Treating diesel in north Texas winters

[brwesi]

I live just outside of Dallas on the south side. We have a 325 gallon bulk tank, outside. We fuel all kinds of equipment and have never treated the fuel and never had a problem.

 

[RoyJackson]

I live just outside of Dallas on the south side. We have a 325 gallon bulk tank, outside. We fuel all kinds of equipment and have never treated the fuel and never had a problem.

Not even last winter when Texas got hit pretty hard?
I'd wager your oil company winterizes the fuel

 

[Tony H]

Funny, with your low temps, I wouldn't treat for freezing. However, a Biocide might be a way to go. This 'new' low sulphur diesel tends to easily get algae growing in it when not used. I had a big issue when I bought my new tractor. It was on my property, 4 hours from home. I'd use it once a month-ish. All kinds of bogging issues while using fuel from a station that the whole town uses. Biocide, and many fuel filters later, I'm good to go. I now live on the property and use the tractor often. Summer time I still use the Biocide. A thimble full for 10 gallons.
I too use Power Service White bottle in winter but we see -15f for weeks at a time.

 

[wendlingknives]

We did not treat any of our diesel last year. Neither at my place near Tyler, nor my dads near Bonham. Got down to about 0 for a couple days as you recall and no issues.

 

[ovrszd]

I had to laugh, Texas winter! In the frozen tundra (WI), we see neg temps all of the time during the winter (over 100 days a couple years ago) and last year was the first time I actually decided to treat my fuel. Usually they change the blend at the pump depending on the time of the year and I would think they do the same in Texas if it's warranted.

Stay warm!

That is not the case by the time you get Southward to Missouri. Don't trust ANY pump fuel to be winterized down here. Obviously yours is or you wouldn't get by without treating. Down here if the temp gets anywhere near zero F your untreated fuel will gel.

 

[ElSueno Farms]

Thanks you TEXAS members for your input.

 

[ovrszd]

Not even last winter when Texas got hit pretty hard?
I'd wager your oil company winterizes the fuel

I wonder if they had temps below 20F for a significant length of time?

 

[ruffdog]

One company's winter fuel program....see TX

https://www.jacobusenergy.com/winter-fuel-program.html

 

[ovrszd]

One company's winter fuel program....see TX

https://www.jacobusenergy.com/winter-fuel-program.html

None of that happens down here. Consumer is on their own.

 

[RoyJackson]

None of that happens down here. Consumer is on their own.

Which is why you have to take care of yourselves...
The offroad diesel here ULSD...supposedly not good for the valve seats (inadequate upper cylinder lubricity is what I've read). That probably applies to older tractors, but I figure Power Service is a lot cheaper than an engine overhaul.
It does get cold enough for diesel to gell, especially considering most tractors set idle quite a bit and most, including mine, are outside.

 

[Williy]

When I lived in Wisconsin I never had to
treat the #2 diesel as it was treated at the
pump. Also the Temps were 30 to 35 degrees
below zero and never had any problems with
gelling.

Here in West Texas very seldom get any gelling
temps but I use the white bottle to treat the
#2 diesel year round so no problems.

willy

 

[ovrszd]

Which is why you have to take care of yourselves...
The offroad diesel here ULSD...supposedly not good for the valve seats (inadequate upper cylinder lubricity is what I've read). That probably applies to older tractors, but I figure Power Service is a lot cheaper than an engine overhaul.
It does get cold enough for diesel to gell, especially considering most tractors set idle quite a bit and most, including mine, are outside.

I've been told by several "reliable" people that clear diesel and red diesel are the same product with a dye added to red.

 

[ruffdog]

I think it also depends on the equipment, the mechanical s, and the filter media. Some of the newer equipment have finer filter media that is more prone to plugging once the fuel reaches the cloud point than the older equipment may allow more wax particles through and that would allow the filter to go longer before it is plugged.

