Will diesel fuel and filter "ungel" if warmer and additive added?

[DeereMann]

Can you cut it with kerosene if you also add the anti-gel with lubricate? Is that enough lubricant, given that it's in the No.2 and you're only cutting it about 30%?
Seems like there's a lot of stories on here about people who do. (Though, I guess you don't know how much the No.2 was already cut at the station, but I know it's not good for -20F.)
The problem is, I don't know where to get small quantities of No. 1, but kerosene is available.

I would think so, but never tried that. I have always used preventive practises & never waxed a fuel filter personally.

 

[The Fred]

A small propane torch used very carefully works just fine in the field. You'll see the crystals disappear quickly with the see through filter bowl. Obviously don't touch the flame to the filter just the heat byproduct moving your torch quickly around so as not to add too much heat in one spot. I burn straight heating oil and sometimes get caught off guard.

I said carefully:shocked:, Fred

 

[the old grind]

Kinda OT, but somehow the surfactant (non-ionic) in my glyphosphate brand turns to waxy-looking whisps after freezing. Looks like egg-drop soup even into warmer weather, and takes a lot of shaking the jug do disperse it.

I was caught off-guard this fall with a full tank of 'summer' diesel just when I needed to plow/pile snow (6" and still coming down). With temps in the teens, I used a heat gun to warm up the injector pump, filter, and some of the lines. I've long used PS (white bottle) and was pleasantly surprised to see her start up and run fine, even emptying my can of the summer stuff to use it up. Never saw any fuel-related issues when clearing another 13"+ of snow (~15^ F) since then.

Just to be safe, I added some Howes anti-gel when refilling with winter diesel. Much as I hate to start up below 20^ F (cold hydro is stiff and the pump whines a bit till it warms up) there have been seasons past that I ran or diluted with kero (per op manual) with PS added per label (lotsa plowing some years). What I did notice was more 'throttle' (position) needed to get/keep power up there and getting noticeably fewer hours/tankful.

I burn ~1gal/hr #2-D give or take (pro'ly 1 1/2 gal/hr or more with kero at 1600-1800 rpm), and whether any additive will make an engine last longer/forever I've never been disappointed with anti-gelling properties of those I've used over the years. (PS, Lucas, others). I wish this was as easy for other guys as it seems to me. (electric heater under a blanket right now, and once it's above 10^ F here I'm going back out again) Good luck, guys!

 

[RalphVa]

It's interesting the VW does not recommend any additives to its TDI fuel, and I don't use any.

Our daughter bought a VW TDI in 2013 and lives in Columbus, OH area where it got down well below zero. She's had no problems.

Our TDI shuddered a bit one morning. So, during our first 9 degree mornings, I had my wife turn on a portable light fixture with a halogen bulb (well recessed in the fixture) over the fuel filter an hour before she left for the gym. Don't think she bothered the next morning.

I'm not party to any of this lubricity thing. If the designers are too stupid to design their pumps with rubbing parts (like some old ones apparently had), then there may be a problem with lubricity on a few old engines with such pumps. Our old 240D with reciprocating injection pumps may be one of those animals. Bet any new system is using gear driven rotary pumps that have gear to keep the impellers from touching. HOWEVER, I think Benz used reciprocating injection pumps even on its older gasoline engines.

Benz actually recommended putting 10% gasoline into diesel to "cut" it for winter use until they figured out that there's a serious safety problem with doing this. Gasoline vapors in gasoline tanks is too rich to ignite, but the 10% gasoline in diesel will give a nice ignitable vapor just waiting for an ignition source. No mention of any "lubricity" problem in using 90/10 diesel/gasoline mixture.

Ralph

 

[ovrszd]

I know absolutely nothing about the VW TDI system. Does it have a filter heater?? Maybe some other method of heating the fuel?? Doesn't matter what type of pump it has or whether parts rub or not. Unaided, Number 2 Diesel will gel at 20 degrees F. A Winterized variety of Number 2 might have a bit lower gel point, might even be done around zero, but it too will gel if temps get cold enough. Really has nothing to do with brand of vehicle. Unless like I mentioned in the beginning, that it has some method of heating the fuel?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have added that Lucas extreme cold additive to some of my machine fuel tanks.

In this extreme cold -20 c and lower, the fuel is not gelled, yet I had issues with (my best guess) the parafin going out of suspension and plugging up the filters.. Had this happen with four pieces of equipment including my GMC truck. Fixed the issue in a hurry with SeaFoam, (used for the first time).

So my question would be, is the gelling thing a seperate issue from the parafin particle thing?

Oh, I noticed at the TSC that they have STP fuel treatment. Same style can as the SeaFoam and says virtually the same thing. Quite curious actually. But it's cheaper it seems. Anybody have any experience with the STP stuff?





So my

 

[Coyote machine]

I have added that Lucas extreme cold additive to some of my machine fuel tanks.

In this extreme cold -20 c and lower, the fuel is not gelled, yet I had issues with (my best guess) the parafin going out of suspension and plugging up the filters.. Had this happen with four pieces of equipment including my GMC truck. Fixed the issue in a hurry with SeaFoam, (used for the first time).

So my question would be, is the gelling thing a seperate issue from the parafin particle thing?

Oh, I noticed at the TSC that they have STP fuel treatment. Same style can as the SeaFoam and says virtually the same thing. Quite curious actually. But it's cheaper it seems. Anybody have any experience with the STP stuff?





So my

The fuel gels because as it is trying to pass through the filter the filter attempts to catch particulate matter, water; and consequently the larger molecules of gelled, or on it's way to being gelled fuel. The filter can't know that what it's capturing is just larger molecules of fuel which have or are starting to gel. It sees it as too big to pass through and therefore those particles start to accumulate until there is no more space for the fuel to pass through, resulting in a plugged/gelled/jammed with paraffin/wax filter and a no run tractor.

I liken gelled fuel to bacon!:licking: When cooking it the grease is hot and flows. When the grease cools it coagulates and can't be poured. It can jam one's arteries like gelled diesel fuel can clog a tractor, car, truck's fuel filter. In the case of a diesel the tractor stops running or runs poorly. In the case of the human they end up with clogged arteries and may die or run poorly.

 

[The Fred]

I know absolutely nothing about the VW TDI system. Does it have a filter heater??

Depends on the version, some years run fuel through the cylinder head like an old Cummins 855 engine, these never freeze up. Some of the early ones gel in the fuel tank sending unit at the check valve, these gel constantly. The new ones have an electric fuel transfer pump, a low pressure mechanical pump and an extremely high pressure mechanical pump, these never gel that I have seen. None have electric heaters in the filter like Powerstroke Fords.

I liken gelled fuel to bacon! When cooking it the grease is hot and flows. When the grease cools it coagulates and can't be poured. It can jam one's arteries like gelled diesel fuel can clog a tractor, car, truck's fuel filter.

Quite a good analogy for those that might not understand what fuel gelling is; unless you're a vegan:spam:

Benz actually recommended putting 10% gasoline into diesel to "cut" it for winter use until they figured out that there's a serious safety problem with doing this.

Also I believe mixing gasoline with fuel oil creates static electricity. When I hauled gasoline/Diesel we couldn't load the same product in the trailers without a double bulkhead per compartment.

Fred

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks Fred. I never heard of any of that!!! Them Germans..........

 

[CobyRupert]

Soooo....
If one was worried about lubrication (because they cut the No.2 with kerosene instead of using No. 1) what would you use as lubricant additive? Think the PS grey (or white) bottle has enough? I've heard some people talk about using motor oil?