how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees?

WTA · 06-04-2008, 08:58 AM

How can this possibly happen? I keep a very clean 55 gallon steel drum in my air conditioned garage filled with the red stuff normally. I needed some on Sunday and couldn't get the red so I went and filled up my barrel at the gas station. A very busy station that has diesel shipments every day too.

I got home and a few hours later put it in my tractor and it promptly died. I found both filters completely clogged with jelly like fuel and every fuel hose leading from the pump and filters and to and from the tank was clogged solid.

Anyone know how this can possibly happen in 105 degree heat so I can take steps to prevent it again? That was a very expensive screw up on someones part. My tractor is stored outside for the time being but we haven't had any rain in a couple weeks and I've been running about a tank full through it every two days since then. I don't understand it.

I don't think it had anything to do with gradual buildup in the filters but it's possible.

I drained my tank and took fuel samples. The samples were clear and bright off the tank but when I got the tank drained and stuck my hand in there the bottom inch or so of the tank was thick rasberry jelly looking junk. Same as what I found in the filters. I've always been really careful about keeping the fuel clean and not allowing any water to get in it so I'm baffled here. I changed the filters at 50 then 100 hours. The 50 hour mark was called for in my owners manual, the next one wasn't scheduled till 600 hours but I did it anyway at 100. I have 200 hours on it now and it's got another fresh set on. I also drain them every day but I have never once seen any water come out.

I also put power service fuel conditioner at the recommended rate in every barrel full I buy. It's always in there.

Soundguy · 06-04-2008, 10:10 AM

Are ya sure it is gell. . or was it bio-matter..

I'd ahve saved some in a jar for a looksiie at what happened in direct sun... or if it continued to 'gel' if I added more diesel..

soundguy

slowzuki · 06-04-2008, 12:22 PM

Yup, my thoughts are you may want to talk to the fuel supplier. USLD shouldn't have anything to do with gelling of the fuel. They may have got a bad batch or someone may be tampering with the fuel.

dmccarty · 06-04-2008, 02:02 PM

Water in the fuel?

Later,
Dan

SkyPup · 06-04-2008, 02:25 PM

It sure ain't coagulated alkanes or paraffin waxes at those temperatures.

Most likely it is living bacteria and algae having a good swim while degrading your contaminated diesel fuel tank!

WTA · 06-04-2008, 02:33 PM

There was some water in it but no particulates that I could see. What I shook out of my filter looked almost like raspberry jelly. It wasn't what I typically have seen with water in fuel. It must have been contaminated with something. I just don't know what. I'm going to take the sample I pulled to the distributer today and see what he has to say.

Soundguy · 06-05-2008, 11:11 AM

Water in fuel lets the algea grow... Sounds exactly like what has hppened.

soundguy

bjcsc · 06-05-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTA

Anyone know how this can possibly happen in 105 degree heat

Was it a dry heat...

RalphVa · 06-05-2008, 07:14 PM

Try dissolving some in kerosene. If it's wax, it'll dissolve, particularly if you warm it up a little bit (by sitting a container in hot water, not over a flame).

If it doesn't dissolve, it's probably a algae gel.

Ralph

Kaliburz · 06-07-2008, 01:07 AM

Yup, pick up some additive for algae. Happened to me one year. I treated my bulk tank and ALL my tractors. Still have some of that stuff on the shelf, just in case. Buddies father's tractor had issues and I went over and treated his tank. Said it ran fine after I treated it....

06-04-2008, 08:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
WTA Platinum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 622	how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? How can this possibly happen? I keep a very clean 55 gallon steel drum in my air conditioned garage filled with the red stuff normally. I needed some on Sunday and couldn't get the red so I went and filled up my barrel at the gas station. A very busy station that has diesel shipments every day too. I got home and a few hours later put it in my tractor and it promptly died. I found both filters completely clogged with jelly like fuel and every fuel hose leading from the pump and filters and to and from the tank was clogged solid. Anyone know how this can possibly happen in 105 degree heat so I can take steps to prevent it again? That was a very expensive screw up on someones part. My tractor is stored outside for the time being but we haven't had any rain in a couple weeks and I've been running about a tank full through it every two days since then. I don't understand it. I don't think it had anything to do with gradual buildup in the filters but it's possible. I drained my tank and took fuel samples. The samples were clear and bright off the tank but when I got the tank drained and stuck my hand in there the bottom inch or so of the tank was thick rasberry jelly looking junk. Same as what I found in the filters. I've always been really careful about keeping the fuel clean and not allowing any water to get in it so I'm baffled here. I changed the filters at 50 then 100 hours. The 50 hour mark was called for in my owners manual, the next one wasn't scheduled till 600 hours but I did it anyway at 100. I have 200 hours on it now and it's got another fresh set on. I also drain them every day but I have never once seen any water come out. I also put power service fuel conditioner at the recommended rate in every barrel full I buy. It's always in there.

06-04-2008, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
Soundguy Super Star Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Central florida Posts: 18,133	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Are ya sure it is gell. . or was it bio-matter.. I'd ahve saved some in a jar for a looksiie at what happened in direct sun... or if it continued to 'gel' if I added more diesel.. soundguy

06-04-2008, 12:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
slowzuki Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 1,819	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Yup, my thoughts are you may want to talk to the fuel supplier. USLD shouldn't have anything to do with gelling of the fuel. They may have got a bad batch or someone may be tampering with the fuel. __________________ http://www.machinebuilders.net http://moose.ca/~slowzuki/

06-04-2008, 02:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
dmccarty Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Triangle Of North Carolina Posts: 3,376	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Water in the fuel? Later, Dan

06-04-2008, 02:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
SkyPup Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North Central, Florida Posts: 2,760	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? It sure ain't coagulated alkanes or paraffin waxes at those temperatures. Most likely it is living bacteria and algae having a good swim while degrading your contaminated diesel fuel tank! __________________ Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow......GO Diesel GO!

06-04-2008, 02:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
WTA Platinum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 622	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? There was some water in it but no particulates that I could see. What I shook out of my filter looked almost like raspberry jelly. It wasn't what I typically have seen with water in fuel. It must have been contaminated with something. I just don't know what. I'm going to take the sample I pulled to the distributer today and see what he has to say.

06-05-2008, 11:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
Soundguy Super Star Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Central florida Posts: 18,133	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Water in fuel lets the algea grow... Sounds exactly like what has hppened. soundguy

06-05-2008, 07:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
RalphVa Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Charlottesville, VA, USA Posts: 2,495	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Try dissolving some in kerosene. If it's wax, it'll dissolve, particularly if you warm it up a little bit (by sitting a container in hot water, not over a flame). If it doesn't dissolve, it's probably a algae gel. Ralph __________________ The natural gardener God's original intent

06-07-2008, 01:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
Kaliburz Gold Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: West Posts: 283	Re: how can ULSD gell at 105 degrees? Yup, pick up some additive for algae. Happened to me one year. I treated my bulk tank and ALL my tractors. Still have some of that stuff on the shelf, just in case. Buddies father's tractor had issues and I went over and treated his tank. Said it ran fine after I treated it....

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