You already know that diesel additives are not all the same. Some stop gelling, some clean injectors, some add lubricity, and some do very little. I wrote this guide to give you a clear way to sort them, whether you run one truck or a full yard.
I judge a brand by five things: what the formula does, how the maker proves it, whether it is safe for emission systems, whether the sizes fit your operation, and what the company does if you are unhappy. Howes Products is a family-owned maker in Rhode Island that meets those tests, and I will explain why they deserve a spot on your shortlist.
By the end, you will know which jobs need which product, which questions to ask any brand, and how to build a treatment plan that fits your budget.
What an Additive Needs to Do
Your fuel system faces the same problems every season. A good additive line covers these:
- Cold weather protection, so fuel keeps flowing when temperatures drop
- Lubricity, since Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel gives pumps and injectors less natural protection
- Injector cleaning, to remove deposits and stop new ones
- Water control, so water leaves through the separator instead of staying in the tank
- Emission system safety, including particulate filters
If a brand covers only one of these, you will need to buy from several makers. A brand with products for each need makes your plan easier to manage.
Five Questions to Ask Any Brand
Ask these before you buy a case or a drum:
1. Does the formula contain alcohol or harsh solvents?
2. Has the company tested it in the lab and in the field?
3. Is it safe for your emission system and your warranty?
4. Does it come in bulk sizes if you need them?
5. What happens if it does not work?
Alcohol-based products can mix water into the fuel. That is the wrong direction for your tank. Look for a product that pushes water out so your separator can remove it.
Why Howes Belongs on Your List
Howes started in 1920, when Wendell V.C. Howes helped build the additive market with preventive maintenance products. Today the company is in its fifth generation of family ownership. They stand behind their line with a simple pledge: “Tested. Trusted. Guaranteed.”
Every product they make is free of alcohol and harmful solvents. Howes says each formula goes through long research and proof in the lab and in the field before release. That matches the questions I listed above.
Here is how their main products fit different jobs.
Diesel Treat for Cold Weather and Daily Protection
Diesel Treat is their anti-gel and fuel conditioner. Diesel begins to cloud and thicken around 34°F and can gel fully at about 15°F or lower. Diesel Treat keeps fuel flowing in those conditions.
It also adds lubricity, helps prevent injector deposits, reduces cold filter plugging, and demulsifies water. It is petroleum-based, particulate filter friendly, and warranty safe for diesel emission systems. It works in diesel, biodiesel blends, and home heating oil.
Remember that Diesel Treat is preventive. It will not reverse gelling once gelling starts. Howes backs it with a free winter tow guarantee: “You Go or We Pay the Tow.”
Diesel Defender for Lubricity and Cleaning
Defender is their fuel lubricator and injector cleaner, built around a detergent called IDX4. Howes says it delivers up to 2.5 times more lubricity than most competing products. Independent HFRR wear scar testing showed treated fuel beat both the US 520-micron standard and the stricter European 460-micron standard.
The detergent cleans existing deposits and prevents new ones, including internal deposits in high pressure common rail systems. Howes designed it to clean the whole fuel system within three treatments. They also guarantee a fuel economy increase of 5 percent or more with regular use.
You can run Defender year-round. Since all Howes products are petroleum-based, you can use it with Diesel Treat without harm from overtreatment.
Meaner Power Kleaner for a Deep Clean
This is a concentrated, one-tank flush, not a daily additive. I would point you to it in three cases:
- Your treatment has been inconsistent
- You bought a used truck or machine with an unknown history
- Power or throttle response has started to slip
It targets baked-on injector deposits and coked nozzles. Cleaner combustion reduces soot loading in the particulate filter, which can extend the miles between regenerations. Howes is clear that it is not a universal check-engine-light fix. It can address deposit and soot conditions behind certain fuel system and filter codes.
Diesel Lifeline for Emergencies
Every driver who works in winter should know about Lifeline. It re-liquefies gelled fuel and de-ices frozen filters, and Howes says it often restores flow in about 15 minutes, in temperatures down to -35°F and beyond.
It needs no pre-mixing with extra diesel and no filter change. It is also made without alcohol. It is a recovery product, not a replacement for Diesel Treat. Keep a bottle in your cab or toolbox during cold months.
Oil and Other Products
Howes also makes Oil Enhancer for engine and oil protection, Fuel Enhancer for gasoline and diesel engines, and the original Multi-Purpose Lubricator and Penetrating Oil. Fleets use the Multi-Purpose product on brake cables, locks, air tools, and overhead doors.
Bulk Options for Fleets
If you run a yard with bulk or inground storage, treating by the bottle wastes time. Howes sells Diesel Treat Concentrate and Diesel Defender Concentrate in 2.5-gallon jugs, 55-gallon drums, and 275-gallon totes.
Diesel Treat Concentrate contains a wax crystal modifier that changes the size and shape of wax crystals as they form, so they cannot bind together and gel. Ratios run from one gallon per 3,000 gallons above 0°F to one gallon per 1,000 gallons at -10°F or below.
At one gallon per 3,000 gallons, a drum of Defender Concentrate treats up to 165,000 gallons, and a tote treats up to 825,000 gallons.
A Simple Plan for Owner-Operators
Keep your plan short enough that you will follow it:
1. Use Diesel Defender as your steady, year-round treatment.
2. Add Diesel Treat when temperatures fall toward the cloud point.
3. Carry Diesel Lifeline from late fall through winter.
4. Use Meaner Power Kleaner when performance drops or you buy a used unit.
Read the label for dose rates. Treat ratios change above and below 0°F, and cars, pickups, and tractors call for a double dose of Diesel Treat.
Final Recommendation
I recommend you choose an additive brand by proof, safety, and support. Howes covers all three. Their products have no alcohol, they work with emission systems, and they come with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. If you are unhappy, you mail in your original receipt for a full refund.
Their Knowledge Station also gives you guidance on gelling temperatures, lubricity, and signs of failing injectors. You can find Howes products at retail locations nationwide or call 1-800-GET-HOWES with questions. Start with one product that fits your biggest problem, then build from there.
