Can I add anti-gel to my tractor

[ljjhouser]

As you see, there are a lot of anti-gel additive. I use Stanadyne - in every gallon.

 

[grsthegreat]

Back in the 80 in montana, we mixed #1 and #2 diesel for a winter blend. I dont recall the ratios though…been too long. We had winters that reached -60F wind chills, and the machinery ran fine. This was before winter blend diesel.

nowdays i refill my 55 gallon diesel storage tank with winter blend the service stations sell. I have never added anything to my fuel for past 30 years. We just had a -37f wind chill week last week, no problem starting and running.

I dont add anything to my 2 diesel trucks either. The dodge has 375,000 miles on engine, the ford has 107,000 miles. No issues.

 

[ttman4]

All thru the '70's & early 80's I semi trucked as well as had total of 5 semis with drivers on them. In fall to late spring we ALWAYS carried 10 gal of regular gasoline with us.

Depending what part of the country/world we were in, when it got cold & couldn't find #1 diesel or kerosene we would have to fill up with #2. And then we added 4-5 gal gas per 100 gal of diesel.

We ran all over US, western 1/2 of Canada, as well as Alaska. Mostly heavy haul. Mostly permit loads couldn't run at night so we'd have to park & idle all night. If fuel wasn't winterized, even with engine running & the kind'a warm return fuel going back to tanks, weather get cold enough even the tanks could gel.

One morning about 2 hr after sun-up I was ripping down I 94 about 30 mi west of Glendive, Mt & truck suddenly died. I dipped my tanks & fuel was like very thin jelly, it had gelled. Turned it was -38* below & I had bought #1 diesel at last full-up, I thought.

Round here when it gets nite time temp 10* or below I always add additive or gas or both to my diesel trucks & tractors!!!!

 

[grsthegreat]

Funny, i always have been under the assumption that gasoline in diesel engines was a very big no no

 

[dodge man]

I think it used to be common to run a little gas in diesel, I know people have said VW or Mercedes put it in the owners manual. These days with the high pressure injectors I wouldn’t add any gas.

 

[mini14]

it wont harm anything to add the anti gel but its not needed. If its in a heated garage and has no problems starting and getting up to temp, then the fuel being returned to the tank is being heated by the cylinder head as its being returned.

 

[Williy]

grsthegreat if you put too much gas in the
diesel you will get a rude awakening
Kerosene was a big choice to keep from;
jelling and truckers like the heet but I
prefer to use PS year round that way if the
temp drops I am ready

willy

 

[Robin Veerman]

it wont harm anything to add the anti gel but its not needed. If its in a heated garage and has no problems starting and getting up to temp, then the fuel being returned to the tank is being heated by the cylinder head as its being returned.

“It’s not needed” is oh so easy to say. Now if you offered to assist with the first tractor that DID gell up, I’d say you know what you’re talking about….

 

[oldballs]

Ah he**, On my three acre place here in Kansas, I deal with extreme temps high or low. And owning my Kubotas is probably a losing deal anyways. So I add PS to every 5 gallon of whatever comes out of the local pump. It doesn't cost me that much to prevent gelling issues....and maybe there is something to the added cetane boost. ...and injector/fuel pump lubrication.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[dodge man]

I’ve had my previous tractor gel up three times, luckily it still ran just barely good enough to get it in the shop. It was still a big inconvenience but if I hadn’t got it in the shop it would be a real pain.

 

[Looking4new]

My fuel tank on the Kioti CK 27 is 7.9 US gals. At every fill up in winter I put in one ounce of PS in the white bottle. Touch wood, I have never had my fuel gel. I am also using that fuel (#1 colored) for my furnace and don't put it into the big tank, only directly into the tractor.

 

[Williy]

I would never add anti-gel to a fuel tank if
its outside and the temp is below 30 degree's
fahrenheit

Yesterday the gas price was $2.43 it took only
3 weeks for it to drop from $2.59 but over night
this morning the price was $2.79 amazing how
long it takes for the price of gas to drop compared
to how fast it can climb

willy

 

[rScotty]

I just had my backhoe gel. For the full story see owning/operating :
JD 310SG TLB won't start

Since I was using what I thought was winterized fuel, I only added enough Optima Winter anti-gel to take it down to -20F. They say to double the dosage if colder than that - which it did....but I didn't. And I didn't test it either. Just relied on 50 years of no problems and believing in my fuel supplier.

