300tdi – adding 2 stroke to diesel.

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Cutty Dyer

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in the wilderness
After reading various threads on various forums about the benefits of adding mineral 2 stroke oil to diesel I decided to give it a go.
The primary reason for adding the 2 stroke is that I live on a very steep hill which I have to drive up every morning; the resulting load metallic clatter from the cold protesting engine was enough to set my teeth on edge.

The claimed benefits of 2 stroke addition include:

.Reduced engine noise
.Smoother engine running
.Reduced engine emissions (reduction in exhaust smoke)
.Reduction in fuel consumption (claims vary, but 2-4% seems the norm)

So, a couple of days ago I added a high first dose (150:1) whilst filling up with diesel.
The initial results are very promising. The noise produced by the cold engine while labouring up the steep hill has completely altered. No longer a metallic clattering but a significantly quieter and smoother muffled “wooden” drumming. General running and noise at motorway speed of 65 also reduced (radio preset volume no longer needs to be turned up).
At the next refuel (and there after) the ratio will be reduced to 200:1. Once I have a few weeks of mpg data I’ll report back.

Anyone else seeing benefits from the addition of mineral 2 stroke to their 300tdi?
 
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If I am doing an oil change or something and have a half litre or something left over I just throw it in the tank, has a similar effect.

Generally a good idea as modern diesel has all the good (bad) stuff removed that helped with lubrication, particularly for the injection pump and injectors.

My only concern would be that the 2stoke is red, if you were dipped and the fuel looked slightly pink, some jobs worth might think it's had red in it and they may take a bit of convincing it was 2 stroke oil - I've seen green 2stroke oil before.
 
If I am doing an oil change or something and have a half litre or something left over I just throw it in the tank, has a similar effect.

Generally a good idea as modern diesel has all the good (bad) stuff removed that helped with lubrication, particularly for the injection pump and injectors.

My only concern would be that the 2stoke is red, if you were dipped and the fuel looked slightly pink, some jobs worth might think it's had red in it and they may take a bit of convincing it was 2 stroke oil - I've seen green 2stroke oil before.

HMRC haven't done a visual dip inspection for years. They use a chemical sniffer (Bit like an exhaust gas analyzer) that checks for certain chemicals. Which are added to "Red Diesel" the Red dye is only there so that the person filling the vehicle can see the difference. you can actually buy various coloured dyes and stain your own diesel, if you want to. Haulage companies and the like use it to stop employees from filling up there own motors from the company tanks.
 
My only concern would be that the 2stoke is red, if you were dipped and the fuel looked slightly pink, some jobs worth might think it's had red in it and they may take a bit of convincing it was 2 stroke oil - I've seen green 2stroke oil before.

If concerned by the colour, many mineral 2 stroke oils are green (I've been using Comma's mineral 2 stroke - green)
 
Why not add a bit of veg, same effect on my previous 200tdi. This post has actually made me consider using used oil, there shouldn't be any nasties that the filter wouldn't pull out.

Hmrc may not dip but police do,and even engine oil in the tank is an offence,
 
This post has actually made me consider using used oil, there shouldn't be any nasties that the filter wouldn't pull out.

Hmrc may not dip but police do,and even engine oil in the tank is an offence,

Lots of people recycle their used oil this way. I read recently that some commercial diesels are designed to burn their engine oil (a reservoir oil tank replaces the burnt oil).
 
be careful ! just put 3 injectors would of been 4 if i had one with wire on (edc model) because i got too greedy putting new engine oil in fuel ! (had a cheap line of oil at the time !)
it smoked like a pig and started on 3 cylinders after about 1000 miles and no amount of proper fuel or injector cleaner could reverse the damage which was apparent when i took the injectors out around the holes the carbon was about 1mm x 1mm blobs no wonder it smoked ! and they did not want to come out even though they have only been in 2 months !!
so proceed with caution dont get to greedy like i did
 
I know the thread is about the 300 tdi but does the same principle work with the 200 tdi when adding 2 stroke , sounds like the benefits are good .....
 
I know the thread is about the 300 tdi but does the same principle work with the 200 tdi when adding 2 stroke , sounds like the benefits are good .....

Yes it does, I put 2 stroke in my 200Tdi, I also run it on a diesel / veg oil mix.

2 stroke oil is designed to burn with the fuel, engine oil is not which may be why it coked up the injectors so bad?
 
Reporting back after almost a month of adding mineral 2 stroke during fuel fills.

Aside from a far more refined sounding engine the mpg's have improved (consistently 30ish).

Difficult to pin the improvement in efficiency wholly on the 2 stroke, as in the last month I've also changed tyres, increased tyre pressure & serviced the running gear. There's also the placebo "additive" effect to consider - am I driving more carefully than before?
 
Anyone got anything to say about 2 stroke or other oils and their effect on EDC injectors/engines specifically ?

One of my 300tdi D1s has developed major faults (check engine light , runny lumpy , getting hot) after I came close to being stranded at night on the moor without fuel and used about 3 litres of engine oil (not labelled as to mineral or synth) with some petrol added to get me home .

Sounds like mentioned above - no amount of DERV or naptha helps . I had thought it was a headgasket job but now I am wondering....

Any thoughts would be appreciated as I am now very reticent to use veg oil or 2 stroke in any of my diesels .
 
hi mr shocker ,apart from needle lift sensor injectors are the same,are you sure not the head gasket,whre your injector nozzles dirtier than you expect, a little added oil wont hurt but a lot will increase sooty burn ,how much petrol ?,what did piston crowns look like
 
Hi JM , I was hoping you would pick up on this one , I was going to PM you with it just a minute ago !

TBH I am not at all sure , I read the above ost about carbon'd injectors and it rang some bells . I havn't had the injectors out or the head off yet as I have been busy with the family farm as my elderly father had a stroke and I didnt want to start the job unless I was able to finish it . These things have a habit of getting half done and left and then getting ruined . The petrol ? About 10% ish , enough to thin the oil to veg oil like consistency , not DERV thin .
 
I use the left over engine oil 15w40 mineral. Put about half a pint in every four fill ups. No problems so far and been doing it a year. I do it as diesel doesn't have the oil in it any more and the injector pump is self lubricating. Most of the reasons the pumps fail is they corrode inside. Can't see how it would damage injectors as it mixes with diesel and doesn't separate.:D
 
Please forgive my stupidity...but do you mean add 2 stroke as in the oil I add to my petrol for my chain saw etc? What does this do to the diesel? I often use Millers additive which is dear. Exactly how much would you advise on a per gallon of diesel basis? Thank you.
 
Please forgive my stupidity...but do you mean add 2 stroke as in the oil I add to my petrol for my chain saw etc? What does this do to the diesel? I often use Millers additive which is dear. Exactly how much would you advise on a per gallon of diesel basis? Thank you.

Yes, the same oil you add to your chain saw fuel, but ensure that its mineral oil not synthetic. The idea behind the addition of mineral 2 stroke oil is to lubricate the high pressure pump and the injectors. It's also claimed that its combustion characteristics reduce smoke & clean the combustion chamber.

The consensus for addition is 200:1; so add 400ml of 2 stroke oil to a fuel tank containing 17 gallons (78L).
 
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