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Lars(wi) 
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Permian Basin
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 Topic: Fuel tank selector valve…………..
Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 6:27am |
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Acted up the other day on the ‘91 F-350 7.3L IDI. For a day, was drawing fuel from both tanks. This following about 6 weeks adding a small bottle 2-cycle oil at every fill-up to aid with pump lubrication while pulling that heavy camper across the country.
My question is; is the 2-cycle oil being added to diesel cause the pistons in the selector valve to get ‘sticky’ and possibly ‘hang up’?
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 7:00am |
Two Cycle Oil is not meant for Diesels, may be a lubricant in two stroke engines, is actually too Viscous even diluted for Fuel Injection Systems. Same issues were found using filtered Waste Engine oils to fuels as a Extender and to consume the waste.
Simple Answer Yes.
BTW, significant add on, for those adding ATF to fuel tanks for Lubricity, is perfectly fine on OFF Road machines, for on Highway is NOT as the materials in ATF can foul all manner of Emissions devices if have not been dealt with, as well using previous version that are RED, the chances of being caught as use of AG Diesel on Hwy. becomes more prevalent. Friend of ours had 'Treated' his Home Tank of ON Hwy Diesel with ATF, delivering agent noted was RED in Color and cautioned to deaf ears, was a Spot Check at a Grain delivery site and he was TICKETED for Dyed Fuel, truck was placed OOS until the Fuel supply was fully cleaned and cleared. And NO, there is NO test that can confirm was Not AG Fuel. ALL Diesel comes from same truckloads, Dye is added as Complete AG tank Fillings.
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PaulB
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Rocky Ridge Md
Points: 5167
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Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 7:27am |
If anyone wishes to a a lubricant to Diesel fuel, especially ON Highway fuel, They should use a product specifically for ON Highway fuel such as PowerService injector cleaner. This is the only product that is made by a diesel engine company. There is also a comparable Standyne product made by a Diesel injection products company. These products are "water clear" and won't be an issue when spot checked, which any diesel vehicle driven on the highway is subject to. Oils of any kind could have enough dye of any color that would be detectable in a test. Anything else I'd consider to be snake oils or homebrews which may work just fine for some and create big problems for others. I would also only use the above products in OFF ROAD fuels as homebrews are like playing Russian Roulette. Having been a bulk transporter of fuel for many years starting before the introduction of ULSD, I have encountered first hand the complaints from those that tried to save a penny with their own homebrews for lubication when the sulfur started to be removed from diesel fuel. However anyone is welcome to use whatever they like, DO YOU FEEL LUCKY?
Edited by PaulB - 13 Nov 2025 at 7:29am
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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Lars(wi)
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Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 7:33am |
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I chose the 2-cycle oil as hopefully finding a pump lubricant that is also designed to ‘burn, unlike atf or used engine oil that is not intended to ignite. I will give it a couple fill-ups without adding anything and see if the issue clears itself.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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Lars(wi)
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Location: Permian Basin
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Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 7:50am |
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I remember when ‘dyed’ off-road fuel concept first it the market. Some was red, some was blue, the blue diesel didn’t last long because of the potential of being mistaken for aviation fuel, that was(at the time tinted blue). Some loading facilities were slow to install the dye injection equipment at the racks, so we had to splash blend the dye. At first we could add the fuel at the customers tank, then we had loading facility personnel witness us dumping the dye in the compartments of the tankers at the facility. The fun times.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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Coke-in-MN
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Afton MN
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Posted: 13 Nov 2025 at 10:20pm |
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When I was hauling tanker trucks , loading diesel into truck compartment ( 4 section trailer ) the loading slip at the refinery automatically injected die as that slip contained loading instructions on how many gallons (pounds) of fuel was on total order .
Yes ATF can color fuel to get DOCKED by fuel sampling by DOT compliance .
Had MN Highway Patrol ( Truck Div ) stick tanks on dump trucks often , use to ask them if they wanted to stick backhoe or dozed also as I only bought ON ROAD fuel just to prevent someone screwing up and transferring the wrong fuel
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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.
