OT-diesel fuel cold weather

At what temp do you need to put an additive in diesel fuel to keep it from turning to jelly?

You put it in while it is still warmish (40s) so it can mix with the waxes in the fuel. If you wait till it is cold enough to gel it won't work till it warms up. If the temps are predicted to go below 25 better add it now.

nancy, we run additive in the tow trucks pretty much all winter. 20 degree range and below. the trucks HAVE to run, no if ands or buts. buy fuel from a source that sells a lot of fuel.

I start at 30. Never know what quality fuel you get.

Not a good answer, but if the fan blast can be averted from the fuel pump and lines, it will go a long way to keep the fuel from jelling. Just a piece of cardboard is all it takes in some situations.Used to do that all the time with a 4320 that I plowed a lot of snow with.Have also added a couple gallons of unleaded gasoline to the fuel when in a pinch.No, it didn't hurt the injection pump.

Up here on the tundra, I simply buy good winter fuel and don't worry about adding anything to it.

It was -19º and I don't expect to have any trouble with my loader tractor when I start it up this morning.

Uncut diesel fuel will start to gel at around -8 to-10 below 0.
Don't wait , treat it before temps get that cold.

Straight bio-diesel can have issues starting around 40F. Don't ask me how I know...

Probably the frech fry fat. LOL

Nancy,Iwas always under the impression that Texas was hot country.Sounds like it is real cold down there.Does it get get cold often?Do these cold snaps last long?Thanks

I filled up my 02 Dodge with a Cummins last fall when it was warm. All that was available was #2. I don't use it much during the winter up here in SD. Last week it was 30 degrees and I had to move a tractor. I went out and it started right up and I ran it for a couple hours moving things around with no problems with the straight #2. Previous low had been -17 while it sat. I have a fuel temp gauge on it and it was showing 33 when I started it and after running it awhile it was up in the high 50's. This is taken at the pump but it recirculates the extra fuel back into the tank so it gets warmed up there also.

I live in Minnesota, been running diesel tractors for 30 years.

The waxes start to form a tad around 28 degrees. By 5 degrees you most likely will have a solid filter.

Somewhere in between is the problem temps.

The trouble is, you need to have treated fuel in the injector and the lines and the filters _before_ the temps drop down that low.....

So put the treatment (or blend in 20% #1 diesel or kerosene) _before_ the temps stay below 25 degrees and run the tractor enough to get some of the treatment in the lines.

--->Paul

go buy some Power Service winter and put in you diesel tank and you will not have any problems...I use it in all my trucks Big diesels and pickups all winter here in North Alabama

Why not just blend in 10% gasoline and suck 'er right on down to #1 diesel?

Guess people just dont do that anymore. Easier to buy the snake oil in the pretty little plastic jug at four times the money?

Allan

I only run one diesel in the winter so I blend my own, 25 gallons #2 off road out of the farm tank and 5 gallons of kerosene and 1/2 bottle of power service anti-jell. Run it for half an hour to get it all blended, have never had it quit on me. I have a blower on it and a big tank heater. I have used it at -20. I would say any thing below freezing I would add something or blend. Now with this low sulfur fuel with soybean oil added who knows?? All the diesel here is B-2.

Hello Nancy Howell,
On road diesel is blended at the reinery dock. Tankers will deliver the proper mix for the area.
Best place to ask i would think is the local fuel supplier. They would know, what the mix is. It changes with the temp, for the same area.
Guido.

in Mn down to zero I don't worry, below that some #1 and gets blended in but that has to be done before the extreme cold sets in, ask a reputable pump shop and they will tell you power service is bad for your pump and good for business

The oil companies say the gelling temperture is based on the cloud point and you have to call the pipeline terminal where your fuel comes from to get this information. So for my customers I always ordered preimum fuel and it was good to 40 below. The thing is farmers like #1 in there fuel and truckers like the additive in there fuel for better fuel milage.

It depends a lot on how clean your filter is

I've run #2 treated with PowerService down to about -20F, but I've also had it start to jell up at that temperature too, so your mileage may vary. I wouldn't run untreated #2 below 10F. Currently I'm running a 50/50 #1/#2 blend PLUS PowerService because I just plum sick of fuel problems and don't want to push the envelope anymore. Changing a fuel filter is painful at 25F and it's downright torture at -25F!

We just run winter diesel fuel and never have a problem.

November thru May up here. 50-50 kero-No. 2 at the pumps

Just got home from pushing snow (10 AM). My 2008 F450 6.4 litre is sitting at Conoco with gelled fuel. When I left at 2 AM it was -17, truck started right up and made it to Monument 5 miles away before it died. I knew I should have put in a anti-gel yesterday, but didn't. Thank goodness I have 2 other plow trucks that are gassers and the fact we didn't as much snow that was predicted. Same thing happened last year when temps were 0 and it cost me over $400.00 from the local Ford shop to get going again. Have been told that the teir 5 fuels, Conoco, Shell, Diamond Shamrock, have all the addatives needed. Don't beleive it. Put in a anti-gel addative when the temps get down to single digits. It'll cost me again.

Hopefully the truck will be ok. Drove about 10 mi. to the nearest auto parts store, got some diesel additive that prevents gelling, added it to both tanks at the auto parts store, drove back to a gas station and added fuel to help it mix, then back to the house.

