Winter fuel

[DarkBlack]

And no recommendation for any temp below -8 F,

That 2 degree Celsius range, line in his manual looks like a technical writer mistake. Happens all the time in owners manuals

 

[Gord Baker]

What's your strategy for a not-often-used tractor?

I've let my tank get pretty low, hoping I can fill it with winter blend. But, when do they start putting out winter blend?

I feel like I have three choices.

• Wait until I need the tractor (snow removal) and hope they have the winter blend out by then.
• Fill it with summer fuel and add conditioner (I have and generally use Howe's)
• Buy and mix #2 & kerosine (what ratio?)

How do you approach this situation.

Note that I am in Vermont, so it will get below 15°F before you know it. We've already seen 26°.

Get your Diesel now.

 

[thclimer]

I'm waiting another few weeks just to be sure its winter blend even though the station I buy it at is where a lot of big trucks fill-up

 

[ruffdog]

I'm waiting another few weeks just to be sure its winter blend even though the station I buy it at is where a lot of big trucks fill-up

Around here, the early winter fuel has only been treated with anti-gel. Later, when it really gets cold, is when the fuel starts being blended with #1-D fuel.

 

[WinterDeere]

Use a kerosene fire spaced heater for an hour on your mule warming it from one side
and you will not have to worry about freezing fuel.

Yeah... but you will have to worry about being late for work!

Your method would be great for those who have schedule flexibility, like retirees or those working from home. But the last thing most "working folk" need, when they wake up to a surprise blanket of snow, so to waste an hour warming up their tractor... before they warm up their tractor.

Everything from my winter gear to storage was arranged based on being able to clear my way out within 20 - 40 minutes, on any morning I wake up to a surprise snowfall -- or in which the snowfall ends right as I should be leaving for work, as seems to often be the case around here.

 

[dnw64]

Yeah... but you will have to worry about being late for work!

Your method would be great for those who have schedule flexibility, like retirees or those working from home. But the last thing most "working folk" need, when they wake up to a surprise blanket of snow, so to waste an hour warming up their tractor... before they warm up their tractor.

Everything from my winter gear to storage was arranged based on being able to clear my way out within 20 - 40 minutes, on any morning I wake up to a surprise snowfall -- or in which the snowfall ends right as I should be leaving for work, as seems to often be the case around here.

Ditto. Although I've rarely been surprised by a significant storm in the last 20+ years what with the advent of internet forecasts and notifications. And I am in a situation whereby, as long as the road is plowed, and we got less than 3' of snow, I could almost certainly get to work, as it's all downhil and pretty steep at that. Then again, I'm not really needed at work...

 

[WinterDeere]

I've rarely been surprised by a significant storm in the last 20+ years what with the advent of internet forecasts and notifications.

The data certainly is there, but I catch myself failing to look at it enough, during the work week. I always know what the weather is going to be on the weekend, as I plan my outdoor chores for the week, but I've been surprised on random Tuesdays or Wednesdays, more than once.

 

[LouNY]

Of course if you're running #2 fuel in your salamander it may take an hours work to get it purged out and flushed with #1 fuel so it works.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Gasoline, huh? That’s really interesting.

The owners manuals for my Deutz tractors says to add gas to the diesel fuel in the winter to turn it into winter fuel, they even have a recipe for how much, but I don't remember how much though.

SR

 

[WinterDeere]

Of course if you're running #2 fuel in your salamander it may take an hours work to get it purged out and flushed with #1 fuel so it works.

That's when I'd be using @leonz's recommendation, to just heat the machine with my kero jet heater prior to starting, until I can get that old fuel run thru and replaced with the proper fuel. While I'd not want to have to "pre-heat" my tractor all winter long, doing it for the purpose of just running some old fuel through does sound better than draining, purging, cleaning, and disposing of what's already in the tank.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I got two jugs of off road diesel today ...

I went inside and ask the lady if this off-road was any different than the on road fuel, other than tax, and red dye? She said no, they are the same before adding the dye ... I then asked her if there was any bio-diesel in it, she said no. I then asked her if it was treated with a anti-gel? She said, yes ... I then asked if they did it, or did it come from the rack that way? She said, that normally it came from the rack treated for normal temperatures, but if it wasn't, they were required to tell them, then they treated it when it got to the station . . .

While I was there the local fire truck came to fill up ... When I came out of the office, a local logger was filling up his truck ... They sell to local farmers mostly ... There name is MFA which I believe stands for Missouri Farmers Association

 

[WinterDeere]

I got two jugs of off road diesel today ... while I was there the local fire truck came to fill up ... When I came out of the office, a local logger was filling up his truck ...

There's a station up the road who has off-road diesel, I go there when it's not too far out of my way. But almost without fail, nearly every time I'm there, I see a line of guys filling their on-road trucks with off-road diesel. Totally uncontrolled.

I asked the station manager about it one time, and he said they have no way to enforce it. Odd thing is, this station is right off the entrance to the PA Turnpike, so there are always plenty of State Police cruising by, but no one seems to take notice of it.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

When I lived in Arizona I was the head of transportation for a K-8 school ... In AZ the have a tiered fuel tax, under 26K is $0.18, over 26K is $0.26 ... The only station in our little town has the one diesel pump set up for under 26K, lots of 10 wheel dump trucks and grain haulers would fill up there ... Wasn't there job to enforce it, if State Police caught them, that was up to them!

 

[leonz]

The owners manuals for my Deutz tractors says to add gas to the diesel fuel in the winter to turn it into winter fuel, they even have a recipe for how much, but I don't remember how much though.

SR

Ten percent or less is the rule to follow as raw gasoline has no lubricating ability
like diesel fuel has. Adding HEET or 9-1-1 to the old fuel in the tank is also a good idea.

Me, I am fussy and so lazy I fire up the salamander to warm up the two stroke snow
pups, the two stage snow blower and the car and I also use it to dry out the snow
throwers to get rid of the salt.

It really helps.

 

[dnw64]

OK, picked up my tractor today.

In normal conditions I would have been beyond concerned about running out of fuel and having to bleed the system to get it going again (TBH I was a bit concerned when I started it up at the dealer that the fuel gauge didn't move...).

Anyways....

Per my baby brother's suggestion (I MAY have thought of it, but probably not) stopped on the way home at a station at an Interstate fuel station (presumably pretty fresh fuel) and filled it to the top.

My INTENTION had been to bring my Howes and put it in before filling. But this "old" (relatively) guy forgot. So I put some in after getting home, letting it run for 10-15 minutes while I did some other "important stuff" before parking it in preparation for "real snow".

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Just drive it out back over a bumpy section, it will "shake it up" a bit ...

Getting old ain't so easy ...