Stanadyne ??? Afters Years of Use Has Let Me Down

[Gordon Gould]

I tried to get some kerosene or #1 diesel to cut the gelled fuel in my tank. Used to be that you could buy it in lots of local stations. For some reason there is only one place left that has a kerosene pump. I wonder why ?? But with the cold we are having they were sold out and could not tell me when they would have more. She said every available truck was hauling #2 fuel oil as a top priority.

gg

 

[LouNY]

Okay, lots of good advice here. I'm going to touch on one thing I haven't seen mentioned and I think when done I'll copy and paste to some other threads.
In sub zero temperatures cut down on the exposure to the outside air for your equipment,
put a plastic trash bag in front of your grill to stop the air flow, wrap a bungee cord around to hold it in place, as it warms up you can give it some air if needed, just slid your cover down a bit.
Get a small tarp and more bungee cords wrap it around the hoods on your tractor under the engine and on both sides.
When you get to using it open up the front to get a little air in, watch your temperature gauges unless you are working
your engine hard it will need very little air, the heat that you trap will warm your fuel lines and filter.
If its making heat then you can open up the rear a bit and let some come back to your feet, it will be like the old heat housers
we used to put on and a few of use still do at times.
Let these diesel run warm they will work better and last longer, note I said warm not to hot :thumbsup:

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have always used Stanadyne Performance Formula year round as a fuel additive and anti-gel. I have also bought my fuel at the same truck stop for over 15 years and trust thier fuel. Well today I plugged the filter - never happened before. It was cold, minus 5 F and the tractor soaked at minus 22 all night. In trying to figure what happened I notice that the Stanadyne spec states that the plugged filter temp is reduced by 25* F. I never realized that was all. So I guess all these years I have been unknowingly relying on the fuel blender to help winterize the fuel.

Anyway the question - Stanadyne says use a 500:1 ratio, temperature independent. My question is, if I use a lower ratio will I get a larger temperature reduction ?? I ask because I see Power Service instructs you to double the additive below 0 degrees F. However PS does not publish (that I can find ) how much temperature reduction you get by using it. That would be good to know too. Thanks

gg

Jelling is only one issue that can cause restricted fuel delivery. Ice accreting on the filter(s), the tank outlet strainer or freezing in the fuel lines is just as probable.

Water condensation in the fuel tank is unavoidable especially in humid climates but can be minimized by trying to keep the fuel tank as full as possible. Main fuel filters and water separators (where installed) have drain fittings on them. How many of you drain them regularly? Many fuel treatments help the water to collect and slide off the filer so it can be drained but if you don't drain the filter housing it will freeze up in cold temperature and restrict the fuel flow. Treating for fuel jelling won't help ice blockages. If you have a metal filter canister you can use a heat gun or your wife's blow dryer to melt the ice in the filter or on the tank strainer or fuel lines. then drain the filter to get the water out, collecting it in a clear container so you can see how much is in there. Do that at every following start up until you don't have any more water come out.

 

[CADplans]

CNBC just reported that,,, for the duration of the blizzard,,,
the oil companies will be blending 10% water into fuel/heating oil.

The oil companies figure that no one has complained about the 10% ethanol in gas,,
they figured they would try doing something similar.

This is only being done in in northern states,,, if there is a problem,, they will blame it on,,,,
GELLING!!







:thumbsup:


:laughing:

 

[Doofy]

CNBC just reported that,,, for the duration of the blizzard,,,
the oil companies will be blending 10% water into fuel/heating oil.

The oil companies figure that no one has complained about the 10% ethanol in gas,,
they figured they would try doing something similar.

This is only being done in in northern states,,, if there is a problem,, they will blame it on,,,,
GELLING!!







:thumbsup:


:laughing:

Hahahaha. Now THAT is funny!

 

[FatTire]

I'm pretty sure that kerosene has less energy in it than diesel so you are paying more for less. It's refined more hence the extra cost. We use to mix it 50/50 for the real cold nights when I was a kid but it's just as easy to use an additive.

I don't have Prime because FedEx doesn't like to deliver to my house (UPS is fine) and FedEx will not deliver to a different address if they won't deliver to your house. The closest place they will bring it is about an hour and a half from here. Even though there's a FedEx depot about 40 minutes away they will not allow anyone to pick up a package there.

