Additives and ROI: How fuel and oil treatments actually pay off

With cost per mile under pressure, fleets are taking a closer look at every input that could influence performance and maintenance. Additives for fuel, oil, and DEF are often marketed as easy wins, but their real value comes down to measurable gains in efficiency, reliability, and reduced repair frequency.

Additives for fuel, oil, and even DEF are designed to help improve system performance and, thus, deliver a net improvement when it comes to CPM. Are they worth spending a little extra money on to incorporate into a maintenance regimen? That’s for every fleet to decide for itself.

Ploger Transportation made that decision. The Ohio-based fleet had been using a diesel fuel treatment from Hot Shot’s Secret for years. When management was looking for easy ways to cut costs, the fleet decided to suspend use of the diesel treatment. It didn’t take long to begin regretting that decision.

“The shop manager kept getting trouble codes that were forcing him to take trucks out of service,” said Josh Steinmetz, Hot Shot’s Secret brand manager at Lubrication Specialties. “Technicians were often having to work six or seven days a week to get enough trucks back in service to keep things going. Maintenance costs went through the roof.”

It all tied to fuel injector issues. “Within a month we started having to replace injectors,” said Shane Sattler, who was Ploger Transportation’s director of maintenance at the time. “Replacing injectors costs about $5,000 per truck just in parts. Then you add the labor onto that. It made sense for us to get the Hot Shot’s back and start using it again.”

Here’s a closer look at the Hot Shot’s fuel treatment referenced above, along with a few other additives that could help lower CPM.

Hot Shot’s Secret Everyday Diesel Treatment (EDT) is a 6-in-1 additive that incorporates a cetane booster to improve ignition quality and combustion, an injector detergent to keep injectors clean and spray patterns optimized, a lubricity enhancer which helps reduce pump and injector wear, corrosion inhibitors, a water dispersant, and a fuel stabilizer.

When you consider the standard retail price and dosing recommendation of 8 oz. per 100 gallons, EDT adds roughly a penny to CPM. The company says the increase in fuel economy alone, typically 3-5%, allows the product to pay for itself. Additionally, regular use of EDT can enable longer DPF regen cycles and reduced fuel system maintenance, further driving down CPM.

Liqui Moly Pro-Line Diesel System Cleaner is a mixture of additives that enable rapid removal of deposits from the entire fuel system, including the injectors and combustion chamber. When used preventatively, one 16.9 fl. oz. can should be added for every 8-21 gallons of fuel in the vehicle’s fuel tank. The company says one treatment per year is generally enough.

Considering the standard retail price and once-a-year use, Pro-Line Diesel System Cleaner only adds a fraction of a penny to CPM. While the company doesn’t have any hard data to show ROI, a spokesperson said any engine with a cleaner full system will always run more efficiently, helping to improve fuel efficiency and potentially reduce maintenance costs.

Power Service Diesel Injector & DPF Flush is a fuel treatment that removes injector deposits and nozzle coking while balancing injector flow rates for more efficient combustion. It also reduces carbon and soot buildup on the turbo, EGR, MAF sensor, and DPF, preventing premature clogging and common diagnostic trouble codes. Regen frequency and duration can be reduced by 50%. Fuel economy can be improved by up to 10%, the company assures.

A 64-oz. bottle treats up to 250 gallons of diesel fuel. Considering the standard retail price and assuming the vehicle gets 8 mpg, that’s a CPM of 2.6 cents, on average. Then, assuming a 10% increase in fuel economy and 50% reduction in DEF consumption as the company states, the cost savings per mile is around 5 or 6 cents. Additionally, reduced maintenance and downtime can further enhance ROI, the company points out.

The above statement brings up an important point. It’s always wise to find out what the OEM says about the use of a certain additive, particularly when the vehicle is still under warranty.

“We publish a fluids guide for all of our engines,” said Steve Collins, Detroit director of field sales engineering. “That guide outlines what is and isn’t encouraged or allowed. We typically don’t recommend additives to the fluid system, although maintaining good quality fuel is one of the most important pieces. You have to keep in mind that when we design an engine, it’s designed to run on specific fluids. So every time you’re introducing changes to the fluids, that could change the overall system. You just don’t know what the long-term impacts to the overall system design are.”

That’s why it’s a good idea to confirm that the additive you’re thinking about using will not void any warranties. But it’s not so easy to confirm if the fuel your trucks are running on is of good quality. Hence, the use of additives can be a cost-effective way to address potential fuel issues, helping to keep fuel economy up and CPM down.