Oil & Fuel Diesel jelling?

[BigAl]

Does anyone know at what temperature diesel will start to jell ? Do the additives for diesel fuel prevent this from happening or is some kind of a fuel heater needed in cold climate ?
I have always worked in warmer climate and this was not a issue ,but now find myself facing this problem for next winter .
Big Al

 

[frank_f15]

there are many opinions on this subject, but in my personal experenice, i have never added anything to the fuel, but i do live in western ny so the diesel u buy in the fall is winter grade, and i use my tractor all winter for plowing snow, temps down to 0 deg, and have never had a jelling problem. now if in doubt then add the additive to be safe, it don't cost that much. and i am sure some other will jump in with their thoughts.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

BigAl . . . you just asked a TRICK question.

Has the diesel been treated by the fuel supplier before you bought it? Typically the answer is YES if the fuel was purchased in the winter months, but then that begs a follow up question, HOW WAS IT TREATED? On the other hand, if you bought diesel in quantity in late summer and are still using it through the winter, then the odds are strongly against it having been treated in any way. Consequently that fuel will JELL at a higher temperature than "winter diesel" will. I've seen diesel jell about 10 degrees above zero, and I've seen diesel not jell at temps just below zero.

 

[BigAl]

I'll be using and storing my tractor up in Idaho and have been told that it can get down to 20 to 30 below or more ! I assume that the fuel at the local station will be winterize but do not know for sure as this will be my first winter . I have heard some real horror stories about jelled fuel and trying to thaw out the fuel lines and fuel tank . Makes me think I might want to put a small heater in the shop to keep it above freezing .
Big Al

 

[BigAl]

Bob ,
I forgot to ask, if I was unsure about fuel being treated ,would it hurt to add addidional additive to it ?
Big Al

 

[Bob_Skurka]

At 20 below, it will turn to goo even if it was winterized. Add an anti-gel to your fuel. In our experience (my company owns a fleet of medium size <26,000#> diesel trucks) we have not seen any problems with adding anti-gel to winterized fuel. When temps drop below 10 degrees we start to put in additives, we also plug our trucks in when the temps drop below the mid-30s. When the temps drop below zero we try to bring as many trucks into the warehouse as we can fit down the main aisle.

I would recommend you get a block heater installed on the tractor, it will be a big help when starting the tractor in cold weather.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Allen, read this article:Diesel gelling You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. John

 

[BigAl]

John ,
Very impressive article ! That clears up a lot of questions for me .
Thanks ,
BigAl

 

[zuiko]

I use power service (the white bottle has anti-gel in it) year round with straight #2 with no problems. Kero/#2 mix and #1 both cost more in the winter than PS + #2.

 

[johnbilt]

Hi

I live in Alaska and learned the hard way about Diesel Gelling problems this last winter. I had some summer/fall fuel left in the tank when winter hit. The temp dropped to about 15 below and all the filters gelled shut.

I found that Power Service works great. I add the recommended ounces to each tank and have had no problems. Of course, I also started using the winter blend fuel, but I think that some extra additive in the winter months is good insurance and doesn't hurt anything.

Good Luck

John

 

[surfran]

I use the additive all year around as it is also an injector cleaner so I figured it couldn't hurt. I haven't seen any problems in the year I've had mine.

 

[rambler]

#2 diesel fuel (summer) kind of starts to gel at 28 degrees, but is not a noticable issue until around 10 degrees F.

Straight #1 diesel (winter) will go to well below zero F before causing problems - depends on the additive package exactly how low it will go. Many 'winter blends' are a combo of #1 & #2 & an additive.....

If you get to regular temps of 10 below for a high, you will be many dollars & time ahead getting a block heater & plugging your tractor in for an hour or 2 before starting it. This is good advise if the temp gets much below 20F really - just easier on the engine.

You will need a good strong battery. You will need a new fuel filter in fall. You will need to use an additive like Power Service. You will need a good winter oil, at much below zero you will be thinking a good synthetic. You might want synthetic in the tranny/hydro system as well. Thick oils are a real issue at 20 below F.

Oh, the important part: Use the additive before you need it! Start using it when it's 35 outside, so it gets mixed into your fuel. Once the temp is -15, it's too late to pour it in the tank - you needed it mixed in ahead of the zero temps.

Ether can help in starting an engine, but it is very hard on diesels - it does not create a burn like diesel, but a shocking explosion on the piston. It also can create problems with some preheaters.....

During hot weather, #1 diesel fuel is not so good. It is lower in power per gallon, and it does not lubricate the engine & pump as well. Anti-gel additives are probably ok in lesser amounts over the summer.

I farm with 3 diesel tractors in Minnesota. This is based on my learning curve, and the bulk fuels I get. We got to -28F this winter a few mornings. Typically it got up to -10 during the day, and this was only a couple of times. Usually weather of 0 - 25 F is not too big of an issue for your tractor, and I bet that is a more typical winter day for you. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul