Oil & Fuel Jelled Fuel

MMH · Jan 24, 2012

massy1635 said:
Next year I will put
911 in my fuel barrel before it gets cold. Thanks for all the advice.

911 is only intended to be used after you gelled. It has alot of alcohol and should not be used for preventive measures. That's what the white bottle is for.

Jerry/MT · Jan 24, 2012

massy1635 said:
I am begining to think I had water in my fuel. I am pretty good about changing the oil and fuel filters before it gets cold. I did change to a new filter and the one I took out was pluged with a blackish slimy goo. I drained some fuel out thru the filter housing and it was running clear before putting in a new filter. I started it up and ran it for a half hour or so and it ran good and the filter was still cleal. I think we are past the worst of the cold . But to be safe I will put a pint of 911 in my fuel barrel, I have about 20 gallons left. Next year I will put
911 in my fuel barrel before it gets cold. Thanks for all the advice.

911 is not supposed to be a preventive. IT's supposed to be use when you have the gelling ptoblem. Power Service makes something called Arctic Express Diesel Fuel Anti-gell as a "preventive to gelling". It reduces the Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) temperature.

That black goey stuff was probably the result of bacterial contamination and you might consider using a biocide in your fuel.Draining off was the correct thing to do. Check your fuel storage for water contamination and treat it with something like PS Clear Diesel. You have to have water for the bacteria to live in the tank. Try to keep you tractor tank as full as possible to minimize condensation in it. Try to fill your storage tank with winter grade fuel in winter. It should have all the additives you need. Consider the additives if you have a a lot of summer grade fuel in storage as you go into winter.

(P.S. I have no affiliation ith Power Service, it's just that they have a range of products that are conveniently available for my use. I'm sure there are other products out there just as good, possibly better.)

massy1635 · Jan 25, 2012

MMH & Jerry, thanks for the advice on 911. I won't do that. I never had a problem with my old JD. Every Fall I would mix 50/50 diesel with K1. In 22 years I can not remember ever having my fuel jell. With these new engines, I have a 2010 MF 1635, I am not sure you can do that. Do I need to use the low surfer fuel or can I do my own mix? I have read on one if these forums that someone cut their diesel with gasoline. I don't think that's the way to go.

Jerry/MT · Jan 26, 2012

massy1635 said:
MMH & Jerry, thanks for the advice on 911. I won't do that. I never had a problem with my old JD. Every Fall I would mix 50/50 diesel with K1. In 22 years I can not remember ever having my fuel jell. With these new engines, I have a 2010 MF 1635, I am not sure you can do that. Do I need to use the low surfer fuel or can I do my own mix? I have read on one if these forums that someone cut their diesel with gasoline. I don't think that's the way to go.

The answer to your question is dependent on what your fuel supplier does to provide what I call "winter diesel". All we can get where I live for off round use in red dyed ULSD. I get my fuel from a Cenex station and it's supposed ly a winter diesel fuel and it's available from about the first of November through the end of March. If I have to fill my storage tank (a 55 gallon drum) before the first of November("summer diesel" is only available then), I'll mix #1 ULSD with #2 ULSD in a proportion of one part #1 to two parts #2. I also add PS White at 1 ounce per 3 gallons per the label year around. I have never had a problem with fuel gelling. I maybe over doing it but I can't stand to have the tractors down when I have have cows to feed.

My advice is to try to find out from your fuel supplier when your winter fuel becomes avaiable and how it's treated. You may not need to add anything. Knowing how it's treated will help you decide what you have to do, if anything. I have had problems with water contaminaton in one tractor and that's why I treat my fuel with PS. It helps the water slough off the filter medium so it can be drained.

jonyyuma · Jan 26, 2012

The black slimy goo sounds like the fungus that grows in storage or oversized fuel tanks..

dodge man · Jan 26, 2012

I've used Howes in the past and had good luck with that. I've had the rear filter on my BX plug up twice in the winter. I never knew what caused the problem, if it was gelled, dirt or water. I cut the filter open once, and never saw the problem, other than maybe just a little brown looking.

tessiers · Jan 27, 2012

Plastic tanks are notorious for condensation this time of year, keep the tank full. Sounds like water to me, not bad fuel. All the additive you can buy won't make water into diesel fuel. We hit 21 below and had no trouble, however both machines we ran those days were stored in semi-heated areas. I bring the loader tractor into the alley of the barn so its usually above or just under freezing. The skid steer has grudgingly earned a place in the heated shop, mostly because it starts hard and we need it when we need it, not when it decides to start. Just my 2 cents

massy1635 · Jan 29, 2012

I have been using off road diesel in my tractor. I am thinking now that they do not put the same additives in their off road fuel as they do in their on road fuel. I sent an e-mail to the company on Thursday asking if their off road fuel does have he same additives. As of now I haven't heard a word. I will give them a few more days to reply and then I will call them. Through all the cold weather I never hear of any diesel trucks or other equipment jelling up. Do you use off road fuel or the on road fuel in the winter?

Localmotion · Jan 29, 2012

Not sue what % of Bio-diesel is added in the US, but the following links might help... :thumbsup:

Since the new EU rules for agricultural diesel were implimented in the UK, a lot of farners have had problems keeping their fuel "fresh" including icing up in winter - a problem we thought was long a thing of the past!

Change to low-sulphur diesel means better care of farm stores - 5/17/2010 - Farmers Weekly

Fuel changes: Your questions answered - 10/7/2010 - Farmers Weekly

tessiers · Jan 31, 2012

yes, I use off road diesel almost exclusively in my farm equipment. And yes, off road diesel is treated, maybe even better than on road. Also big trucks gel as well, all the time in fact. It is quite common to see southern trucks with un-treated fuel in truck stops with problems. I tend to add additive to almost all fuel that sits in a can for any length of time. If I am burning it immediately I don't worry to much.