Diesel Gelling - Never Would Have Expected It

[ovrszd]

Wow, that's the lowest number of hours at which I've seen of that problem occurring. I just recently had my BX freeze again, but I realized I hadn't changed the filters in two years. I had just convinced (scolded) myself to change the filters every fall, but that doesn't sound like a sure fix. I guess I'll look at the Racor as well!

Time has nothing to do with this. A tractor with 1 hour on the clock can gel if the fuel is not stable.

 

[vtsnowedin]

We've had many single digit days here, my little tractor is outside. I have used PS White & Red, as well as Howes, still I got gelling again this year (my second winter to own my BX). I suspect the fuel supplier as it is not likely he does a large volume of diesel business, so maybe there was still some summer blend in his tank when he got his first winter delivery? I had purchased the diesel a while after they changed over. So filter changes and adding more additives (including both PS) alone did not do it for me. I had to take the fuel pump off also, and introduce it to some PS 911 for a few minutes in each port. Then it started up with excellent fuel flow. This took me a couple of days in bitter cold weather so maybe the additives, including some enzyme fuel treatment worked it's magic on the fuel. But before I treated the fuel pump directly, I was dead in the snow. Will change filters every fall from here on in. I continue to get my diesel education. Thanks for all the information in this thread.

That all sounds very familiar except the part about taking the fuel pump off. I found I wasn't getting fuel from the tank to the fuel filter so every thing beyond that just ran dry and had to be re primed. I took the fuel line off where it attaches to the shutoff at the fuel filter and had to blow hard on it to hear bubbles blowing in the tank. It took all the breath I had to get it going. Obviously the additive and kerosene I had added to the tank could not mix with and make it's way down a jelled fuel line. Once I had fuel flowing freely to the fuel filter I let it fill the filter by opening the bleed screw on the filter housing then opened the bleed screw on the injector pump and used the hand plunger on the filter housing to pump fuel across to it. ( Why those are on opposite sides of my tractor so I can't see the bleed screw on the pump while I'm pumping the hand plunger is beyond me. ) But once I had it coming out the injector pump bleed screw I closed it and it started right up.
What did you do to your fuel (injector) pump while you had it off?

 

[ovrszd]

I don't even understand all of this Power service use?? I don't use ANY additives at all, and I've NEVER had any fuel problems at all, and it goes below zero here! I started my tractor today, it was 7*, it started right up and once warmed up, it ran perfectly...

Years ago, I took an injection pump, to a reputable pump rebuild shop, they opened it up and said right off "you been using power service?? and I had! Once rebuilt, they told me, "use power service with this pump, and i will void the warr". I NEVER used power service again and that was a lot of years ago!

In the fall I start using fuel from a gas station that moves quite a bit of fuel and like I said, I don't use anything with it and I've never had even one problem....and that's not in just one tractor, it's in every diesel I run in the winter!

My neighbor uses more fuel in the winter than I do, he doesn't use additives either... Same with my brother...

SR

I'm always confused by the difference results people get with different fuel. I use PS white all Winter long and never have a problem. I gelled once years ago with untreated #2 fuel and swore that would never happen again (PITA) and it hasn't since using an additive. I also blend 50/50 fuel for the road grader I run with no problems.

I wonder why there's a difference for some users? I can't imagine one supplier would spend the money to winterize their fuel, which would significantly reduce profits, while another would not??

Who do you buy your fuel from?? Do they claim it's winterized? And if so, what temp do they claim it's safe at??

 

[ovrszd]

The rebuilder was quite a ways from where I lived and as I knew him, he opened the pump while I was there to see what it needed. This pump had a "advance piston" in it, and he pulled it, took one look at it and the amount of wear on it and instantly knew I had been using PS...

No matter, use "winter" fuel from a station that sells a decent amount of fuel and you won't need to WASTE money on additives!

BTW, it's -7* out right now, any bets on if my tractor will start right up.... WITHOUT any additives in the fuel!

