Just a reminder-It's that time of the year.

[Jerry/MT]

Just a reminder to all you folks with diesel powered tractors operating in Northern climes that you need to be thinking about changing your fuel filters and making sure your fuel is treated for winter operation. Get that chore out of the way now and when that first big winter snowstorm hits you won't be cussing the fact that your fuel filters are frozen due to water contaminated fuel or your summer fuel is gelled up.
The guys that are new to tractors should pay particular attention to this reminder because they haven't gone through a winter with a diesel powered machine.
Even if your owners manual says you don't need to replace the filter for 600 hrs and you only have a 100 hrs on the engine you'd be wise to heed this reminder. The owners manual time limit is most likely writtten for high use ag tractors that rack up 1200 hrs a year or more. Low use tractors sit for long periods of time with partially full tanks that pick up condensation in large ammounts and have a higher probablility of entering the cold season with summer grade diesel. Those are both recipies for problems in cold weather operation. And don't forget to study the owners manual instructions for bleeding the fuel system after replacing the filter. Keep your fuel tanks topped in cold weather to minimize water comntamination due to condensation.
A little time spent getting your tractors fuel system ready for cold weather will save a lot of frustration when the cold weather hits.

P.S. Dont forget to check the coolant concentration in the radiator, too. Cracked block are no fun either!

 

[topstoy]

Great reminder, thanks !:thumbsup:

 

[sweep]

Yes, lot's of great points especially the summer/winter diesel.

I'm lucky in that my fuel dealer notes when the winter diesel is now in the pump but it was late this year for some reason.

I was buying just 1-2 gallons at a time recently and have been keeping my tank somewhat low so I can fill it up with the winter diesel.

 

[nightrider2108]

well i live in south ga but i drive trucks all over the country i use howes fuel treatment in semi as well as farm tractor it treats the fuel and lubricates the fuel system where the ulsd fuel with the low sulfer content has alot less lubrication i run this year round and have had no gell problems for last 10 years or so also if you dont keep your fuel tank full the inside of the tank sweats adding condensation to fuel if you top your tank off after use it not near as bad. hope this helps

 

[MiserableOldFart]

Just wondering if anyone can give a guideline as to what you can get away with running summer fuel + additive in the cold weather. There is always a lag for me at this time of the year, and fuel I buy now might not get used for quite a while depending on the snowfall.

Other question that comes to my mind is that while dealers start getting winter fuel around here early enough.. how much of that winter fuel is in their tanks during the early winter, and how much is still the summer stuff? There really isn't any way of knowing that, is there?

I have had a few adventures in fuel dynamics in the cold weather and don't really need any more.. Diesel 911 works, but I wonder if it does the engine any harm.. If I had a warm tank for my furnace, I'd dump the summer fuel in it, but I have to burn kero in the outside tank, so can't risk gelling with the summer diesel there, either.

 

[ksshooter]

Jerry, thanks for the reminder. The former owner changed the fuel filter at 300 hours. I now have 345 hours. I had no plans to change it until the next scheduled change or next winter. Would you change it out?
I have already treated all my diesel fuel for winter and tested it. I used to add an additive to my gas tractor and cars to prevent fuel line freeze from condensation. Is there anything like that to add to diesel to deal with condensation?

 

[Dirtball]

Mr OLdFart treat all your fuel NOW. USe a product like Howe's. I run Howe's year round for it's lubricity. If you have kerosene around it can get you out of a gel problem sometimes. Torpedo heater blowing on the tractor worked for me once. Tarps and few lightbulbs will warm one up also. Do Not use the block heater 24/7 , just for 20-30 mins prior to use depending on temp. ........just a few winter tips.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Just wondering if anyone can give a guideline as to what you can get away with running summer fuel + additive in the cold weather. There is always a lag for me at this time of the year, and fuel I buy now might not get used for quite a while depending on the snowfall.

Other question that comes to my mind is that while dealers start getting winter fuel around here early enough.. how much of that winter fuel is in their tanks during the early winter, and how much is still the summer stuff? There really isn't any way of knowing that, is there?

I have had a few adventures in fuel dynamics in the cold weather and don't really need any more.. Diesel 911 works, but I wonder if it does the engine any harm.. If I had a warm tank for my furnace, I'd dump the summer fuel in it, but I have to burn kero in the outside tank, so can't risk gelling with the summer diesel there, either.

If I had summer fuel, I'd treat it with something like Power Service in the white bottle, Stanadyne, Howes, etc per the label mainly for the water dispersant properties and then add some #1 diesel to any stored fuel in a 2:1 ratio ;2 parts #2 /1 part #1. The #1 that should help keep you from gelling.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Jerry, thanks for the reminder. The former owner changed the fuel filter at 300 hours. I now have 345 hours. I had no plans to change it until the next scheduled change or next winter. Would you change it out?
I have already treated all my diesel fuel for winter and tested it. I used to add an additive to my gas tractor and cars to prevent fuel line freeze from condensation. Is there anything like that to add to diesel to deal with condensation?

Try to keep the tank full to minimize condensation and treat the fuel with Power Service-White, Stanadyne , etc for its water dispersant properties.Always have a spare fuel filter around especially if you don't change your fuel filter before winter. With diesels the water collects in the tank bottom and the water separator and the fuel filter bottom and if you really have a lot of water it will freeze on the water seprator element and the fuel filter element. I've had that happen and that's why I sent out the reminder. Partilly clogged filters will freeze sooner becausee the element is all ready partialy restricted. I have never had a a diesel fuel line freeze, however.

