Tractor Died While Blowing Snow!

[MHarryE]

Something I haven't read in this thread, and this may be a problem unique to Minnesota, but state law requires 20% bio April through September. Bio is intended to help farmers being one of the countries largest agricultural states. However, bio will cause problems in cold weather. Winter diesel has 5% bio. When the bio rules were first instituted, we had major winter problems. I had a fleet of test machines on which we needed to change fuel filters daily. They weren't like the gelled filter shown earlier. They were black. Analyzed by our test labs - bio portion. Truckers were stalling all around the state that first winter. Eventually the new reg put into place but if a person doesn't change to winter fuel when our cold weather sets in, plugged filters and dying happen. So I wait until October to make sure I get low bio diesel for winter. All of the anti-gel stuff and the like could not resolve the high bio quantity issue. Minnesota is especially susceptible because of cold temps (not unusual in my corner of the state to see -40). There may be other ag states with high bio requirement like Minnesota that this winter have experienced long cold spells and are experiencing this problem they had never seen before.

 

[5030]

Bio diesel sucks and it grows microbial algae as well.

 

[Dale Mercer]

I let the tractor warm up for almost an hour, after all, its -2F outside. I let it idle for about 20 minutes with the block heater plugged in, then revved it up to 15K for the 40 or so more minutes. Everything was functioning fine, while I started work. About 20 minutes into clearing the snow off the road, the tractor started flashing S94 F11 (Fuel Rail Pressure Control Fault), went into limp just before shutting down!

I let the tractor sit there for about 10 minutes or so while I walked to the house to look up the code in the good book.

Frustrated and ticked off, I went back out to start working on it under the glow of my headlamp. I gotta get it running, its blocking the road.

I attempted to start it, and it fired right up! No codes, no issues, full range of RPM. Well, ok! Lets get back to work then!...

Down by the county road, it died again. I tried to start it up again, but it wouldn't stay running. I let it sit for maybe 5 minutes. It fired up and I started up to the house. I gotta park it and figure it out. About 10 seconds later, it died. I let it sit, started it, and drove it another 20 feet. Did this all the way up to the house. All the while thinking about what it could be.

The book says its a fuel rail pressure control fault. The fixes in the book do not make sense for the symptoms of the tractor. I'm leaning towards gelled fuel? Maybe its so cold the treated fuel is gelling, but getting warmed by the engine as it sits, just before sucking up more gel? I havent pulled the fuel filter (its negative 2 and dark right now).

What are your thoughts?

Has your air cleaner plugged up with snow it happened to me

 

[kjnes]

I let the tractor warm up for almost an hour, after all, its -2F outside. I let it idle for about 20 minutes with the block heater plugged in, then revved it up to 15K for the 40 or so more minutes. Everything was functioning fine, while I started work. About 20 minutes into clearing the snow off the road, the tractor started flashing S94 F11 (Fuel Rail Pressure Control Fault), went into limp just before shutting down!

I let the tractor sit there for about 10 minutes or so while I walked to the house to look up the code in the good book.

Frustrated and ticked off, I went back out to start working on it under the glow of my headlamp. I gotta get it running, its blocking the road.

I attempted to start it, and it fired right up! No codes, no issues, full range of RPM. Well, ok! Lets get back to work then!...

Down by the county road, it died again. I tried to start it up again, but it wouldn't stay running. I let it sit for maybe 5 minutes. It fired up and I started up to the house. I gotta park it and figure it out. About 10 seconds later, it died. I let it sit, started it, and drove it another 20 feet. Did this all the way up to the house. All the while thinking about what it could be.

The book says its a fuel rail pressure control fault. The fixes in the book do not make sense for the symptoms of the tractor. I'm leaning towards gelled fuel? Maybe its so cold the treated fuel is gelling, but getting warmed by the engine as it sits, just before sucking up more gel? I havent pulled the fuel filter (its negative 2 and dark right now).

What are your thoughts?

What kind of fuel treatment are you using? I have been using Howes anti-gel and it is generally good to about -15. Fuel rail pressure fault is the fuel getting at it's cold flow limit. Likely have a waxed up filter. If have a propane torch around, if it is a steel fuel filter you can heat it up slowly, it will dissolve the wax to get it into a shed if don't have a spare filter.

 

[kjnes]

Bio diesel sucks and it grows microbial algae as well.

If you have algae in a tank you have water issues, not a fuel issue. Some suppliers use water dispersing agents in fuel to seperate water from fuel, some use an additive that keeps it in suspension, but limits the size of the droplets. I have been using bio diesel in the 5-20% range for 15 years. I have only had issues in equipment were previous owner never took care of their fuel.

 

[hube2]

The thing I find somewhat interesting is that people wait until the last minute to buy winter additive and then cannot find any. I always keep at least a half gallon of anti gel on the shelf, just in case. Much easier to buy in the summer.