 

[jaxs]

I keep 15—20 gallons of diesel on hand, servicing 2 tractors and 1RTV. Seems there is no typical winters in north Texas, I always treat my stored gasoline, but in the past have not treated diesel. But until this year usually only kept 5 gal on—hand for by b kubota. All equipment today is stored under a 23x40 metal drive—in shed, so nothing gets wet or is exposed at all. Diesel is up off ground at all times in a 15 gal plastic container with a hand pump and put it through a filter funnel.

would you treat or not, and if so, what works best in north Texas, zone 8A.

Considering alot of information came from over 1k miles North of him I'm not sure OP found what he want's to know. #1 problem effecting gasoline and diesel in Texas is water from condensation. Humidity is always high and 30f swings within a 24 hours and 50f within a week is common. Fluxation in temperature causes fuel tanks to "inhale and exhale"for lack of a better term. Droplets of water collect on tank as the result. Ethanol in gasoline obsorb's water and alows it to burn with no ill effect. A certain amount of water can be a blessing in de-carbonizing combustion chamber. When ethanol reaches saturation point,farthar condensation become's free water that can't burn which result's in poor engine performance. Keeping tank topped off and a water seperator in fuel line is both effective and efficient. "Nuff bout"gasoline. Moisture that condensate's in a diesel tank remains until it's pulled out by fuel pump. Unlike gasoline engines that will burn small amounts without effecting performance or damaging engine,the smallest amount of water can interfer with fuel delivery or if it get's by seperator, damage diesel engines. I expect most everything I say will be poo pooed in one fashion or another but if you don't 100% trust what I'm about to say,research with experts,not interweb buds,not Tha said or I herd,experts. Never treat diesel with anything that perport's to solve water problems. The only thing water treatment does is trick seperator and filter to alow water to pass and cause damage.
To the origional question about treating stored diesel,a clean,air tite plastic can will store diesel without treatment unless you decide to pour it at freezing temperature,it might gel. The reason different people report different experiences with gelling is pretty simple. High volume truck stops always include anti-gel during winter. A truck fueling in Houston might be heading to Duluth and Flying J doesn't want their fuel gelling and causing them to lose an account. Stand's to reason many other stations are supplied by same refinery as truck stop so they also have anti-gel. On the same day truck fill's with anti-gel diesel,a ship 20 miles away is taking on off road diesel that doesn't include anti gel. The same refinery supplying off road to ships may very well supply farm stores in the area. Mid summer around the Great Lakes chances are no place has anti gel so a man buying 5 gallons might be in for a suprise if he store's it until December.
With that taken care of,the news media in typical fashion skewed the truth about the Texas cold spell last Febuary. Temperatures weren't intolorable nor were Texans a bunch of candy azzs. The intire problem was a bunch of buracrates in charge of overseeing power grid hadn't been doing anything but sitting in offices drawing wages they never earned.

 

[ElSueno Farms]

Thanks Jaxs for a Texas perspective, and you are spot on about the cause of last winters problems.

 

[PILOON]

You only gell once!
Especially if you had to walk a mile, heat, boost (learn new words).

I use an additive ever since it happened to me.

 

[ruffdog]

The company that removed 1800 trees of mine showed up late December and we were hit with a cold snap. The feller buncher and hydro-ax still ran but the big chipper was gelled up. They sent chipper #2 up and that was gelled until they got it going. I had $3M worth of equipment sitting for a week until it warmed up enough to run. Being gelled cost them the down time, having to truck another 60 ton chipper, the multiple service truck visits etc.

 

[ovrszd]

You only gell once!
Especially if you had to walk a mile, heat, boost (learn new words).

I use an additive ever since it happened to me.

Me too. Once. That was 30 years ago. If it ever happens to me again it will be when I'm too old to remember whether I treated or not. All of my tractors are sitting with the tanks full of treated fuel right now.

 

[Tx Jim]

I've custom farmed with diesel powered tractors in N Texas since 1987. The only time I add anti-gel fuel conditioners to my tractors fuel tanks was when temp was forecasted to be below 20°F & I intended to use tractors. In my old age I don't add any anti-gel because I don't plan on starting the tractors at that ambient temp.

 

[PILOON]

If it ever happens to me again it will be when I'm too old to remember whether I treated or not.

LOL
My thinking also----but, LOL, that age is much too close for me.