comment: Smoking and a choking

[Crumm]

I have used Howes Lubricator for years but this is the first time I can say that it showed me what it actually does. It failed me as a anti-gel several years ago but I figured it was still working as a lubricant to I continued to use the case I had until it ran out this spring.

For the last dozen tanks of diesel I have not been adding anything as I have been a slacker in getting down to the distributor and picking something up.

I have noticed lately that my truck had been smoking excessively and running rough. The other day I pulled out of the driveway and when I stomped down on it a cloud of black smoke came out that actually had traffic braking hard It was then that I though I needed to start figuring out what the problem was. Changed out the fuel filter and air filter which made no difference.

Only thing that has changed lately is my fuel. Fuel here use to be clear and not have much smell. On June 1 as required by law the stations around here went to ULSD rather than LSD. The ULSD here is dark green and stinks like old farm diesel. This led me to believe that it may be something in the fuel or a lack of something in the fuel that may be creating my smoke and rough running.

Time to try some Howes. I dumped a double dose in both tanks and headed out on a test drive. I immediately noticed that black smoke was drastically reduced and after driving around for a few minutes the engine really smoothed out. They claim on there website that it "eliminates smoking and rough idle" but I always thought whatever. I can now say that it actually does make a difference.

I will now quit being lazy and get down to the distributer for another case of Howes or something simular. I don't like driving around making a black haze everywhere I go...

I have some very complete data on my fuel mileage over the last several months without fuel treatment including town, highway and towing. I will now monitor the same conditions with the treatment and see what it does for mileage as they claim "increases power and fuel economy". We will see....

[DaveBen]

This will be interesting, some real data. Let us know how it goes in a couple of months Crumm.

Dave

[WD40]

With the fuel we get now we all may have to try something.

Doug

[Crumm]

Originally Posted by Crumm

I have some very complete data on my fuel mileage over the last several months without fuel treatment including town, highway and towing. I will now monitor the same conditions with the treatment and see what it does for mileage as they claim "increases power and fuel economy". We will see....

Not looking good so far. Tank before adding the treatment consisted of a 240 mile highway trip grossing about 14,000lbs and the rest around town running empty. Mileage was 12.0 when I filled it up. With the additive I made the exact same highway trip with the same 14,000lbs and then drove around town until the tank was getting low. Mileage with the additive was 11.4 mpg for a reduction of 0.6 I figured it would stay the same or maybe increase .2 or something but it went the other way.

[DaveBen]

I guess I am not surprised...

Dave

[bigrigr]

Crumm, I tried this stuff myself, along with others, and they also claim that the fuel mileage savings would double the cost of the howes. I never saw an increase in the mileage. Over several months of really giving it the benefit of the doubt, and checking real numbers, (my ifta filings are real world tests) i cannot say that it payed for itself, let alone, saving double. I use the 2 cycle oil myself in the ford, and it does all you say the howes does, it stops the smoke, it smooths the idle, and it costs way less. I also wanna believe that the mpg's are slightly up with the 2 cycle oil, but have no real way to prove it on paper. Jmo