So it gelled. Not in the fuel tank - that fuel looked just fine. That may not mean much, because several people said it would jell first in the fuel filter. Well, today I just got in and cleaned up from replacing the fuel filter with a new one pre-loaded with 50/50 diesel & Power Service 911 - red bottle. It took awhile to bleed it and get it going. From now on I'm going to add the double dose of anti-gel starting in the late fall & right on through to spring.
Might test a sample as well. Diesel fuel - and fuel sellers - vary a lot these days. And for a supplier to add enough anti-gel to make a difference for all temperatures has got to cut into his profits.

A week ago I would have been one who said that winter diesel plus the minimum recommended dose of anti-gel was just fine because I had never had a problem.
Now I know better. No harm done; not even a very expensive lesson.
rScotty

 

[shooterdon]

I add it and double dose in the winter.

since moving here 12 years ago the coldest I have seen is -35 F with a wind chill of -51 F. My deisel truck gelled that day. I did not own a tractor Then.

I will play it safe.

 

[dodge man]

I’m not a big YouTube promoter but I encourage people to watch the Project Farm video on anti gel additives. It’s somewhat shocking how much the fuel gels even with an additive. He puts the fuel in a freezer at -20F to see what happens. The additives definitely help but it’s surprising how thick the fuel gets even with the additive.

 

[oldballs]

All this antii-gel talk is making those old gasoline tractors look pretty good. Ah-h-h the good old days.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[rScotty]

All this antii-gel talk is making those old gasoline tractors look pretty good. Ah-h-h the good old days.

Cheers,
Mike

I was thinking the same thing. Especially with the emissions and computers on the new diesels I'm wondering just what the advantage really is for diesel over gas.
There was a time when diesels were better, but now I'm not so sure.

Diesel fuel costs more than gasoliine, and since the Tier IV diesels are always at higher RPM than needed, they burn more fuel than need be.

Diesel engines cost more to build than gassers, but don't last any longer than the old low compression ndustrial gas engines. Those were well worked out a long time ago.
Up until the 1970s, agriculture was built on industrial gas engiines more than on diesels.
Maintenance was easier and far less expensive. And emissions are naturally lower. Torque rise and performance is comparable.
So what is the advanage to diesels now? I think their time is passing.

 

[hube2]

I’m not a big YouTube promoter but I encourage people to watch the Project Farm video on anti gel additives. It’s somewhat shocking how much the fuel gels even with an additive. He puts the fuel in a freezer at -20F to see what happens. The additives definitely help but it’s surprising how thick the fuel gets even with the additive.

I've watched that video several times. It never says what dosage they use, single or double, and could not find it mentioned anywhere. At -20 (below 0f) they all recommend double dosing. At a single dose I would expect summer blend diesel to gel at -20 no matter which of the anti-gel products were used.

I use a double does of PS in all my diesel. I keep a mason jar from the current 5 gallon can I'm using on a shelf in the shed. I have seen temps as low as -15 since I've been doing this and the diesel is always clear with no clouding. I check the jar religiously when temps are extremely low before I try to start the tractor.

 

[rScotty]

I've watched that video several times. It never says what dosage they use, single or double, and could not find it mentioned anywhere. At -20 (below 0f) they all recommend double dosing. At a single does I would expect summer blend diesel to gel at -20 no matter which of the anti-gel products were used.

I use a double does of PS in all my diesel. I keep a mason jar from the current 5 gallon can I'm using on a shelf in the shed. I have seen temps as low as -15 since I've been doing this and the diesel is always clear with no clouding. I check the jar religiously when temps are extremely low before I try to start the tractor.

That reminds me that I need to buy another flat of canning jars next time I'm at the hardware store. Super useful in the shop. Ball used to make heavy glass jars perfect for fluids and small parts.

 

[grsthegreat]

That reminds me that I need to buy another flat of canning jars next time I'm at the hardware store. Super useful in the shop. Ball used to make heavy glass jars perfect for fluids and small parts.

My dad did that, and he screwed the lid onto the bottom of the shelf and hung the jar. Had a line of these for small parts.