SR

The amount of fuel a supplier sells will have little impact on gelling. The one time I gelled the road grader I filled at a Truck Stop at a major hiway interchange that sold thousands of gallons of fuel per day. They had a sign on the pump that said it was winterized. It gelled at +10F. When I went back to them madder than you can imagine they said "oh it's just winterized to +20F" He** straight #2 will do that. After that I treat every gallon of fuel I burn in the Winter.

Again, I'm not questioning your situation at all. I'd just like to know who your supplier is and what their claim is for Winterization?? I think it's widely different depending on where a person is located.

 

[ovrszd]

No love for powerservice here. I think its crap! IMHO.

Howes Diesel Treat on the other hand has been a very good product.

And install a Racor on the tractor, the factory filters are garbage and belong on a snowmobile, not a tractor.

I buy all my fuel from MFA, a distributor in Missouri. They told me specifically to not use Howes. Said it would not protect me with their fuel.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yes it does make a difference to find a station that sells a lot of fuel... It tells me they have fresh fuel, folks are buying it and in the small towns around here, if the fuel was old or a problem, I'd hear about it.

Also, in the winter, I buy out of the premium diesel pump, not the #2 or farm fuel pump. Premium is winterized and has a slightly higher C-tane number, but I never asked to what temp it's winterized to... I can tell you, I've been using it for years and years, and I NEVER have had even one problem, no matter how cold it gets and we get below zero temps here...

I think you are right about one thing, I think the northern states do have better winter fuel as one of the only times I've ever had diesel gell, I was in Missouri!! I should have bought smaller amounts as I went north, but I didn't...

The fuel station that I use is a AGO station, use to be BP up until some months ago...

SR

 

[FTG-05]

Goggle the spicer report on diesel fuel additives.It was a independent report.I have been using Opti-lube winter,schaffers brand,and stanadyne winter brands for the last 20 plus years.I have never had a gelling issue or diesel fuel related failure.

The spicer report (Lubricity Additive Study Results - Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums) was a study on diesel fuel additives for lubricity - it had nothing to do with preventing or fixing fuel gelling.

Having said that, I've heard reports that people who use TC-W3 2 stroke oil as a lubricity additive also reduces the low temperature gelling problem. I have no personal experience though, it just doesn't get that cold here.

 

[ovrszd]

Yes it does make a difference to find a station that sells a lot of fuel... It tells me they have fresh fuel, folks are buying it and in the small towns around here, if the fuel was old or a problem, I'd hear about it.

Also, in the winter, I buy out of the premium diesel pump, not the #2 or farm fuel pump. Premium is winterized and has a slightly higher C-tane number, but I never asked to what temp it's winterized to... I can tell you, I've been using it for years and years, and I NEVER have had even one problem, no matter how cold it gets and we get below zero temps here...

I think you are right about one thing, I think the northern states do have better winter fuel as one of the only times I've ever had diesel gell, I was in Missouri!! I should have bought smaller amounts as I went north, but I didn't...

The fuel station that I use is a AGO station, use to be BP up until some months ago...

SR

Yeah, I certainly do not question anyone's testimony concerning diesel fuel. I just always find it interesting how varied the results are. I would never consider running fuel that wasn't treated. You on the other hand don't even consider treating it. You and I certainly are not burning the same fuel.

 

[kevinkunkle]

I run the PS White in my BX23 year round. So far it has worked good for 11 years in Northeast Pa.

 

[coobie]

The spicer report (Lubricity Additive Study Results - Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums) was a study on diesel fuel additives for lubricity - it had nothing to do with preventing or fixing fuel gelling.

Having said that, I've heard reports that people who use TC-W3 2 stroke oil as a lubricity additive also reduces the low temperature gelling problem. I have no personal experience though, it just doesn't get that cold here.

Your correct a crappy report,what was i thinking ? Maybe if you do a little follow up you will be able to comprehend what my point was?