I probably wouldn't changethe filter out either with just 45 hrs on it. If you have drain on your filter housing drain them regularly into a clear, glass jar and look for water. Do that before you start in the winter a few time and IF you don't see water you can do it less often. If you see water, make sure that your fuel is treated with something that disperses water and check for water before every start. Drain until you don't get any additional water out of the separator..

 

[MiserableOldFart]

Thanks for the info, Jerry. I use the Power Service White. Probably before the real cold hits, I'll drain some of the bottom of the tank to be sure there's not a lot of water there too. Will also mix my remaining No. 2 with the winter stuff.. And for good measure, I'll keep some diesel 911 around just in case. It's no fun fooling with the filter when it's 10 degrees and snowing..

Dirtball, I don't have a block heater and have never had any problems starting in the cold weather (My battery is now 5+ years old, so there could be some any time) but have had adventures after running a bit. It would seem that there should be a way for that filter to scavenge some heat from the engine to keep from freezing up. The filter on the little 26hp engine is very small, too, and I think that plays into it.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Thanks for the info, Jerry. I use the Power Service White. Probably before the real cold hits, I'll drain some of the bottom of the tank to be sure there's not a lot of water there too. Will also mix my remaining No. 2 with the winter stuff.. And for good measure, I'll keep some diesel 911 around just in case. It's no fun fooling with the filter when it's 10 degrees and snowing..

Dirtball, I don't have a block heater and have never had any problems starting in the cold weather (My battery is now 5+ years old, so there could be some any time) but have had adventures after running a bit. It would seem that there should be a way for that filter to scavenge some heat from the engine to keep from freezing up. The filter on the little 26hp engine is very small, too, and I think that plays into it.

MOF you appear to live in a cold climate and even though your engine is an easy starter, a block heater helps make life a bit easier on the battery and the engine for those cold winter starte up. It' a realitively cheap device, usually easy to install and sure helps during real cold snaps. Ayway it's something to think about.

I picked up a used tractor ('07 NH TD95D) with under 100 hrs on it in NM last fall and while I was going out to clean snow off the feed ground it ran down on me. The rpm slowly dropped from 1200 to 500 and then it stoppped. I opened the drain on the water separator and got a little drip of fuel. Likewise with the fuel filter. Fortunately I was near the shop and so I got a heat gun and the extension cord and thawed the water separator and the fuel filter out and ran for another hour. I got quite a bit of water out of the sepreator and some out of the filter but had no warning light. The next day before start up I drained both the fuel filter and the water separator and got more water and while I was out in the pasture working it ran down on me again. No current bush out there! I pulled the water seprator and thawed it out with the heat gun in the shop and reinstalled it. I got about three tablespoons of water out of the separator. It was obvious to me that I had water contaminated fuel. I figure the original owner must have had a contaminated tank because that part of NM is pretty dry and warm. I started up and got the tractor back in the shop and called the NH dealer and ordered a new water separator element and filter. I also picked up a siphon pump at HF and pumped fuel out of the tank. All told, there i got a half a cup of water that settled in the pumped out fuel and I didn't get all of it out. I decanted the clean fuel off, filled the tank and treated it with PS-White and replaced the water separator and fuel filter and had no more problems. I drained the separator every day before I started it and was still getting water but not much.

Water in the fuel from condensation, etc and cold weather is the Achillles heel of diesel powered equipment and that's why I started this thread. You have to get pretty meticulous about changing filters and keep fuel clean and water free if you want to have reliable running with your diesel in cold weather.
Some folks say condensation isn't much of cause of contaminated fuel but an empty tank breathes moist air in and out as the pressure and temperature change during the day, and as the temperture drops water condenses out and over time you can accumulate a lot of water in the fuel tank and more so if the tank is almost empty. Keeping the tank full minimizes this condensation but doesn't eliminate it.Your filter and separator have to deal with that.

As far as the fuel being contaminatd when you buy it, around here it's all filtered and I've never seen much condensation in my storage tank.(I cleaned it out this summer after 6 years of use and there was maybe a table spoon of water in it.) I also have a filter on the tank outlet.
Having a lot of hours on a filter make it more susceptable to clogging with frozen water so that's why I always advise changing your filters BEFORE the cold weather sets in regardless of the hours on the filter. Nothing like trying to plow snow with a tractor that won't run off idle!

The other thing I do, especially in late summer if I have to fill my storage tank(55 gallon drum) is to mix some #1 in with the #2(2:1 #2 to #1)so that I don't get a gelling problem. later on in the winter when the fuel is blended for winter it's probably not a problem. I have never had a problem with gelling but I don't want to either!

Sorry for the long winded response but these things are important if you want trouble free operation of your diesel powered equipment in cold climates.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Try to keep the tank full to minimize condensation and treat the fuel with Power Service-White, Stanadyne , etc for its water dispersant properties.Always have a spare fuel filter around especially if you don't change your fuel filter before winter. With diesels the water collects in the tank bottom and the water separator and the fuel filter bottom and if you really have a lot of water it will freeze on the water seprator element and the fuel filter element. I've had that happen and that's why I sent out the reminder. Partilly clogged filters will freeze sooner becausee the element is all ready partialy restricted. I have never had a a diesel fuel line freeze, however.

I probably wouldn't changethe filter out either with just 45 hrs on it. If you have drain on your filter housing drain them regularly into a clear, glass jar and look for water. Do that before you start in the winter a few time and IF you don't see water you can do it less often. If you see water, make sure that your fuel is treated with something that disperses water and check for water before every start. Drain until you don't get any additional water out of the separator..

Correction: "....disperses water...." is not the correct term. The fuel treatment makes the water "glob up" and slide off the filter and into the bottom of the filter and water seperator housings where it can be drained off. The filters are "hydrophillic"; they reisist water going through them.