Diesel Gelling - Never Would Have Expected It

[Scooby074]

No love for powerservice here. I think its crap! IMHO.

Howes Diesel Treat on the other hand has been a very good product.

And install a Racor on the tractor, the factory filters are garbage and belong on a snowmobile, not a tractor.

 

[buickanddeere]

I run my little Kubota when the actual air temps are in the -30 range with no problems at all. I add a bit of white bottle power service to each tank to help keep the fuel from gelling up. Diesel fuels begin to form waxes on filters at temperatures just below zero. Number 1 diesel.......which contains a blend of diesel and kerosene......will prevent gelling to about -25. Kerosene is very expensive. Last time I checked it was about 12 dollars per gallon. Power Service is a product that makes standard Number 2 diesel act like Number 1 diesel, for a whole lot less money.

If the fuel is free of moisture, it's possible to run diesel engines in extremely cold conditions. Just a few drops of water in the fuel will make for a very bad day.

Joel

Aircraft kerosene is little more expensive than diesel. High priced kerosene is local price gouging in Low volume markets.

 

[Jkott]

The rebuilder was quite a ways from where I lived and as I knew him, he opened the pump while I was there to see what it needed. This pump had a "advance piston" in it, and he pulled it, took one look at it and the amount of wear on it and instantly knew I had been using PS...

Suppose it depends on how your fuel system is designed. White Bottle PS is approved by my GM warranty. Regular use of the Red bottle (ie not for an emergency gel situation) is prohibited by the warranty. The difference is that the white bottle separates water from the fuel and lets the water separator filter on the Duramax do it's job better. The Red Bottle mixes the water with the alcohol and the water defeating the water/fuel separator. The water in the fuel is supposed to wear the injectors and pump faster and/or burn differently.

So, I suppose it all depends on your fuel system design. If you don't have a water separator then I can see the White Bottle being a possible issue if you have lots of issues with water in the fuel.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Aircraft kerosene is little more expensive than diesel. High priced kerosene is local price gouging in Low volume markets.

What is "aircraft kerosene"? Are you talking about Jet A 50??

SR

 

[buickanddeere]

Jet A-1

 

[vsredneck]

I'm not personally experienced with the additive you used. As a general rule, however, anti-gel additives maintain easy pour ability but do not prevent microscopic globules of paraffin that quality fuel filters prevent from passing. Result is a clogged fuel filter. A sure-fire way to prevent the problem is to cut your winter diesel 50/50 with kerosene. Kerosene is more expensive but more highly refined. A fuel warmer is also a good idea but may be complicated to install since the ones I am familiar with and have personally installed and used (not on your model tractor) mount in a heater hose. If you opt for a fuel warmer, be certain that you install it in your fuel line before the fuel reaches your filter.

 

[coobie]

Goggle the spicer report on diesel fuel additives.It was a independent report.I have been using Opti-lube winter,schaffers brand,and stanadyne winter brands for the last 20 plus years.I have never had a gelling issue or diesel fuel related failure.

 

[ccsial]

Agreed on the bio fuel. As a fire chief, I have changed fleet diesel fuel suppliers to one one that does not use bio-diesel. Too many fuel related problems.

My fuel supplier told me not to use bio in the winter because I would have gelling problems even with additives. It takes me a year to burn my tank so I only use the real stuff.

A lot of stations around here sell only bio. I found some in Wisconsin that sell the real stuff. That's all I use in my RAM.

 

[ccsial]

Jet A-1

If you want to pay $5 per gallon.

 

[gmikem206]

We've had many single digit days here, my little tractor is outside. I have used PS White & Red, as well as Howes, still I got gelling again this year (my second winter to own my BX). I suspect the fuel supplier as it is not likely he does a large volume of diesel business, so maybe there was still some summer blend in his tank when he got his first winter delivery? I had purchased the diesel a while after they changed over. So filter changes and adding more additives (including both PS) alone did not do it for me. I had to take the fuel pump off also, and introduce it to some PS 911 for a few minutes in each port. Then it started up with excellent fuel flow. This took me a couple of days in bitter cold weather so maybe the additives, including some enzyme fuel treatment worked it's magic on the fuel. But before I treated the fuel pump directly, I was dead in the snow. Will change filters every fall from here on in. I continue to get my diesel education. Thanks for all the information in this thread.