Diesel in winter

[PILOON]

Going out to refuel my GMC and Mule from dyed and non dyed tanks today. I will take samples (for the first time) of each in those tiny liquor bottles, put them in the -18c freezer and see how the fuel behaves.

Pleas report your results, interested-------

 

[Industrial Toys]

My FIRST scientific tests. Filled two airline size liquor bottles. Sprayed Diesel all over my jacket not being well able to control the flow from the electric nozzle.

Put the bottles in a peanut butter jar, and in the bottem of a -19c freezer. Freezer has LED temperature thermometer/alarm.

Took out a day later. Just now. Upon first inspection, both samples seemed perfectly liquid and I felt assured that the fuel supply was fine to that temperature.

BUT, upon further examination, I noticed that both samples have cloud like formations in them. I am not sure what this means. Is that parafin on the verge of coming out of solution?

 

[LouNY]

The cloud is parafin starting to crystalize,
your -19C is the same as our -2F.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Thanks. Would that very slight cloud be enough to cause plugging of a filter?

My next test is to put it in my fridge freezer which isn't as cold, and see if it is cloudy. Just need to rig up an accurate thermometer.

 

[LouNY]

Depends on the amount and the size of the particles,
just a few very small ones will usually pass through the fuel filter.
When they start coagulating is when the filter gets plugged fast.

 

[Industrial Toys]

What I have in my tanks is a real crap shoot as I get deliveries throughout the year and the tanks are rarely below half full. So I was surprised that both Diesel samples looked very similar as for those clouds. Not that the liquid was cloudy, just to be precise. Kind of like you might see with a bottle of Vodka put in the freezer.

 

[ovrszd]

For your test to have merit we need to know exactly what fuel you tested?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Why? I have the fuel I have on hand, both dyed and clear. If I know it's good to -19c that is all I need to know. If it get's colder, then I better add extra treatment. Above that, and I shouldn't have to worry. Even if it is Biofuel which I don't think it is, the proof is in the pudding, no? Or am I missing something?

 

[GeneV]

The cloud is parafin starting to crystalize,
your -19C is the same as our -2F.

This was a good test, but yes I also needed this translation because I can only speak american. I hear c or mm or whatever, or bar instead of psi, thats another one. All that stuff I gotta hit google translate, I ain't kidding ya. And I wasn't even born here! I'm from analog country.



All this talk of gelling or algae had me scared, honestly. So what I did is toss algeacide and power service white in the tank, and then I topped it off all the way to full after I went out twice to plow. That's all fine, right? To me it seems like a good recipe.

 

[ovrszd]

Why? I have the fuel I have on hand, both dyed and clear. If I know it's good to -19c that is all I need to know. If it get's colder, then I better add extra treatment. Above that, and I shouldn't have to worry. Even if it is Biofuel which I don't think it is, the proof is in the pudding, no? Or am I missing something?

I misunderstood. I thought you were doing a test of a specified fuel to see the results of the temps you held it under. I didn't realize this was simply a test for you to know how dependable your fuel was. Sorry.

I've got some untreated #2 on hand. I'll set up a variety of tests.