When I was looking (in the spring/summer) I could not find any locally. Seems that most of the places I looked restock in the fall. So I had to order it online. I read that as long as it's sealed it will not go bad so I ordered a case. Pretty sure I have enough to last me about 10 years.

 

[Bobrown14]

I've seen weather like this before, but never a 10 day stretch. But this is going to be one of those years when the ground never really freezes and I'll need to keep larger skids on my blower so I don't scrape and blow the top off my lawn.

How far north are you? Another 4 days of warm temps forecast for me and mostly above freezing during the day for the next 2 weeks. That's going to make for some more wet, sloppy snow and continued muddy conditions.

Finger Lakes region. The mud and standing water is almost gone. Ticks are back OMG its in the 60s everything has thawed and water mud is drying up.

Crazy.... Hope we get some more deep freeze and that will kill most of the tick larvae that'd be great. Was planing on doing some woods maintenance skidding down timber etc with the tractor but not in muddy ice. I'm sure the ice is down there 6" or so don't wanna find out.

 

[LouNY]

Wow ! Let it idle for an hour and it was only -2° F. It was -6 the other day (coldest day yet for us) and I let it idle for about 10 - 15 seconds and off I go snowblow. I had a problem with it cutting out the engine with the blower on and going into reverse (when it came back from a warranty item - brake had broke - 2nd time). I tied the switch under the seat so it stayed good with good contact. That fixed it. When I first got it - I used to wait about 2 - 5 minutes after starting and would let it idle a few minutes before turning it off. I found out that it is not necessary - just like a car or truck !! I'm almost at 800 hours now - and it works just fine - I never set the brake or use it unless I have to. And I live on a hill. The bucket (FEL) or the snowblower "down" are good brakes for most places - with good judgement !!

Your dying issue could be a dirty filter at the tank (under the floorboard), a loose electrical connection, or a bad relay. That is my take on it. I can't see gelling at that low temp of only -2° F !!

The cloud point of #2 diesel is considerably higher then -2F.
I have seen manufactures recommendations to switch to "winter fuels" at 50F.

You can run your engines as you see fit;
I will let mine idle for a few a minute or two then increase the idle up to 12-1400 rpm for a few minutes in cold weather,
and I will always let a turbo charged engine cool down before shutting it off.
And will recommend the same to others.

From Reaching the Cloud Point | Diesel Pro

If you live in a region where the temperatures drop significantly, there’s a critical condition you’ll need to keep in mind — the cloud point.
What Is the Cloud Point of Diesel Fuel?

The cloud point of diesel fuel is the low temperature at which paraffin, a substance found in diesel fuel, starts to change. This is when wax crystals form in the fuel. These crystals are hard and cloudy, and their presence can result in serious issues with the engine if left unaddressed.

Not sure what the cloud point temperature of your diesel fuel is? It often depends on the type of diesel fuel you use and how much paraffin it contains. For example, #2 diesel fuel has a cloud point that can range from -18 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-28 to -7 degrees Celsius). On the other hand, #1 diesel fuel can withstand temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius).
Why Is Cloud Point Essential to Filtration?

Knowing the cloud point of your boat’s diesel fuel is crucial to keep the vessel running during the colder months of the year. Your diesel filtration system depends on it.

Cloud point is essential to filtration because wax crystals can quickly plug up filters. The filtration system is the lifeblood of your boat’s engine, as it rids fuel of harmful contaminants such as water and fine particles that can cause extra wear, tear and other issues over time.

Cloud point wax crystals make it harder for filters to do their job by plugging them up and preventing the fuel from reaching the engine. This can cause engine damage and difficulty starting up, which could lead to a rough day on the water.
How Can You Help Your Engine Fuel Adapt?

In addition to performing regular checkups and maintenance on your filtration system, one of the most effective ways to manage your vessel during colder weather conditions is to winterize the fuel. As soon as evening temperatures start dropping under 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit, prepare your fuel with a type of fluid that is lower in paraffin.

For example, if you use #2 diesel fuel, you can make the right provisions by adding #1 diesel fuel to create a more winter-friendly blend. The higher the percentage of #1 diesel fuel you use, the colder it will need to get before reaching the cloud point.
Learn More and Order Replacement Parts at Diesel Pro Power

 

[crlf]

During the worst day+night of the -20 recent snap, I ran my BMW wagon on pump diesel with RedLine lubricity additive. Unfortunately, only had the case of summer additive on hand, with no anti-gel.

Wondered if it'll start, but it sure did and ran well after an hour's warmup as we got ready. Three hours into the trip though, while the car was parked and idling, the windshield spontaneously cracked all the way across due to thermal stress.

The diesel tank at the mini-farm is winter blend plus anti-gel, but there was no immediate need to run the tractor (unheated storage) so that bullet was dodged.

 

[RLWeiser]

Any opinion of the Lucas Oil brand of diesel treatment?