1.25 Ounces of Prevention

Whoever made the statement, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could easily have been talking about three DMAX diesel additives available through most Massey Ferguson® dealers. Fact is, just a few ounces of these additives—all marketed by AGCO Parts—is all it takes to prevent a world of problems, summer or winter. As concentrated as the AGCO DMAX products are, it’s really cheap insurance with any of the products. “Eight to 16 ounces of the DMAX products will treat as much as a quart of some other brands,” says Doug Vahrenberg. “So it really comes out to just pennies per gallon.”

DMAX Diesel

Plus A diesel conditioner that cleans and lubricates, DMAX Diesel Plus also increases the fuel cetane level—stabilizing the fuel blend—and helps clean fuel injectors. “It’s a good fuel conditioner for any diesel engine,” says Doug Vahrenberg, with Vahrenberg Implement in Higginsville, Mo. “But it’s even more important in older diesel engines that depended on sulfur in the fuel to help with lubrication.”

DMAX Winter

Primarily used as an anti-gel agent to prevent diesel fuel from gelling during cold weather, DMAX Winter also demulsifies or displaces water in the fuel. While many people believe an anti-gel agent is unnecessary when they’re already using winter-blend diesel, Vahrenberg advises caution. “A few years ago, we had a rash of gelling problems, which all seemed to be concentrated in one area,” he recalls. “Come to find out, the customers were all getting their fuel from the same supplier; and since it was a mild winter, he had tried to save money by adding less winter-blend fuel.” There’s also frequently a need, says Vahrenberg, for DMAX Winter in a compact or utility tractor that only gets used a few times a year. “The owner may get it out to move snow in the winter and not realize the tractor hasn’t been used since August when he last mowed the grass. They suddenly have problems because the fuel tank is still half full of summer-blend diesel.”

DMAX Biocide

One of the newest, fastest growing problems associated with diesel fuel is the growth of algae in the tank, which calls for a biocide in the fuel. The exact reason for algae growth in fuel isn’t known; it’s speculated that the mandate on the use of low-sulfur diesel is largely to blame. Jim Thraen, service manager at Robinson Implement Co. in Irwin, Iowa, says he has seen the problem get worse the last couple of years. “It doesn’t take much of an outbreak to clog the fuel filter either on the machine or at the fuel storage tank,” Thraen says. “Consequently, the DMAX Biocide lists two treatment levels. You can either use 1.25 ounces per 100 gallons as a maintenance level or double that for a shock treatment to kill existing algae.” “Once you get it, you don’t get rid of it overnight,” says Bruce Paulsen, who farms near Schleswig, Iowa, and experienced algae in his fuel supply a few years ago. After using DMAX Biocide, Paulsen says he hasn’t had a recurrence and continues to use the Biocide as insurance.

As concentrated as the AGCO DMAX products are, it’s really cheap insurance with any of the products. “Eight to 16 ounces of the DMAX products will treat as much as a quart of some other brands,” says Doug Vahrenberg. “So it really comes out to just pennies per gallon.”

For more information about the DMAX line of products, check with your local Massey Ferguson dealer.