using summer diesel fuel in the winter

   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #1  

adlertom

Silver Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Messages
185
Location
Southern Wisconsin
Tractor
New Holland TC33DA hydro w/supersteer
I use my TC33DA for about 50 hours a year. So, it takes me a few months to go through a tank of diesel fuel. It's now November and I have a pretty full tank that was filled with fuel purchased this summer.

When I purchase the fresh fuel, I do add Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer to it, which is supposed to keep it from deteriorating for 12 months. The Sta-Bil label doesn't say anything about gelling however. My questions are:

1. Should I be worried about my fuel gelling?

2. Is there anything I can/should add to the summer fuel to prevent gelling, or am I better off to simply use it up or drain it, and refuel with a winter mix?

3. If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises?
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #2  
"Howe's Lubricator"..available at most truck stops. Cost me about $9.95 a 1/2 gal. 1/2 gal does over 700 gal of fuel.

It says to DOUBLE DOSE the fuel in the winter time to keep gelling from happening.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #3  
1. Should I be worried about my fuel gelling?
In southern Wisconsin, I would.

2. Is there anything I can/should add to the summer fuel to prevent gelling, or am I better off to simply use it up or drain it, and refuel with a winter mix?
There are a number of additives you can add. PowerService is one of them. No need to drain fuel or use it up. Just pour in PowerService.

3. If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises?
As an experiment, pour some diesel fuel in a clear container and put it in the freezer. Once it freezes, take it out and see what happens.

By the way, I am not aware of Stabil making an additive for diesel. Do not add Stabil for gasoline to diesel fuel.

So I don't have to deal with summer fuel in winter, I always pour PowerService into my 5 gallon containers before I fill them, winter or summer.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #4  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises? )</font>

Yes. But not at +1 degree higher than the temp at which it gelled. Once paraffin precipitates out of diesel fuel, you have to get it fairly warm to get it to go back into solution. I don't know where I read it, but it seems like it needs to be around 50 or 60 F to "ungel".

FWIW, #2 starts to cloud up at around +12F.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #5  
I don't think diesel will gell up until the temp gets down to about 5 to 10 above. I just add some treatment to my fuel tank on the tractor. As for it gelling it will ungel when the temp rises.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #6  
I believe the Power service the other guy mentioned is what most people use. Its real easy to get, any Walmart has it, they have two types though, one says for gelling and the other one don't, so you want to get the one that does. I am pretty sure the Sta-bil is not to be used in diesel. But if you have fuel gelled up, you can ever use a little gas to ungell it, I have done that, not over around 10 to 20 %. I know some has used more like 40%, but I don't think that is a good idea.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter
  • Thread Starter
#7  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
There are a number of additives you can add. PowerService is one of them. No need to drain fuel or use it up. Just pour in PowerService.)</font>

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Is PowerService a fuel stabilizer as well as an anti gel product?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( By the way, I am not aware of Stabil making an additive for diesel. Do not add Stabil for gasoline to diesel fuel.)</font>

The label on my bottle of Sta-Bil says it can be used for gasoline, gasohol, gas/oil mixtures, oxygenated gas, and diesel fuel.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #8  
I went to the Sta-Bil site and the only product they mention as anti-gel is Diesel Power. Do yourself a favor, use PowerService. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Sta-bil is for gasoline.
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #9  
Sta-bil is safe to use in diesel fuel as a preservative but will not prevent gelling. My concern is mixing all this stuff in the same batch of fuel. I would personally buy smaller amounts of fuel and use only the Power Service additive or some other anti-gel additive. Diesel will store much longer than gasoline so I don't use Sta-bil in it. Just my two cents.

Jeff
 
   / using summer diesel fuel in the winter #10  
I started a thread with this post and got no response because I didn't make myself clear. I am very concerned about what can happen with aging deisel fuel. My Kubota has been sitting all summer with the same fuel from last year I've read about gelling, algae forming clumps and clogging filters and lines and other evil things that can mess up my tractor, while looking for info I ran across this web site for Algae-X AFC-750 an additive aimed at marine use. According to the site this stuff cures just about all that can happen to deisel the "850" also prevents gelling. It's not cheap but it goes a long way 1/2 ounce treats 10 gallons. I'm going to try it, but was also wondering if anyone out there has any experience with it or could some of you look at this site and tell me what you think. ps: overkill seems to be my nature

Deisel additive website ]Deisel additive web page[/url]
 
 
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