Diesel Fuel Additive, Don’t Freeze Up. It’s Getting Cold Out There, Make Sure You’re Prepared

Sokolis Fuel Management is committed to making sure all of your fuel providers are giving you the highest quality diesel fuel possible, year round. That’s why we believe in the use of premium additives to further enhance the performance of your vehicles, especially in the coldest temperatures.

As you may or may not know, today’s diesel fuel is very different then what it was last year, let alone 20 years ago, and not necessarily for the better. Now more than ever, you need to consider fuel additives. Winter diesel fuel treatment is a no-brainer if you live, or your trucks head, North.

We talk with the majority of your suppliers on what winter fuel additive they are going to use in what we call the cold states. Most of the vendors are very good, but when you purchase fuel over the road at “Out of Network sites” retail station or truck stop, it is difficult to monitor whose fuel it is. Water is the enemy in the winter time.

We strongly recommend to all of our customers the following preventive maintenance:

• Drain the bottom of your trucks’ fuel tanks to remove water
• Change the fuel filters before Winter starts with the right size filters
• Drain the water from your water-fuel separator everyday

At quality “In Network” stops, you should not have any problems with the fuel in the winter.

As an extra precaution through our years in the industry, we believe, and our clients have relied upon, Innospec Products. We recommend to all of our clients with operations North of Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Utah to start treating their fleet with Winter Flow around November 15 to March 15 depending on how far North their fleet operates.

We are not saying you have to get this product, but when you rely upon your trucks to make your deliveries every day, and with the fuel quality and blends not being what they used to be, we feel it’s better to be safe than sorry. Think economically: If it’s 2 cents a gallon to treat your fuel and your fuel tank holds 100 gallons, that’s $20 . Your truck can’t make deliveries or will need a tow that will cost $1,500 plus unhappy clients.

This particular product provides a superior dual stage moisture control system. In other words, it:

• Includes water dispersant to help safely remove moisture on a gradual basis
• Protects against conditions that promote microbial contamination
• Reduces sludge formation that plugs fuel filters and causes deposits, smoke, and damage to fuel injectors
• Exceeds both the Cold-Filter Plugging Point and Pour Point obtained with a 50/50 blend of No. 2 and No. 1 diesel fuels
• Lowers the Cold-Filter Plugging Point as much as – 35 degrees F
• Prevents fuel gelling in temperatures as low as – 40 degrees F
• Disperses wax during extended engine shut-downs in cold conditions

There are other additive companies out there that we are happy to work with, but we have always had the best success with Winter Flow. We have arranged a deal with Innospec for them to provide our clients and vendors of our clients with Winter Flow at a special rate.

Additionally, we have set up a winter fuel program.

Here is how the program will work:

Sokolis, as an added value to our clients, will pick up the cost of testing at no charge and have Innospec provided plastic bottle sample kits (4 kits per case). Potential clients will pay $100 for the testing, per location.

Kits will be used for winter & summer bottom samples, as well as winter nozzle samples

Winter Nozzle Testing (October to March)

• Cloud Point (ASTM D2500, D5772)
• CFPP (ASTM D6371)
• Pour Point (ASTM 97, D5950)
• Water by Karl Fischer (ASTM D6304)

Bottom Testing of Bulk Tanks (All Year Round)

• Bottom Sediment & Water % volume (ASTM D2709)
• Water by Karl Fischer (ASTM D6304)
• Aerobic Bacteria
• Anaerobic Bacteria
• Yeast & Fungi

Our goal, while we are providing this testing for free, is to enhance your quality of fuel year round. We want to make sure you have the right additives to treat any conditions that your fuel has, or to prevent conditions from happening at all. It is all part of fuel management that Sokolis offers.

• For Sample Kits: please send an email to Lisa Walters at [email protected]
• Kits are shipped via ground unless otherwise specified by customer the need for overnight shipping. Never ship samples through the US Postal Service.
• Make sure when ordering sample kits they know you are a client of Sokolis
• Lab Contacts:
  • Joan Thomas- Lab Technician (administers all client service testing) [email protected] or (302) 451-1360
  • Stephanie Costa- [email protected] or (302) 451-1302 (sends all labor reports)
• Shipping Samples:
  • All samples are to be shipped to: Innospec Fuel Specialties, 200 Executive Drive, Newark, DE 19702
  • Sample can be shipped UPS, or FedEx (NO US MAIL)
  • Innospec has a sample shipping program arranged with FedEx Ground for diesel fuel samples. Pre-addressed barcode labels are provided and a $12 fee assessed to each kit once shipped (Sokolis and Innospec will not be paying for sample shipping)
  • Enclosed in the other attachments are samples of the testing:

Any questions about this program, please reach out to your Sokolis Account Manager or Lisa Walters at [email protected], or call (267) 482-6156.

Let’s hope for the best but plan for the worst.