Can Winter blend Diesel be used in hot weather?

[gauthier]

Well sure it can,but would be more worried about moisture,from setting around than the blend[if there is a blend]

 

[Hematite]

The tractor has been running and starting extremely well so I think you guys are correct, just leave it in and use it up! Thanks very much for your replies!

 

[LBrown59]

I filled the tractor up with Winter blend Diesel last Fall in the event that I might need to use it during the Winter. I have used it very little up till now and the weather has turned VERY hot.
1*Should I drain the fuel out and put regular Diesel back in or is it safe to just burn up the Winter blend?

1*Didn't your tractor run fine on the winter stuff during the winter?
Can you give me any logical reason why the now warmer temps would have any effect on how your tractor would perform on it?

2*It's the same stuff, no worries.
My supplier has told me they no longer blend winter fuel due to the regs on sulfer etc..... It's up to the customer to treat it for cold weather. I add 1 gallon of Power Service to each delivery and this is the first year that I had no gelling issues.:thumbsup:

2*Exactly .

This is pump Diesel (ULSD) that I bought in November so it may have been blended with kerosene.
3*I suspect that the engine power might be down if I use it instead of regular Diesel
4* but I was just worried that it might have lower Cetane.
I always dope my fuel up with Power Service about double what they recomend so it does have a double dose of white PS in it. Will that make a difference?

3*What does that have to do with it since your tractor will run the same on it winter or summer?
4* Why would the Cetane be lower now than it was last winter.?
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In my area of West Virginia, "Winter Blend" used to be 25% Kerosene and 75% Diesel. Now a days, it's Diesel Fuel and an additive.

5*With a kero. and diesel blend, you could see a little lose of hp and economy due to the fact that kero doesn't have the btu's that diesel does.


I doubt you'll see any difference (I don't) with today's "store bought" winter fuels vs. summer fuel.

6*Burn it, it won't hurt a thing.
My :2cents: worth!

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5*But that has nothing to do with using it in winter V.S summer.
6*Use it

That's good news about not having to drain it and refill it!

Somewhere along the line I was told that it was a good idea to double the dose of PS. I haven't been using enough fuel that it has become costly but,
7*if that's not a good idea, maybe I'll just add the recommended amount.

7* I t won't hurt a thing .
I dump a Qt of in every 55 gallon drum fill up.

8*Well sure it can,but I would be more worried about moisture,from setting around than the blend[if there is a blend]

8*That's probably a needless concern.

The tractor has been running and starting extremely well so I think you guys are correct,
9*just leave it in and use it up! Thanks very much for your replies!

9*That would be my choice.

There's a lot of miss guided myths and missinformation about fuel out there .
All that does is complicate and confuse things especially for the green horns.

HERE is my thoughts on winter V.S summer fuel.
My manual says winter blend when temp hits 14 degrees .

Since here where I live in Oh.few if any winter days are that cold so I could likely get by with summer fuel all year long.
So I just fill up with what ever is in season and forget about all the hassle.

 

[gauthier]

Well lbrown,I knew it was needless thats why I posted it:laughing:

 

[smfcpacfp]

It's the same stuff, no worries.

At worst, add a little Power Service, but it shouldn't even need that.

My supplier has told me they no longer blend winter fuel due to the regs on sulfer etc..... It's up to the customer to treat it for cold weather. I add 1 gallon of Power Service to each delivery and this is the first year that I had no gelling issues.:thumbsup:

It isn't the same stuff here in the UP of Michigan. Diesel here comes in three varieties #1, #2, and in the winter - winter blend (a combination of #1 and #2), which is usually sold in place of #2 in the winter.

Yes, you will have a difference. #1 diesel has less energy per unit volume than #2 diesel which means that your tractor will appear to have less power and consume more fuel to do a given job. I doubt that one would actually be able to perceive the small difference.

Other than the higher cost and lower energy value in a winter blend there is nothing wrong in using it.

 

[some zilch]

Won't make a difference but you're wasting your PS

x2

Well sure it can,but would be more worried about moisture,from setting around than the blend[if there is a blend]

i wouldnt even worry about moisture. what do industrial users with large generators/large machinery do? when the stuff needs to start after sitting for a length of time, they go out and start it up. i wouldnt even bat an eye at 9 month old diesel fuel. its not gasoline

 

[ModMech]

i wouldnt even worry about moisture. what do industrial users with large generators/large machinery do? when the stuff needs to start after sitting for a length of time, they go out and start it up. i wouldnt even bat an eye at 9 month old diesel fuel. its not gasoline

Industrial and marine diesel users have a HUGE problem with moisture. They will pay lots extra for LSD (off-road spec) fuel to be delivered as opposed to buying ULSD (on road) fuel simply because of the moisture and algea problems associated with ULSD. They also employ moisture seperation and filtration systems not used on automotive or tractor engines.

Winter blend fuels typically have lower BTU content so your equipment will produce about 1%-2% less power and consequently run cooler. You can operate on winter fuel year-round, but not summer fuel in cold climates. Many large fuel buyers will use winter fuel year-round to reduce emissions and to avoid the possibility of getting caught with summer fuel during an unusually early cold snap.

Currently, ULSD has serious problems with moisture and algea so watch for that. ULSD undergoes a much harsher refining process than LSD needed to and this makes it more subject to moisture absorption. Also, with the minimal sulfur content, algea growth is no longer inhibited. Warm weather + moisture + low sulfur fuel = BIG algea problem!

 

[Hematite]

ModMech: Interesting info about the algae problem in ULSD. I hadn't heard that before about ULSD. Thanks!

 

[bp fick]

While there isn't a month without tractor use, due to snow, garden field prep, towing utility trailer around, and grass cutting, many of us still just aren't huge users of diesel. With the high efficiency of my 18 hp Kubota engine, coupled with only 60 hours of annual use, storing any amount of diesel is simply not necessary. There is a Fuel Mart 2 miles away. I'd rather they do my storing for me.

 

[Angelinabv]

Hi,

iesel engines are kind of finicky. Truth be told, they like it hot, really hot. In fact, diesels rely on heat (along with substantial compression) to fire the very fuel that they burn. There is no spark plug to ignite the fuel葉he presence of plenty of heat coaxes the fuel to burst into a fury of power that shoves the piston down.

Sound like the start of a captivating novel? No, sorry to disappoint, it's just pure physics in action.

So maybe you can see why winter weather is so difficult for diesels. . . cold fuel in a cold engine makes for a mighty cranky vehicle, and biodiesel in winter just adds to the angst. Read on for the low-down on keeping the fuel flowing and your engine roaring.

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