Fuel additives

[hube2]

Actually, for me this is all moot now. Don't mean to get the conversation off track but I must treat all of my fuel now because it's coming out of my heating fuel tanks. Long story short, I have 550 gallons and I had heat pumps installed after I filled them up. Heating fuel is off road diesel in my state. I plan to add an additional lubricity additive on top of what I was already doing, just in case.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Actually, for me this is all moot now. Don't mean to get the conversation off track but I must treat all of my fuel now because it's coming out of my heating fuel tanks. Long story short, I have 550 gallons and I had heat pumps installed after I filled them up. Heating fuel is off road diesel in my state. I plan to add an additional lubricity additive on top of what I was already doing, just in case.

I don't know if you're working your tractors hard or not but I've noticed I get about a hour more work out of a 26L tank of summer diesel vs winter diesel. This is rototilling gardens in spring.

I think additives in your case are a good thing. You might also want to concider an algicide as diesel fuels stored for longer periods of time are susceptible to algae growth.

 

[hube2]

I don't know if you're working your tractors hard or not but I've noticed I get about a hour more work out of a 26L tank of summer diesel vs winter diesel. This is rototilling gardens in spring.

I think additives in your case are a good thing. You might also want to concider an algicide as diesel fuels stored for longer periods of time are susceptible to algae growth.

I just ordered a pump I can use to pump the fuel out of my basement through the fill pipe. I plan to add biocide to the tanks and then pump the fuel out and back in to the same tank for a while to get it mixed in. I figure I have enough fuel for heating and running the tractor to last me years as long as I can keep it from going bad.

 

[ruffdog]

I just ordered a pump I can use to pump the fuel out of my basement through the fill pipe. I plan to add biocide to the tanks and then pump the fuel out and back in to the same tank for a while to get it mixed in. I figure I have enough fuel for heating and running the tractor to last me years as long as I can keep it from going bad.

At least put some in a jar so you can get a good look at before using.

 

[dodge man]

I’m not a big YouTube fan but someone posted a link to Project Farm‘s test on anti gel additives. It’s what has been suggested, he put fuel in a freezer using different additives. I’ve had gelling issues in the past but it was still an eye opener.

Im lucky, when mine has gelled up in the past it still ran well enough to get it in my shop, but just barely.

 

[oldballs]

Will a gelled up diesel fuel turn back to liquid when the machine finally warms up on its own? Just wondering? I guess a tractor that sat all winter with gelled diesel fuel would be good to go when the temps came back up. ???

 

[Cycledude]

Last winter After reading about a bunch of folks on this forum having gelling issues I bought my first one quart white bottle of power service , it was on sale for $9 , I really have no idea if it helped anything or not but it did make me feel better LOL, one bottle is supposed to treat 100 gallons, might buy another bottle when this one is used up but I see the price has gone up a lot.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Will a gelled up diesel fuel turn back to liquid when the machine finally warms up on its own?

Yes. From what I understand the fuel gells because the wax in the fuel sticks together under a certain temperature. Apparently what antigell does is coat the wax particles so they can't stick together.

 

[oldballs]

But, does the gelled fuel dissolve if the tractor sets unused until the ambient temperature rises sufficiently? I'm speaking of gelled diesel fuel that has not been treated with an antigel.

Whence it would be safe to start the tractor.

 

[LouNY]

Yes, the gelled fuel will dissolve and go back into suspension. It may take the fuel getting up to around 40-45F before it does. And if you have run the equipment and packed the filter with paraffin, nope. Some solvents can dissolve the paraffin in a filter and then a filter can be flushed and purged of that solvent before trying to reuse it.

 

[oldballs]

Thanks Lou.....I don't plan on having that senario....but was just curious.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Anakist]

I don't get gelling down here, but I have stalled the tractor after running over a hidden log when slashing which churned the layer of water in my tank high enough to get into the outlet of the tank.

Didn't know it was there until the tractor died and wouldn't restart. Took me ages to figure out what was going on, drain the water out of the filter, plug the leak in the fuel cap and add a remote filter breather, and get it going.

I treated everything with isopropyl alcohol because it was what I could get quickly. I have since got a proper additive that treats water and algae, and now treat everything I fill with that, the propanol, and a lubricity agent.