This sounds familiar. Although UPS does not come to our place in the winter, they always call to make alternate arrangements. (Meet us at the end of the pavement, or leave the package somewhere closer to town, etc.) FEDEX is just a problem year round. There is a FEDEX Ground depot an hour from here which does "allow" us to pick up, but the FEDEX AIR terminal is almost 3 hours away, and they will not drop packages at the FEDEX Ground terminal. So we'll just about do back flips or whatever we need to get vendors to send via UPS or USPS, and not FEDEX.

 

[LD1]

Haven't had any issues here with gelling, but not getting out and working in it either. Just too cold.

But regarding additives.....

Seems everyone has their opinions. Just like motor oil. Rotella vs delo vs amsoil vs Valvoline, etc.

What's odd, is that I have read alot....on other forums......that stanadyne is one of the better ones. And to avoid PS....especially the 911 stuff like the plague.

But in general......three reasons for additives...
1. Anti-gel. Never had a problem with this here.....unless you use a can filled in summertime for the winter. So j do t worry about this.
2. Lubrication. Have always used howes. But got a case of different stuff last time. It's in a round pint sized blue and silver bottle....treats about 60 gallon per bottle so half a bottle when I fill truck. Just don't remember what it's called. Never added anything in the off-road tank
3. Anti-microbial / algaecide. This is needed more if fuel is stored long term. PS makes a product called kleen diesel. I put a little In Every other tank in the truck. Because truck only sees about 4k mi a year.

Yet to find a single additive that will do all 3.

Or really, since gel isn't a concern of mine, have yet to find an additive to handle 2 and 3

 

[Gordon Gould]

Jelling is only one issue that can cause restricted fuel delivery. Ice accreting on the filter(s), the tank outlet strainer or freezing in the fuel lines is just as probable.

Water condensation in the fuel tank is unavoidable especially in humid climates but can be minimized by trying to keep the fuel tank as full as possible. Main fuel filters and water separators (where installed) have drain fittings on them. How many of you drain them regularly? Many fuel treatments help the water to collect and slide off the filer so it can be drained but if you don't drain the filter housing it will freeze up in cold temperature and restrict the fuel flow. Treating for fuel jelling won't help ice blockages. If you have a metal filter canister you can use a heat gun or your wife's blow dryer to melt the ice in the filter or on the tank strainer or fuel lines. then drain the filter to get the water out, collecting it in a clear container so you can see how much is in there. Do that at every following start up until you don't have any more water come out.

I understand about the potential icing problems but in my case it was gelling not icing. I have clear filter bowls and could see the yellow wax that filled them. When I removed the bowl/filter assembly it was a real education for me. They were filled with a thick yellow heavy gravy like substance - messy stuff. And my fuel tank looked like tapioca pudding with little yellow specs suspended in it.

I put the 911 in the tank and let it set for a day. I cleaned as much wax off the filters as I could in a warm place and filled the bowl with 911 which started dissolving the remaining wax imbedded in the filter. When I put the filter back on the motor and opened the fuel valve new wax stared to collect as fresh fuel flowed in but then started dissolving. After I started the tractor I added regular PS as instructed. Everything is still good today at 5* above. We will see Saturday when it is -25* again.

gg

 

[Btown]

It's been so cold I haven't even tried to mess with my gelled fuel problem. This morning was 3* F above and it got up to 15* by noon. Figured this was my best chance. Snow tomorrow then back to 25 below for the weekend. I just followed the directions on the 911 Power Service bottle except I put it in the tank yesterday and let it sit for a day. Today I did the filter thing, made a little tent over the tractor, and ran my salamander heater a couple hours for extra insurance. It started just like it was summer - I never thought clear fuel could be so beautiful. I won't let this happen again. Once is enough. I will never use month old fuel in December again.

Now I am a Power Service fan !!!

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gg

Just remember PS 911 will un gel the fuel it will not stay that way. You need to add the white PS to keep it un gelled. I see you added it but some people don’t and then they claim that 911 is junk, they just didn’t read the directions. Glad it’s working.

 

[Doofy]

Just remember PS 911 will un gel the fuel it will not stay that way. You need to add the white PS to keep it un gelled. I see you added it but some people don’t and then they claim that 911 is junk, they just didn’t read the directions. Glad it’s working.

Great info. Thanks for the great reminder. I very seldom read labels anymore mainly because I'm a guy and also because the print is getting so tiny.