Gelled up at 6AM this morning

[AndyinIowa]

Here in Iowa, it was about 3ｰF this morning. Started up BX2350 in unheated shed, let it warm up 3 minutes, backed it out, and just as I hopped off to reverse the blade for my first snow pass, it died. Gelled ( I restarted a few times to confirm the diagnosis).

Pushed it into the house garage using the truck, and now letting it thaw out.

Root cause? Operator error. I was at the grocery store with the wife last week, and decided to fill up the diesel can on that side of town instead of driving across town to my regular place. Even though I treated the can with Power Service like normal, I'm 99% sure it was my change in fuel suppliers that led to the gelling.

Normally I can run down to about -12ｰF before problems with my preferred fuel supplier.

Today's lesson: If a fluid works, don't switch it. Don't switch suppliers.

IowaAndy

PS - Iowa is going to get down to -15ｰF tonight. Our coldest air of the winter so far...

 

[Philscbx]

Here in Iowa, it was about 3ｰF this morning. Started up BX2350 in unheated shed, let it warm up 3 minutes, backed it out, and just as I hopped off to reverse the blade for my first snow pass, it died. Gelled
PS - Iowa is going to get down to -15ｰF tonight. Our coldest air of the winter so far...

Same thing happened with over the road tractor not far from there a few years ago. Winds blowing 35-45 knots @ 35 below.

When I got to the truck, I took the filters off, and it looked like cotton candy on top and stopped it dead in it's tracks. Waxed up real good.
Unhook tractor from tailer, and tow it to nearest shop.
You get the looks towing 10 ton tandem semi with 3/4 ton GMC pickup.

The shop was backed up for a couple days, so I headed to Fleet Farm and found the largest submersible horse water tank heaters.
Placed one in each tank, went to hotel for a nap, came back 4-6 hours later, drained off any sediment from bottom of tanks as further precaution, and away we went.

 

[Keuka]

That happened at just under 32 above and you added fuel treatment? Something doesn't sound right. Are you sure you didn't get a good shot of water from somewhere? You may want to check for ice in the fuel filter.

 

[LBrown59]

1*Here in Iowa, it was about 3ｰF this morning. Started up BX2350 in unheated shed, let it warm up 3 minutes, backed it out, and just as I hopped off to reverse the blade for my first snow pass, it died. Gelled ( I restarted a few times to confirm the diagnosis).
.

2*That happened at just under 32 above and you added fuel treatment? Something doesn't sound right.
3*Are you sure you didn't get a good shot of water from somewhere? You may want to check for ice in the fuel filter.

1*At 31 that shouldn't be especially with winter blend.
Manual for my BX23 says summer blend is good down to 14.
2*Don't sound rite to me either.
3*I'm beginning to think /wunder if a lot of this is water caused but the fuel is getting blamed.

 

[DieselPower]

I have seen many analysis of current ULSD that gells above 32 above 0 F. Diesel fuel is very regional in nature, especially since the introduction of ULSD. It really depends on the specefic batch of crude the fuel was refined from. And as some have experienced not all anti-gel additives work with all fuels. It wouldn't be the first time I have heard someone say PS didn't work with a batch of fuel they got somewhere other than their regular supplier.

 

[AndyinIowa]

Sorry, I was trying to be fancy and use the degree symbol, and it screwed up the post (even though the preview looked ok).

It was +3F when it gelled. It also wouldn't run yesterday or this morning, but yesterday in central Iowa was -23F, and this morning was -15F. For a tractor in an unheated shed, I'm not too concerned when it won't start below -10F. (I was only trying to start for curiosity sake).


Hope that clears it up! On my original post day, I kept a heater on the tractor for 2 hours, and then it started and ran fine the rest of the day.

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Tim_in_IA]

Andy don't feel bad. I am in eastern Iowa. I had my diesel truck plugged in all day. Also had more than enough antigel in it and it still gelled. This is some crazy cold we are having. Reminds me of the Ice Road Truckers where if they shut a diesel off they wont get it started again. I'm gonna wait till the weekend when it warms up and try again....

 

[Evil the Weasel]

Ugh. I went out this morning to snowblow, and I noticed that the fuel filter looked gelled up. I use plenty of power service treatment, but it still happened. The tractor started and I let it warm up for a good while. I did the driveway and then brought it back into the barn. The top 1/2 of the fuel filter still had that solid mass of goo, so I removed the filter and have it soaking in kero in the house right now. Is there anything else I need to do? This is my first diesel, and I'm under the impression that once it thaws out I'm ok, but I am prepared to be educated. Thank you. By the way, it was 7 degrees this morning but we have been sub-zero for a few days now.

 

[JoeL4330]

Personally, I would buy a few spares (and the rubber gasket rings) and change out the filter, rather than try to de-gell it. I don't know that Kero is the paraffin solvent of choice ...look for PS diesel 911 or equivalent and/or make sure the temp is >65F.

 

[chas0472000]

i use shell winterized , n o problem