Stiction is a combination of static and friction that takes place inside injectors of specific engines. The injectors lead to difficulties in starting the vehicles, lack of throttle response, and poor idle. Sometimes the oil in the car breaks down and builds up in the spool valve of the HEUI injector leading to Stiction. Stiction occurs in any vehicle that uses the HEUI-type, although it is a great enemy to the Ford’s 6.0L and 7.3L diesel engines.
Stiction is most common in the fuel delivery system used by the power strokes. To fix the Stiction problem, one should use a specially formulated oil addictive. Again, you can reduce its onset by using synthetic engine oil of high quality that is changed at the oil engine intervals recommended. The article discusses the best way that one can use to fix the Stiction problem.
What Stiction means
The 6.0L and the 7.3L power strokes use the HEUI injectors. The HEUI system was introduced in the 1990s by the caterpillar. Most modern rail systems use hydraulically actuated electronically controlled unit injectors—an injection pump with high pressure used to put pressure on the fuel in the injector body. However, the UEUI system does not use that. It always uses a highly pressurized oil that pushes directly to the injectors to establish the proper fuel pressure.
In basic terms, the oil pump puts pressure on some of the engine oil and sends it to the HEUI unit. The HEUI unit will open and close a spool valve that is inside the injector. By doing that, it allows the oil to flow on the intensifier piston. The intensifier piston will then convert the pressure of the oil to fuel pressure. Afterward, the fuel is pushed into the cylinder by the pressure at 4000psi.
At some point, the spool valve may have an oil residue that may be stuck on it. Similarly, the engine oil may become foamy and to the extent that the foam creates a false injector pressure. These two scenarios cause the stiction problem.
The only shortcoming with the HEUI system is that low-quality fuels highly affect it, which is not easily avoidable. The only way to prevent the formation of the oil residue and create foamy oil inside the spool valve is by keeping the injectors flowing well. The flow of the injectors is enhanced by cleaning them preventatively using an addiction.
Changing the oil frequently is crucial for the power stroke since the injectors operate by use of the oil pressure. Therefore, inspecting and changing the oil is the only way that ensures that the injector unit will constantly operate well. The operation pressure of the HEUI system on the oil side can sometimes be more than 3001 psi. That kind of pressure is high for the oil’s longevity as it will create foam by fast-breaking down the molecules.
The best oil additive to fix the stiction problem
There are different additives that are used to troubleshoot the issues of Stiction on the powerstroke injectors. The following are the most popular oil additives that prevent Stiction and how they function.
The best oil additive to cure your diesel’s Stiction
There are a few additives out there that claim to fix stiction issues on the power stroke injectors. Below I’ll cover a few of the most popular ones and how well they work.
1. 4oz bottles for REV-X engine oil treatment kit
Features
1. The rev-x kit contains 2 4oz bottles of high quality and can treat a maximum of twelve oil quarts.
2. The oil additive will quiet the engine noise when cleaning any hazardous deposits and varnish in the engines. In addition to that, it works to reduce the friction on all the components treated by creating a microscopic friction reduction layer to reach the areas that the other standard engine oils can’t.
3. The two 4oz bottles in the rev-x kit get rid of Stiction without the use of harmful and hazardous chemical strippers.
4. It reduces the wear and tear of the engine components treated by increasing the life service of the mineral-based oils and synthetic oils.
5. When used, the oil additive will improve and eliminate cold start issues in the diesel engines.
The rev-x has good reviews from those who have used it. They have testified of how the addiction has helped solve the Stiction problems. After changing the oil in the truck, add a few bottles of rev-x, and the Stiction issue is solved within the first 100 miles of the drive.
This oil additive is for the power stroke cold starts and solving the stiction problem in the injector.
Features
1. This kind of friction modifier treats one power stroke.
2. The cold start injector problems in the 6.0L and 7.3L power strokes are fixed by 16oz AR9100.
3. It extends the lifespan of the component by reducing wear and tear.
4. It creates a reduction of noise produced by the engine. In addition to that, it reduces vibration and heat production.
5. fixing tools required
- Gasoline engines
- Hydraulics
- Gearboxes
- Power steering systems
The 16oz AR9100 friction modifier is good just as the rev-x and also costs less per oz. The lower pricing is reasonable to ensure that you grab one for your engine that you can use after changing the engine oil. You will notice some smooth acceleration when you start a maintenance routine using the AR9 100 16oz friction modifier.
Hot Shot’s secret HSS64Z Stiction eliminator – 64 fl. Oz
Its features
1. It restores the power and performance of the engine as it prevents excess wear and tears.
2. Its function is to clean and lubricate the oil system components such as the injectors and turbo.
3. When third-party testing is over, it verifies that the wear reduced by the Hot Shot’s secret HSS64Z is 63 percent more than the engine oil.
4. For better engine performance, the hot shot’s secret HSS64Z restores 90 percent of the HEUI that is failing.
5. The Hot Shot’s secret HSS64Z works on gasoline engines and diesel engines.
According to the reviews that many people give, the hot shot’s secret HSS64Z is very much helpful in fixing the Stiction problems. It is cheaper compared to the other oil additives. Therefore, it is good to try it out if the other additives didn’t work best for you.
All the above friction modifiers are made to perform the same function and work best for you. The rev-x is used most of the time in very tough cases, and also, it is the most expensive. When doing preventative maintenance, I would choose the last two oil additives because they are cheaper.
Changing the oil frequently
It is essential to frequently change the oil on a diesel engine with fuel injection systems that use high-pressure oils. As a result of high pressure in the injector unit, the oil is subject to wear than in a regular engine because of shear. The mechanical stress in the oil is measured through shear.
When the oil is under a considerable load, for example, in the diesel injector system, the effective viscosity of the oil is significantly reduced. Therefore, the oil is thinned out more quickly in a diesel engine than a gasoline engine. Therefore the effectiveness of lubrication is lowered.
The best oil for Stiction prevention
So far, you are aware of the importance of frequent changes in engine oils. Now, we will look at the best oil used to prevent Stiction. When shopping for diesel oil, it is essential to consider the oil additives used in protecting against shear. The following are some of the best oils that use a delivery system of high-pressure oil.
ROTELLA T6 VS DELO 400LE- The additive in the ROTELLA T6 is top-notch, and it ensures that it is the best choice for the diesel engines that use the HEUI system.
Stiction symptoms
- Poor idle
- Hesitation in acceleration
- Excess black smoke from the tailpipe
- Cold starts
- Faulty injector diagnosis
- Misfiring of the engine after load application
Spool valve cleaning in the injectors
To clean off the oil residue in the injector valve, most people use additives and frequently change the oil. However, those methods cannot fully clean the residue. As a result, the spool valves need to be removed and cleaned using hands or replacing the injectors with new ones.
Replace worn injectors
If you have tried all the methods of removing Stiction in your truck, such as the frequent change of the oil and the use of additives, and nothing has changed, try using the remanufactured injectors to replace the existing one. By doing this, you would have solved the stiction problem completely.
Conclusion
In conclusion, prevention of Stiction by use of the only lubricant can only fix the problem temporarily. The best way to solve the Stiction issue is by the use of additives. The additives contain detergents and dispersants that are designed to treat Stiction issues.
Finally, I hope that you have learned the best way that you can use to prevent or treat Stiction. Ensure that you do a maintenance routine to the truck engine using the best additives for a smooth running engine.