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DMiller
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Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 14 Nov 2025 at 5:45am |
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All ag fuel either I delivered years ago or being delivered today around here is Dyed after placed In tank at user sites. None is dyed in trucks anymore due to cross contamination of the Dye to On Hwy Fuels also hauled.
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BuckSkin
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Joined: 12 Sep 2019
Location: Poor Farm
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Posted: 11 hours 60 minutes ago at 6:47pm |
 Lars(wi) wrote:
Acted up the other day on the ‘91 F-350 7.3L IDI. For a day, was drawing fuel from both tanks. This following about 6 weeks adding a small bottle 2-cycle oil at every fill-up to aid with pump lubrication while pulling that heavy camper across the country.
My question is; is the 2-cycle oil being added to diesel cause the pistons in the selector valve to get ‘sticky’ and possibly ‘hang up’? |
NO --- 2-cycle oil WILL NOT harm your fuel tank selector valve.
I am surprised that yours has lasted as long as it has; most failed several times before these trucks were a couple years old, usually stranding the truck in the worst possible places such as right in the middle of busy intersections.
More years ago than I can count, after going to the Ford parts counter and buying several electric units that all quickly failed, I installed TWO Weatherhead 4-position MANUAL fuel selector valves, one switches DRAW and the other switches RETURN; these have never let me down.
Why the 4-position valves === I have three tanks; the original pair of 20-gallon tanks plus a 52-gallon auxiliary for 92-gallon capacity.
Why two separate valves instead of one double-stacked valve that switches both === I very much prefer having separate valves.
Both valves reside in the floor between the driver seat and door.
It was a simple matter to route the gauge wires through a double-throw switch, also mounted through the floor and close to the selector valves, oriented such that with the toggle forward = FRONT Tank and toggle rearward = REAR Tank.
The big tank has a separate gauge of it's own.
As for the 2-cycle oil, I have ran it religiously and adamantly at the ratio of 1-ounce per gallon ever since they took the Sulphur out of fuel and I have had zero problems from doing so.
All of my fuel valve failures happened long before they took the Sulphur out of the fuel and long before I started using 2-cycle oil; so, we can't blame those failures on my use of 2-cycle oil.
Most of the purpose-made so-called lubricity additives have been proven to be snake oil.
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BuckSkin
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Location: Poor Farm
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Posted: 11 hours 50 minutes ago at 6:57pm |
Lars(wi) wrote:
used engine oil that is not intended to ignite |
Myself, I can tell no difference between running a heavy concentration of used engine oil versus straight diesel; mileage or power seems to be the same for me.
One advantage I have found is that a heavy dose of used engine oil will completely kill a bad infestation of "fuel algae" and eliminate it from the affected tank, better than anything purpose-made for the task.
The local fuel injection pump specialist swears by a heavy dose of ATF as being even better in all aspects; however, I find it cost prohibitive when compared to 2-cycle oil.
In a diesel engine, nothing "ignites"; it explodes from compression.
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Darwin W. Kurtz
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Joined: 06 Apr 2010
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Posted: 11 hours 35 minutes ago at 7:12pm |
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I remember when Coop (Farmland Industries) offered Ruby Premium Diesel Fuel which was red and GHP Diesel Fuel which stood for Guaranteed High Performance
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 10 hours 39 minutes ago at 8:08pm |
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40 years ago we had a 41B dozer with a 1710 Cummins eng have the fuel pump lock up... Sent back to Cummins and they said " your fuel has used engine oil in it... Random metalic particles stuck in the pump"..... called the fuel vendor and he finally admitted they diluted their fuel with used oil to get rid of it, and also save a Buck !!
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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Lars(wi)
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Permian Basin
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Posted: 9 hours 49 minutes ago at 8:58pm |
Darwin W. Kurtz wrote:
I remember when Coop (Farmland Industries) offered Ruby Premium Diesel Fuel which was red and GHP Diesel Fuel which stood for Guaranteed High Performance |
Amoco(Standard Oil) marketed ‘AMOCO Premier’ a diesel fuel they claimed would reduce smoke with the special additives, turns out it had a 30% No. 1 blended into it even during the summer.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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