What does diesel gelling look like?

   / What does diesel gelling look like? #1  

ragkar

Platinum Member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
846
Location
eastern PA-lower Poconos
Tractor
JD2320 w/R4 $21,100 w/7.16%off
The other day (temperature 15 degrees and after 20 minutes of plowing) my stationary tractor engine lost rpm and then stopped. I suspected gelling even though I did add addative a few weeks back when I topped off. I examined the glass fuel filter but I'm not sure what I was looking for.
I'm guessing that gelling will look like the fluid in those 50's lava lamps. If I could see the folds of the paper filter with none of that, is it true that I didn't have gelling?
I let the tractor sit for a half hour and then after three tries, started it and finished my plowing.
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #2  
Like the term implies, it looks like red or brown jello in severe cases. Do a search for "paraffin precipitation" which preceded jelling. Probably what you experienced. MikeD74t
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #4  
Mix your fuel 1/3 Kerosene and 2/3 Diesel for the cold weather. End of problem
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #5  
Mix your fuel 1/3 Kerosene and 2/3 Diesel for the cold weather. End of problem

Thats a good idea but up here the supplier makes up a mix that changes with avg temps. We call it winter fuel. You probably should call your supplier and find out if they do this before you make your own.
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #6  
Run an addictive like Power Service and you will NEVER have to worry about gelling fuel or when the supplier changes over to "winter fuel".
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #7  
If you access to #1 diesel vs #2 diesel it will also not gel as easily. If this happens again, get you wife's hair dryer and let it run on the filter for a few minutes. You may look foolish drying your tractor but it sure beats shoveling snow...:thumbsup:

Roy
 
   / What does diesel gelling look like? #8  
Attached picture.:D
 

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   / What does diesel gelling look like? #9  
Gelling is just wax solidifying. It takes on the color of the fuel. It'll most likely happen on your fuel filter. Warm the filter to melt it or add kero to your fuel.

You could have wax dropout happening. These are little globs of wax that come out of solution at temperatures below 10 F. This happened to my 4010 last winter when we did have 2 or 3 nights below 10 F. I had to siphon the tank and fish out the yellowish wax globs that were over the outlet hole from the fuel tank. Unless you have a very new additive, it may not be formulated for this. Best would be to add 1/3 to 1/2 kerosene to the diesel. I could have warmed some kero and used it to melt the wax globs, too.

Ralph
 
 
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