Costs me *way* less than trying to deal with the tractor being stuck in the paddock somewhere.

 

[Bearsixty7]

From what I have seen, read, and heard over the years this is a debate subject every year.
It seems to me that their are two main classes of individuals and two main trains of thought.
Those that have gelled and fought to get going in miserable weather and those that have not.
With two different theory's on what to do.
Those that have fought gelling and had to get going regardless of what it took, laying in snow to remove filters, blowing lines out, using heat (often fire) with sometimes disastrous results, most times eventually succeeding.
And those to which it has not happened yet.
I guess their should be a third group those whom have had minor cases of fuel gelling and have walked away and had someone else come take care of the problem, so it was a minor aggravation to them.

Those that have fought the issue, especially more then once do not have any desire to do so again.

Those that have not, seem to consider it to be a none issue.

I'm in the 4th group, I have never had it happen to me. I have heard the horror stories and prefer not to risk it! I have always used a seasonal Diesel fuel treatment year round. In the late 90's with my first diesel Pickup I used Stanadyne, early 2000's I switched over to Amsoil fuel treatments. So far no problems with any of my diesel's. 4 Pickups and 1 tractor.

 

[Robin Veerman]

I like the Amsoil fuel treatment too. My tractor fired off after a -22C night. Only one cycle of the glow plugs too. No block heater but shedded at least. Peace of mind….priceless

 

[Williy]

I have seen where this guy's 18 wheeler tractor was sitting out
side and it was about 4 degree's F and they could not get the
tractor started for over 2 hours they pulled the tractor up and
down the road and never got it started. Perhaps if they got
the tractor in where it was warm and changed the filter it
would probably start. Its no fun when its below zero and you
have to mess with a clogged fuel line.

willy

 

[RandyT]

I like the Amsoil fuel treatment too. My tractor fired off after a -22C night. Only one cycle of the glow plugs too. No block heater but shedded at least. Peace of mind….priceless

It's a Kioti thing. They just start and don't care about the temps. Also have a mini skid with a kubota in it that you have better hope you don't need to move it because it isn't starting at those temps.

 

[WM75Guy]

The diesel gelled in my 2017 GMC 2500HD over the weekend, nighttime temps were down to 10 degrees. It would start and then die after a minute, fuel pump was whining loud. After 2 days of above freezing temps it started and ran fine but the check engine light was on, fuel management issue. Dealer reset it but after a few hours it was back on. So now it is in the shop for diagnostics.

Dealer service manager said they have reset more check engine lights this week than they did in the week of February 2021 when we were below 0 degrees. I get fuel at different places. Makes me wonder if the winter formula has changed. I now have a case of Power Service white bottle on the shelf. Everything is getting treated till summer, trucks and tractors.

 

[hube2]

... I now have a case of Power Service white bottle on the shelf. Everything is getting treated till summer, trucks and tractors.

3.5 years ago when I got the tractor, my first diesel, I wanted to learn all I could, found this forum, read about some fuel gelling nightmares, bought a case of PS. I figured I was going to have the tractor the rest of my life and would use it eventually. That's the way I do everything. If you're going to use something you may as well buy a lot of it.

 

[John0829]

Years ago when I worked at the rock quarry we had temps below zero and the roads were in questionable shape but one of the bosses decided it would be a good time to restock some gravel at our remote site. Fortunately only one tractor/trailer was sent to "test" the conditions. Long story short, one of the other mechanics spent the day following the truck to the storage yard and back. Fuel filters were gelling up, he would replace the filters, put the ones he took off under the pickups heater to thaw them while they made it another 5 or so miles down the road before the fresh filters gelled. Swap the warmed filters back on and do it again. They spent all day going to the storage yard and back. Our fuel was suppose to be "treated" when delivered so they would not allow us to purchase any additive... just one of several "fun" times because of it.

It also didn't matter that the rock was freezing in the beds of the trucks making it near impossible to get it out... AH the good times, dealing with management suffering from a major case of cranial rectal insertion

 

[4x4moses]

Gelling is not much of an issue where I live (south Mississippi); but I treat my fuel (5 gallons at a time) with Howe's (anti-gel & water evap.) and Killem (slime killer). I also buy off-road fuel from a major fuel distributor who also sells to the general public. So far, I've had no problems with water, slime, or gelling.