Diesel Gelling - Never Would Have Expected It

[repete]

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.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've NEVER have had any gelling issues... When fall comes, I switch to premium diesel out of a gas station that sells quite a bit of diesel. Their diesel is fresh and also already blended for winter use...

I also do NOT use any fuel additives at all, in ANY of my diesels...

SR

 

[sdk131]

Yep...wondering about the bio possibility too. Perhaps the station got a batch of it and didn't even know it (or even care). There are zero signs/stickers at the pump indicating a bio blend, but we all know that doesn't mean anything. I filled my car the same day I filled my five gallon can, but of course that was probably 5-6 fills ago in my car.

I've been driving my VW diesel for 11 years and always use additive, fuel at high volume stations (been using this same station for 4 years and have never had an issue), etc. and this was the first fuel problem I have ever had and it was with the bota. The gelling was a white mayonnaise like substance and not algae. Really suspecting a bio blend or possibly bio blend and summer fuel was still at the station at that time.

 

[Mowbizz]

I guess the solution is to buy from a reputable dealer that has good winter blend but how the **** do you know? I use an Irving station right off a very busy highway exit...guess it's time to go refill and hope it's good winter stuff...I have 2 5 gal cans which I had filled early in the season...perhaps that fuel was summer blend?

 

[thatguy]

I wonder if the fuel you are getting has a high bio-diesel content??? That stuff can turn into mayonnaise below 32 F.

OR there was excess water in the fuel that the filter trapped..

 

[dodge man]

Kind of a common problem with the BX. Add a Racor to it and that will help a lot.

 

[George the Beagle]

Mine gelled last week for the first time. I'd just done the 200 hr service w/filter changes, too. I was still using summer diesel w/PS additive, but that's not good enough. It started sputtering behind the house but I was able to nurse it back into the heated garage. Filled my 5 gal jerry can with half diesel and half kero and topped off my tank, which was down about halfway, with that blend which did the trick. Additives are no substitute for properly blended winter diesel IMHO.

 

[MHarryE]

If bio diesel is the problem I should have the worst. Minnesota changed July 1, 2014, to B10 from April through September and B5 October through March. My fuel is October fuel with no gelling problem although I had very bad gelling problems last winter with B2 fuel. My larger Kubota was at the dealer's from November to January having a 3rd function installed and getting new wheels and I did not have time to service it before it left. Consequently the first bowl after the tank, one with a fine mesh screen where the red fuel gelled and stopped things up last year, is now nearly to the drain this water line with water but I don't look forward to breaking into the system when the temperature us below freezing and we haven't seen 30 in several weeks. Last year we had many continuous days below zero but this year we rarely have below zero highs. Having learned what it took to get me running last winter I pitched all my white Power Service and only use 911.

 

[mikehaugen]

I had a little bit of an issue last year one night (after about 3 hours of use) when it was -15f. Worked fine for about 3 or 4 hours but while travelling back home I got a couple little blips where it almost died and I was still about a mile from home- made me quite nervous. It never happened again for the rest of last year and I didn't actually do anything about it. The other day I had an issue where the tractor would run fine but if really pushed it just didn't have as much power. I pulled the filter and there were small white chunks which I assume to be gelled fuel in the secondary filter (paper), and the pre-filter (screen) was fine. I cleaned it with mineral spirits because that's what I had after bringing inside to warm up and the problem went away. It was like 20f that day, so not really that cold... certainly has seen colder weather. Last year was cold, it was the first time I have ever had gas freezing problems in a car... and I have never used heet. Now I do anytime it is supposed to go below about 5f.

I run power service white bottle year-round for the lubrication and never switch to the silver bottle because I had never had an issue. Now maybe I should. I also have never had to use the red "911" bottle, in fact I don't even have any around- I need to reconsider that as well I guess. My question is, since I don't go through a lot of fuel throughout the year and I don't know how long a couple 5 gallon can will last, is there any reason not to run the silver bottle all year?

 

[skyhook]

mikehaugen, I would say your doing fine, diesel will last quite a while.
I would keep a bottle of 911 on hand for those extremely cold days, and throw a couple of "caps" in at fill.
I always throw a couple of caps of "KleenFlo" in my 5 gallon can during winter.
I did have a problem once as you described, it was -25C, closer to -40C with the wind, it made it home, but barely, threw some 911 in and it solved the problem.