Oil & Fuel diesel fuel winter additives?

[790guy]

My first winter with the 790! Do any of you use conditioners for staring ang gelling? does JD recommend? any info would be great

 

[RalphVa]

You can get more info on this in the last general forum listed above on fluids, lubes and stuff. In it, you'll read a lot about folks using TSC's Power Service diesel additives for anti-gel, etc. I'm using the PS stuff now in my new tractor tank but haven't used anything in my 1983 diesel Mercedes tank except for a couple doses of Chevron's Red Line when it started pinging at constant speed a couple times in its 188,000 mile history. Never used anything in my 1973 Mercedes diesel tank. Started it once in -20 F temperature with a radiator hose engine heater. It stalled about 2 or 3 miles down the road. Let it sit about 2 minutes. Started right up. Stalled again after another 2 or 3 miles. Started right up after sitting a couple minutes. After that, it didn't stall again, as the fuel filter for Benzes is mounted right up against the engine. Wax in the filter was shutting it down until the filter warmed up.

Adding up to 50% kerosene is a way a lot of Vermonters contend with gelling (wax formation). Think the pour point of diesel by itself is 5 F. With kerosene added, that goes down apparently below -20 F. It takes far less of a chemical additive to lower the pour point.

Tractors often sit in the winter for long periods though. The benefits of having the various protective chemicals in PS additive is worth the money to me. I also use Stabil in my stored gasoline in the winter, too.

Ralph

 

[RoyJackson]

I never have added anything to the 790 or my 670 (previously owned tractor).

However, both tractors were kept in a heated garage.

Also, fuel distributors "winterize" their fuel to prevent gelling. The only concern there is when they fill their tanks with the winterized fuel.

That said...if you leave your 790 outside, I'd sure consider using an antigel agent and a stabilizer...especially if you don't expect to use the tractor much. It sure can't hurt...and might save you some problems in starting.
Make sure you keep the fuel tank full too.

Don't forget to block your clutch too, BTW (the clutch stop, welded to the floor boards, is a great place for use of a clamp to hold your clutch in the disengaged position)

 

[RobS]

I use Power Service. You can get it at TSC, truck stops or Wally world. Small white bottle will treat something like 50 gallons so I just toss a splash in my yellow jug when I fill it. I use it year round as diesel will also develop algae in the summer. It's cheap insurance. My tractor is in an unheated garage and I've never had a problem starting/running /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[755inNY]

I've always used an anti gelling additive. I only put about 20 hours on my tractor over the winter and it sits outside. I consider it cheap insurance to add the stuff to the fuel.

Jeff

 

[RalphVa]

Just to show you how little additive it takes for anti-gel (vs. say adding 30-50% kerosene). In some of Exxon and Exxon licensee refinery plants they use a "dewaxing aid" that, in most cases, is a pour point depressant (e.g. same as anti-gel). In those plants, the typical dewaxing aid dosage is about 0.1 to 0.2%.

The PS additive dilution rate is about 2 tablespoonfuls (1 ounce) to my 3.4 gallon tank. This is 30 cc divided by 3.4x3781cc = 0.23%. This is virtually the same dosage as the dewaxing aid. Shows you how little is needed. It somehow modifies how the wax molecules want to come together. We never really fully understood completely how it works, just knew it took very little.

So, just in case you're skeptical.

Ralph

 

[garchib]

I am like "RobS" and I add the diesel conditioner in the same fashion (i.e. a splash before I fill my yellow can). I have a cousin who is a diesel mechanic who told me I could alternate this method with using nothing, so I have started that unscientific approach as of late /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif