Real Cold Weather and Southern Diesel

[Unclebuck257]

I was reading the thread about water well insulation with our coming major cold snap here in North Texas, and I was surprised that no one mentioned anything about our tractor diesel fuel as an additional note. I almost forgot myself, after checking and rechecking my well house heat lamps, pipe insulation, etc, but let's not forget that our southern diesel can, and will, gel in sustained single digit temps like we're supposed to get in here over the next few days. I went and got some of that diesel fuel anti gel additive for cold weather and put it in my tractor fuel tank. I'll need my tractor to get down round bales of hay, and to break up the ice on our stock tank edges for the critters to drink. That tractor diesel fuel gelling up would really put me in a hurt, so I didn't want to take any chances.

 

[LBrown59]

I was reading the thread about water well insulation with our coming major cold snap here in North Texas, and I was surprised that no one mentioned anything about our tractor diesel fuel as an additional note. I almost forgot myself, after checking and rechecking my well house heat lamps, pipe insulation, etc, but let's not forget that our southern diesel can, and will, gel in sustained single digit temps like we're supposed to get in here over the next few days. I went and got some of that diesel fuel anti gel additive for cold weather and put it in my tractor fuel tank. I'll need my tractor to get down round bales of hay, and to break up the ice on our stock tank edges for the critters to drink. That tractor diesel fuel gelling up would really put me in a hurt, so I didn't want to take any chances.

What fuel are you running in the tractor ?

 

[kyspartan]

this is a just guess, but i am going to say diesel.

 

[dmccarty]

I have never had a problem with gelling in my diesels.

My first diesel truck I bought in 1995. I am not sure when I learned about diesel fuel gelling but it was likely around 2000. That truck when through some cold spells without a problem and with no additives.

The tractor I do use additives just because it will sit awhile between use and the fuel can last along time if I fill up with 12 gallons.

On the Ford that replaced the 1995 truck I have on occasion used an additive. But frankly I can only remember doing it once. And that was last Sunday.

I checked our well house hovel to make sure the two lights were running. Added five gallons of fuel to the tractor along with an additive. Since it had been cold and we are experiencing a multi week long deep freeze I put some additive in the truck fuel. NC has not had these low temperature for such a long time since 1977. Figured a bit of additive would be good insurance.

I run 0w40 oil in the truck and tractor. The truck starts right up and does not sound like it is going to cough out a cylinder like it used to with the 15w40 oil. I swear on a cold morning with 15w40 oil the vibration of the truck could churn butter until the engine warmed up.

I do know that in January of 1996, a few months after getting the 1995 truck, I was in FLA for the holidays. A bad snow storm was head to NC so I left FLA and head back home. I had to get fuel in either SC or north GA which lasted me to NC. The last 4-6 hours was in a blizzard driving in 4x4 on I95 and I40. Talk about killing your MPG. That southern fuel from SC or GA was find up here in the snow storm.

That is a long winded way of saying you likely won't have a problem but if it is really cold for your area a doze of anti gelling juice won't hurt. It only takes a moment to drop the juice in but it will surely take longer to ungell the truck....

Later,
Dan

 

[Unclebuck257]

Dan,

I never had a problem with the diesel gelling in my old Kubota nor in this Montana tractor, but then again, it hasn't been this cold in N Central Texas in 13 years either. I have had trouble with our southern diesel gelling in a truck a few years ago when I went from Texas to Colorado to go skiing. That was an experience I don't want repeated at anytime. It is definitely easier to put in additive than it is to UN-gel the diesel fuel.

With our temps going so very low in this Artic air, the truck stop where I bought the additive said that they were running out of containers of additive since the 18 wheeler drivers were buying up a bunch of it. They are obviously concerned about gelling of our southern diesel too. Like you said, it sure makes me feel better to have additive in the tank and it won't hurt anything. The critters and I depend on that tractor too much in this very cold weather to have any problems like that.

 

[dmccarty]

Going from TX to CO I could see being a problem since the fuel in TX was likely mixed to handle TX temperatures and not what would happen high in the mountains of CO.

I use the additive in the tractor just because I could easily have fuel in the tank that was from say the late summer or early fall and then it suddenly got cold in October.

If I repeated the trip where I bought fuel in SC or GA while heading to NC to try to beat a blizzard today I would use an additive. But I did not know better back then.

Later,
Dan

 

[Wis Bang]

I had an owner operator fuel up after loading in Panama City, Fl one January. His load delivered to the paper mill in Thunder Bay, ON and his fuel tanks gelled to the point that the fuel returning from the injector pump wasn't warm enough to keep him running.

We had to have it towed to a heated shop where it sat for 24 hours and then was topped of w/ 'winterized' fuel.

He went from the mid 60's to -20 b/4 it shut down. Additive helps but it takes alot to gel solid...

 

[dgl24087]

this is a just guess, but i am going to say diesel.

And how did you arrive at that conclusion?

 

[MikePA]

Today's Brain Teaser is: Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?