Current temp is 20 and 9 the predicted low tonight. Wind is the killer, steady at 20 with gusts to 40+.

Piece of siding came loose and is flopping, no way is it going to get fixed in this wind.

nancy, if you have a block heater, keep the truck plugged in. also, when you do your cold start, cycle the key 3 or 4 times to get the glow plugs heated up before you try to start it.

The main thing is that if you know its going to get cold,put it in before it does,I think you have done that,so you should be alright.As long as you are above 20 degress I doubt that you would have much trouble.Below 20 degrees,and you will probably have to have additive in there.
I live in Missouri,so it gets colder up here and we did have blended fuel in the winter.Maybe if you dont have blended fuel,I would say you probably ought to put it in when its around 30 degrees if you know its going to get cold and run it a while to get it mixed up in there.

Wind chill only affects people & animals . Has nothing to do with fuel jelling. The fuel will only get to actual cold temp.

Everybody worries about fuel gelling but water contamination in the diesel fuel probably causes more problems than gelled fuel. The water sits in the bottom of the tank and cold weather can freeze it and close off the stariner and the tank valve. When that happens you"re in a real fix.
The water enters the fuel tank through condensation and from contaminated fuel storage tanks. Tt"s heavier than the fuel and collects on the bottom. You can never eilininate it completely but you can minimize it. Keep the tanks full and fill up at the end of your work day. Use a fuel additive (like Power Service White, Stanadyne, etc) that diseprses the water in the fuel. This keeps it from collecting at the tank bottom and it will be taken out by the filter. However the filter will then freeze in sub freezing temperature and will need to be changed to get running again. So keep a spare filter or two handy. What you don"t want is a tank outlet to freeze. Drain the filter(s) and/ or water separator before and after every use to minimize the problem. Change your fuel filters before the cold weather gets here and as I said keep spares on hand. If you do get a freeze up, I have used a heat gun( blow dryer) to warm the filters and get running again, but it"s a temporary fix The freeze may occur away from a source of electricity so unless you have s current bush to plug into (grin) you"ve got a problem.

To get back to your original question, gelling occurs because parafins in the fuel precipitate out at temperatures <-20F and colder. They look like a waxy mucous in the tank. Most fuel additives will help prevent this somewhat and a good cold weather winter blend fuel will be a mixture of #2 diesel and #1 diesel that will help prevent this problem. If gelling does occur, it will coat the filter with wax and clog it. There is a product call 911 that is supposed to helptis sitation . You replace the filter with a new one, fill it with 911 and pour the rest in the tank. I have never experienced gelled fuel (and I live in Western Montana where it can get cold) but that"s what other"s who have have said.

I add #1 diesel at one part #1 to two parts #2 for winter fuel as a preventative. #1 iesel has a lower LHV so you"ll burn a bit more fuel but a gelled up fuel system won"t allow you to do anything with a diesel powered machine. And if mine don"t run, the cows don"t eat!

I hope this helps you.

Used to put the old oil in the diesel fuel tank as well, but manufaturers just don't approve of such things any more, and tree huggers go balistic if you figure out a way to be self-sufficient like that.

Neighbors are buying tractors with the tier 4 pollution controls, gotta have a salty water kit on it, all computter controls, cat converter....

I'm not sure what 10% gasoline would do to my neighbors tractors.

--->Paul

Some is some isn't my fuel isn't my full supply owner told Me no it's not treated. in nw pa.

Hello rusted nuts,
Yes it was, at least when I was at the loading dock.
In the Philadelphia metro area, the blend date was December 15, at 10% kero.
40% was the max winter mix. This fuel mix was dispensed at the rack, onto tankers.
SEPTA use 100% kero on the diesel units.
At least they were when I was active in the business. They maybe using bunker fuel now,for all I know, I don't really have a clue now.
I can only tell you what used to be the norm.
Many truckers filling up in a warm climate, and going north, payed the prize, because no blend is needed in a warm state like Florida.
Guido.

Hello Allen,
VW diesel said the same thing. Add gas to the diesel fuel 5% by volume.
HEY! it used to work. Now who knows. With all them transistors and capacitors doing the work you may let all the smoke out!.
Keep on picking.
Guido.

I have been in ID at -28F and shut it down for the night woke up started it up run till warm and left no problems and no cute bottles either. No ether to start it.
Fuel I still believe is pre blended for the temperature it is going to be used in. So don't buy southern fuel, and come north in the winter, and not expect trouble if you don't buy fuel along the way.
If it is only going down to the teens you might want to treat it, since your in the non blended fuel areas and teens is not your normal temps.

If you buy diesel at the pump, pretty much every station puts the right fuel for the season in the holding tank. It doesn't hurt to put conditioner in as well though. Dave

Allen, there is a product that will un-gel it in about 20 hrs. Thazit or Thawzit at NAPA. That -23 degree morning, I had a diesel gel. Put a little of the Thawzit in the tank & a few hrs later first fuel filter drained and a couple hrs later the second filter would drain and the tractor started right up.

Theoretically, you are correct, but if the fuel is say 30 degrees then the fan blast can sure lower the temperature if the amibent temperature is lower.Been there,done that.

Why add anti-gel to #2 fuel that contains wax? Use #1 winter diesel that doesn't contain wax.