Gelled Fuel
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cowboydoc
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No the fuel goes back to it's original form once it has gotten back to above freezing. Actually it depends on what the gel point of the fuel was which can be anywhere from 32 to -32. Once you get it above freezing though it will go back to it's diesel state and run just fine. This is from knowledge and too much personal experience /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.
MossRoad
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I've seen people make a charcoal fire and let it get down to coals in a shallow pan. They cover their car with blankets and slide the pan under the engine to warm it up. I don't know if this would do it for gelled fuel. When I worked at the airport we had to treat the jet fuel(refined kerosene) with a product called PRIST. It was an anti icing and microbiocidal fungicide. If the fuel gelled, the plane was grounded, the tanks had to be drained and the fuel systems flushed out. VERY EXPENSIVE!. As far as preheating airplane engines, we had propane heaters with flexible tubes that we would point into the engine and cover the engine with a quilt. 10-15 minutes and they started like summertime. The neatest thing I saw was on old radial engines. They had alcohol injection systems that injected alchol into the engine oil to thin it out for starting. As the engine warmed up, the alchol would burn off and return the oil to the proper viscosity.
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BobinCols
Silver Member
Not to be a smart alec but everyone should be using a fuel additive year round that will help eliminate these types of problems. The fuel conditioner will disperse water & clean injector nozzles. If you purchase a good brand, 1 quart will service 100 gallons of fuel. Cheap insurance for $5.00..
BobinCols
Silver Member
A quality fuel additive such as Napa siloo part #8A for a quart will help alleviate the problem. It is not a snake oil like Slick 50 posted elsewere. You won't see me gelled up this or any winter. You still have to put clean fuel in your tank and change the filter per your manual or sooner if needed.
Anonymous Poster
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I have had fuel Gelled in a Mack Truck
One tank was Gelled one was not
Tank with return line & pick up line did not Gell
Put # 1 on top of fuel in gelled tank
it would not mix stayed on top
It finally thawed out when got back into warmer temp
Don't know at what temp it thawed at
But it did thaw out
never had much luck with additives
Best bet mix with # 1
JWB
One tank was Gelled one was not
Tank with return line & pick up line did not Gell
Put # 1 on top of fuel in gelled tank
it would not mix stayed on top
It finally thawed out when got back into warmer temp
Don't know at what temp it thawed at
But it did thaw out
never had much luck with additives
Best bet mix with # 1
JWB
cowboydoc
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Hayden,
I would think something else happened there or there was something else in your fuel. I have had to thaw more gelled pieces of machinery than I care to think about and never had that kind of a problem. Last week this weather caught most of us off guard, it went from 50's to sub-zero overnight, and there were a few gelled rigs. My buddy had it happen to his backhoe and I went over and helped him to it to the machine shed. He heated it up real good in there and in a couple hours he went back out to digging water lines. All we did was top off the tanks with fresh diesel and put in a bunch of power service additive to get the gel point down farther. Never changed the filters or anything and he's been going strong since then. Many times have had to do the same things. Worst is when you get bad fuel and have water in it.
I would think something else happened there or there was something else in your fuel. I have had to thaw more gelled pieces of machinery than I care to think about and never had that kind of a problem. Last week this weather caught most of us off guard, it went from 50's to sub-zero overnight, and there were a few gelled rigs. My buddy had it happen to his backhoe and I went over and helped him to it to the machine shed. He heated it up real good in there and in a couple hours he went back out to digging water lines. All we did was top off the tanks with fresh diesel and put in a bunch of power service additive to get the gel point down farther. Never changed the filters or anything and he's been going strong since then. Many times have had to do the same things. Worst is when you get bad fuel and have water in it.
