Still need to defend your engine as nicer weather arrives

Updated Apr 24, 2020

Spring has — one has to hope — sprung, and that ought to mean some of the weather-related stress and strain on your truck’s engine will melt away like the snowdrifts alongside an interstate.

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

Diesel DefenderJust because you’ve traded your parka for a T-shirt, turned the heater off and the AC on, and stowed your tire chains, it doesn’t mean you can stop treating your fuel. It’s a common misconception that you don’t need to treat diesel in warm months. Given today’s ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels, you may wish to consider using additives to get the most lubricity out of every gallon all the time, reduce potential downtime and maximize your mileage.

There are several products on the market that help maintain clean injectors and lubricate fuel. One is Howes Diesel Defender, which uses a proprietary IDX4 detergent to clean the fuel system and injectors. It also takes lubricity to the next level adding up to 2.5 times more than previous injector cleaners.

Diesel Defender is 100% petroleum-based and alcohol-free. That’s important because alcohol can dry out seals and gaskets. It also emulsifies water, which is important for the wellbeing of your truck’s engine.

Sulfur is diesel’s natural lubricator. By removing sulfur to meet federal environmental standards, it also means losing an important characteristic for fuel system wellness and economy. Losing sulfur also can mean deposits build up and undercut engine performance.  

When deposits form, they reduce the effectiveness of each burst of fuel from the injectors. For proper ignition, the fuel must be turned into a very fine mist. Deposits prevent this from happening and the result is that all the fuel may not be ignited. Excess unburned fuel gets eliminated through the exhaust. 

Diesel Defender also ensures your fuel system is properly lubricated, protecting fuel pumps, and injectors from excessive wear caused by ULSD. The kind of proper lubrication provided by Diesel Defender will improve your fuel economy and restore lost power by maximizing the amount of fuel for complete combustion.