rambler
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,994
- Location
- MN
- Tractor
- Ford 960, 7700, TW20, 1720; IHC H, 300; Ollie S77
I didn't see a specific reply to the feul gelling.....
The waxy portions of diesel fuel start to gel below 30 degrees, and do not like to pass through the fuel filter at about 10 degrees. This does no harm to your tractor, it is not an expansion problem or anything. However, with summer diesel fuel, you will _not_ be able to start & run your tractor when it is zero outside....
To avert this problem, you either need to blend in #1 diesel fuel (winter diesel) or buy a good winter blend, or add an anti-gel additive such as Power Service or other brand.
You need to do this _before_ the cold front hits you, so the mix is in your pump, injectors, & fuel filter. It is a good practice to change the fuel filter before real cold weather hits as well.... The colder it gets, the more additive or #1 diesel you need. You can run your tractor on 100% #1 diesel in winter.
When summer comes, you don't want to run your tractor on 100% #1 diesel. It is thinner, does not lubricate your injector pump as well, has less btu's in it, costs more, and will make your engine run slightly hotter. Obviously you can use up whatever is in your tractor tank as summer comes, but you want to be adding summer #2 diesel again in summer.
I live in Minnesota, farm, & run several diesels with the livestock & snow blowing. That's the scoop on fuel.
If you want to just store the tractor over winter, never going to run, take the battery out, store the tractor as others have said.
If you may occationally want to run it in winter, get a winter fuel mix in it before storage, change the fuel filter if it has any hours since the last change, put a winter oil in it (what the manual says) still take the battery out and keep it maintained in a warmer place.
With a well maintained battery & the proper winter fuel and a thin oil, your tractor should start at -5 or even a little lower without other help. A frost plug heater if you have electricity and it all becomes a lot easier.
--->Paul
The waxy portions of diesel fuel start to gel below 30 degrees, and do not like to pass through the fuel filter at about 10 degrees. This does no harm to your tractor, it is not an expansion problem or anything. However, with summer diesel fuel, you will _not_ be able to start & run your tractor when it is zero outside....
To avert this problem, you either need to blend in #1 diesel fuel (winter diesel) or buy a good winter blend, or add an anti-gel additive such as Power Service or other brand.
You need to do this _before_ the cold front hits you, so the mix is in your pump, injectors, & fuel filter. It is a good practice to change the fuel filter before real cold weather hits as well.... The colder it gets, the more additive or #1 diesel you need. You can run your tractor on 100% #1 diesel in winter.
When summer comes, you don't want to run your tractor on 100% #1 diesel. It is thinner, does not lubricate your injector pump as well, has less btu's in it, costs more, and will make your engine run slightly hotter. Obviously you can use up whatever is in your tractor tank as summer comes, but you want to be adding summer #2 diesel again in summer.
I live in Minnesota, farm, & run several diesels with the livestock & snow blowing. That's the scoop on fuel.
If you want to just store the tractor over winter, never going to run, take the battery out, store the tractor as others have said.
If you may occationally want to run it in winter, get a winter fuel mix in it before storage, change the fuel filter if it has any hours since the last change, put a winter oil in it (what the manual says) still take the battery out and keep it maintained in a warmer place.
With a well maintained battery & the proper winter fuel and a thin oil, your tractor should start at -5 or even a little lower without other help. A frost plug heater if you have electricity and it all becomes a lot easier.
--->Paul
