaningful protection to your engine. Pay attention to the additive's ratings per litre and avoid buying those that promise to do many things for your engine with just a few drops. For instance, a litre of an additive for a full tank of diesel is a reasonable rate. 

Know What You Want

Most additives cannot do everything for your engine. Therefore, you must recognise the immediate needs of your vehicle's engine and buy additives according to those needs. For instance, if you need to store the car for long periods during the cold season, you should get an additive that focuses on keeping the ethanol levels in the fuel very low. In this way, you will reduce the chances of condensed water finding its way to your fuel tank considering that ethanol attracts water.