Fuel gelled ?

[ovrszd]

I stopped over my fathers house to put the plow on his truck. Dead battery and after a charge it would crank but no start. He hasn't used it or started it in about 4 -5 months so I'm assuming it has summer blend fuel in it and it may have gelled. We have had chilly nights in the teens and days in the mid 20s-low 30s. It's a 2006 6.0 PSD with 40k miles on it. Does anyone know at what temp summer fuel would do this ?

Generally, #2 diesel fuel begins to gel at 20F.

 

[ovrszd]

It was towed to the dealer a little while ago. I asked them to keep it inside over night to see. If it would thaw before they start just swapping parts. I don't know if once it does gell, weather it will un gell and be ok. At that point I'm hoping I can just put the additive in the fuel that's there now.

Even after warming I would suggest a filter change. Otherwise the tank of fuel is fine with additive.

 

[buickanddeere]

Winter diesel that is free of water will not gell or wax at those temperatures.

 

[ovrszd]

Winter diesel that is free of water will not gell or wax at those temperatures.

Since it hasn't been driven in 5 or 6 months we're pretty sure it has Summer fuel in it. Not saying that's what's wrong with it. But I'd sure treat the fuel before I started throwing money at it.

 

[Jul24]

Hey this is my first diesel. Is it okay to put Iso Heet in my tractor TC35D. It has a frozen fuel line and we are in the middle of a blizzard. Of course it started the other day when I was preparing for this storm.

 

[Fallon]

I've got a bottle of red Power Service 911 for emergency use that I've never cracked open. I've also got a bottle of Power Service white sitting on top of my 55 gal fuel drum. I don't think I've dumped any of that white bottle into the latest drum of fuel I got late last summer & still haven't had any problems even with it getting into the single digits here. I'm quite not properly prepared, but know it & can deal with it if I run into a gelling problem.

In your situation, I'd replace the fuel filter, there's never a problem with making sure you have a clean filter (good general advice for any weird problems that have a filter somewhere in the system). Get some Power Service 911 red bottle & use it on the filter housing & tank if it looks like it needs it. Going forward, treat your fuel with Power Service white bottle or something similar.

 

[Tomtint]

The dealer can't even look at it till Monday or Tuesday. In sure they will go through the fuel system and replace everything that's needed and probably a bunch of stuff that isn't. ...My guess is that the bill will be just under or just over 1,000.00

 

[gwstang]

I've only had gelling one time when starting at -22 F. It started but died a mile or so down the road. Let it sit about a minute. Restarted and drove about another mile. Let sit again. Restarted and then fine. Think you may have some problem with the glow plugs. Gelling likely won't keep it from starting, but from running. A little bit of warmth on the fuel filter and/or fuel lines will ungel them. It's just wax. Wax is fuel above 5 to 10 F, even in summer fuel. Ralph

You were in a cab tractor? Yeow, at -22 more things would freeze on me than on the tractor

 

[1MOA]

So what was the issue with the truck?

 

[Btown]

Been there , seen that, now I always use an additive to prevent gelling, Small insurance premium as I hate walking back home. If that filter looks like a blob of white , then you gelled! There is an additive labeled '911' that will clear up gelling problems. Try it!

Yes 911 will un-gell the fuel, but you will have to add the white bottle of power service to stop it from happening again.