using summer diesel fuel in the winter

[adlertom]

I use my TC33DA for about 50 hours a year. So, it takes me a few months to go through a tank of diesel fuel. It's now November and I have a pretty full tank that was filled with fuel purchased this summer.

When I purchase the fresh fuel, I do add Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer to it, which is supposed to keep it from deteriorating for 12 months. The Sta-Bil label doesn't say anything about gelling however. My questions are:

1. Should I be worried about my fuel gelling?

2. Is there anything I can/should add to the summer fuel to prevent gelling, or am I better off to simply use it up or drain it, and refuel with a winter mix?

3. If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises?

 

[Sully2]

"Howe's Lubricator"..available at most truck stops. Cost me about $9.95 a 1/2 gal. 1/2 gal does over 700 gal of fuel.

It says to DOUBLE DOSE the fuel in the winter time to keep gelling from happening.

 

[MikePA]

1. Should I be worried about my fuel gelling?
In southern Wisconsin, I would.

2. Is there anything I can/should add to the summer fuel to prevent gelling, or am I better off to simply use it up or drain it, and refuel with a winter mix?
There are a number of additives you can add. PowerService is one of them. No need to drain fuel or use it up. Just pour in PowerService.

3. If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises?
As an experiment, pour some diesel fuel in a clear container and put it in the freezer. Once it freezes, take it out and see what happens.

By the way, I am not aware of Stabil making an additive for diesel. Do not add Stabil for gasoline to diesel fuel.

So I don't have to deal with summer fuel in winter, I always pour PowerService into my 5 gallon containers before I fill them, winter or summer.

 

[cp1969]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If my fuel does gel on a cold day, will it "un-gel" when the outside temperature rises? )</font>

Yes. But not at +1 degree higher than the temp at which it gelled. Once paraffin precipitates out of diesel fuel, you have to get it fairly warm to get it to go back into solution. I don't know where I read it, but it seems like it needs to be around 50 or 60 F to "ungel".

FWIW, #2 starts to cloud up at around +12F.

 

[deere755]

I don't think diesel will gell up until the temp gets down to about 5 to 10 above. I just add some treatment to my fuel tank on the tractor. As for it gelling it will ungel when the temp rises.

 

[pruntyc]

I believe the Power service the other guy mentioned is what most people use. Its real easy to get, any Walmart has it, they have two types though, one says for gelling and the other one don't, so you want to get the one that does. I am pretty sure the Sta-bil is not to be used in diesel. But if you have fuel gelled up, you can ever use a little gas to ungell it, I have done that, not over around 10 to 20 %. I know some has used more like 40%, but I don't think that is a good idea.

 

[adlertom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
There are a number of additives you can add. PowerService is one of them. No need to drain fuel or use it up. Just pour in PowerService.)</font>

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Is PowerService a fuel stabilizer as well as an anti gel product?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( By the way, I am not aware of Stabil making an additive for diesel. Do not add Stabil for gasoline to diesel fuel.)</font>

The label on my bottle of Sta-Bil says it can be used for gasoline, gasohol, gas/oil mixtures, oxygenated gas, and diesel fuel.

 

[MikePA]

I went to the Sta-Bil site and the only product they mention as anti-gel is Diesel Power. Do yourself a favor, use PowerService. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Sta-bil is for gasoline.

 

[jeffmazz]

Sta-bil is safe to use in diesel fuel as a preservative but will not prevent gelling. My concern is mixing all this stuff in the same batch of fuel. I would personally buy smaller amounts of fuel and use only the Power Service additive or some other anti-gel additive. Diesel will store much longer than gasoline so I don't use Sta-bil in it. Just my two cents.

Jeff

 

[Casco1]

I started a thread with this post and got no response because I didn't make myself clear. I am very concerned about what can happen with aging deisel fuel. My Kubota has been sitting all summer with the same fuel from last year I've read about gelling, algae forming clumps and clogging filters and lines and other evil things that can mess up my tractor, while looking for info I ran across this web site for Algae-X AFC-750 an additive aimed at marine use. According to the site this stuff cures just about all that can happen to deisel the "850" also prevents gelling. It's not cheap but it goes a long way 1/2 ounce treats 10 gallons. I'm going to try it, but was also wondering if anyone out there has any experience with it or could some of you look at this site and tell me what you think. ps: overkill seems to be my nature

Deisel additive website ]Deisel additive web page[/url]

 

[cowboydoc]

<font color="red"> I don't think diesel will gell up until the temp gets down to about 5 to 10 above </font>

Don't believe that for one second!! Summer diesel WILL gel at 32. Been there done that got the hat more than once. If you have summer diesel it will gel at 32 I guarantee you that. If it's mid blend treated you will be good down to 5 or so but summer blend it gels at freezing. It only takes a little bit of gelling to cause blockage.

As far as powerservice it is an anti-algae and anti-gel formula. They make several different types. Get the stuff in the white, red, and black bottle. That's the one that will do both.

 

[cp1969]

Gelling at +32?? I'm not saying it can't happen but I think that is an extreme case. I would be thinking about getting a new fuel supplier if that happened to me. That fuel sounds about one step removed from paraffin bars. When we hauled fuel, the pipeline put out a brochure that said their #2 clouded (not gelled) at +12F.

If in doubt about your fuel, put a sample in a glass container and leave it with the piece of equipment then look at it before you start. If you've got a layer of wax in the sample, it would be wise to warm up your tractor/truck/whatever unless you like priming injection systems.

 

[5030]

Richard.....I'm back, in the new house and new wireless laptop too.

In as much as diesel fuel, well, you and I buy in bulk and I try to fill my above ground storage tank when I think the price is lowest and that may be in warm months or cold months. Right now I have about 100 gallons left but the price is dropping so maybe after the New Year I'll order a tankwagon load.

Anyway, I dose my bulk tank whenever I have it filled with a commercial biocide that I get from my fuel supplier. It's brown and stinks and I can't remember the name of it but it comes in a translucent plastic bottle that looks similar to the one that Stabil comes in. I also add powerservice in the recommended amount and a little ATF, about 2 gallons to every thousand of fuel.

A little note here on biodiesel, a fuel which is going to become more economically desireable with the gummit incentives lowering the consumer cost. B20 has about the same characteristics as No.2 from what I have been told, however, concentrations in the excess of 20% by volume require pre-heated coolant below freezing or the addition of a starting agent to initiate combustion. I have a good friend who runs a large dairy farm north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Two winters ago he was using 30% and had to build a fire in his charcoal cooker and put it under the oil pan to get his tractors running.

I've never had any algae or gelling problems but I do treat my fuel as my fuel sits in storage for long periods.

 

[deere755]

I am like you I have never heard of diesel gelling at 32. I am not saying it can't happen. We don't use blended fuel in our semi. We do add some power service to the tank when the temp drops way down and we have tank heaters. Maybe we have just been lucky so far. I dont use a tractor too much when the temp drops down that cold, but when I do I add some power service too the tank.

 

[Soundguy]

Add powerservice and go.

Soundguy

 

[5030]

Mike:

I thought Sta-Bil was for lawnmower racing. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> I always pour Power Service into my 5 gallon containers before I fill them.
</font>

How much Power Service do you put in a 5 Gal. can?

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> How much Power Service do you put in a 5 Gal. can? </font>
Whatever amount the instructions call for. Probably about half a shot glass.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I thought Sta-Bil was for lawnmower racing. </font>
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[HGM]

I recenty added it to mine, used 2oz for the 5gal tank. Your better off rounding up in this case. I would rather have a little too much than too little. The bottle says 32oz will do 100gal.