bob95065

I am heading up to Tahoe this Friday for a ski trip. I am leaving from Santa Cruz where I can only get #2 diesel. Should I be worried about gelling? What can I do to my truck to get ready? I heard you can put kerosene in the tank to prevent gelling. Is this true? Will it help? Is there a fuel additive that will help.

I plugged in the block heater and it sounded like water boiling when I stuck my head near the engine. Is this normal? I am planning on carrying a long extension cord to plug in before I start home.

Do they sell #1 fuel up there for winter?

Please post suggestions.

Bob

bj-666

you can buy fuel stabilizer that prevents gelling and has other good attributes almost anywhere i believe wall mart even sells it

the water boiling thing is normal sound. just look down the cord for any chafe points

Brandon

Lundee

Power Service has saved me in the past my 05' gelled up when I went to Yellowstone snowmobiling. Keep it plugged in and take a piece of cardboard to make a winter front or she'll never warm up on the return trip. It should on the way up. Oh ya I"m way green haven't ridden in Tahoe in years.

somis13

you should be fine. just take a cord and plug it in at nite. dont worry about the gelling issue or what fuel you put in. I was there last week when the storm was happening, I had no trouble. have fun

bob95065

How long should I pug it in for before I leave? All night? Is 4 hours long enough?

somis13

at least 3 hours. but if you could all nite is fine, I prefer to do it all nite so I dont have to get up just to plug the rig in

95ram12v

I just went through there during the big storm a week or so ago. make sure you got a set of chains for bad weather, or you will be stuck sitting and waiting for all the weather to clear. I carryed extra 5 gal. of diesel, chains, shovel, other than that like everyone said plug her in if you can. I didn't have a place to plug my truck in but she always starts. started yesterday at -15F after sitting all week. Been pretty cold in MN lately.

Jreif80

a long cord is a good idea if your worried put powerservice in your tank I have only once had trouble with #2 diesel gelling and that was at about 0 degrees when I didn't have any fuel treatment in. I changed my fuel filter and cleaned the housing and put treatment in my tank and fuel filter housing and it cleared it up so i would say maybe take a spare fuel filter with you though I always carry a spare fuel filter you never know. as far as a cardboard winter front blocking cold air to your radiator so your truck warms up...... you can do that it is a great thing in a pinch but your truck will warm up.....some.... without it it's just I never have personally needed on though don't expect your heater to get hot just luke warm lol though I'm pretty hot blooded...

rockjeep73

I wouldnt worry about it at all. It hasnt been that cold lately anyways. Your fuel will be fine and you would even be fine without plugging it in. I have never plugged my truck in while in the mountains and my compression is like 15.3:1. Just cycle the grid heaters 3 times and she will start. Have fun.

johnh

you don't need to cycle the grid heaters more than just turning the key on and waiting 'till the wait to start light turns off..... i've started mine at 20 below many times that way..... the grid heaters will only get so hot

ScottN

If you are worried about gelling... leave with enough fuel to get about 100 miles past Tahoe, then fuel up right around/just before you get there (somewhere cold).

With synthetic oil and cycling the grids, these trucks (at least my 97) can start down to around -40, although it isn't pretty at all. You'll be fine even if your block heater doesn't work... but if it cranks over nicely and doesn't complain too much, then your block heater worked. :P

RichM752

Bring a jacket,hat, and gloves.

wcbcruzer

Just got back from Mammoth a couple weeks ago right in the middle of the storm. It was the first time I really needed 4wd and got to use it so it felt good. I was driving through about a foot of snow on the 395. At one point the 4wd wouldn't engage and the first thing that crossed my mind was "I wish I got that Posi-lok."

I added some white bottle Power Service at each fillup and plugged her in overnight at the hotel (take an extension cord). However, at the ski area and other places I didn't plug it in and it started fine, although it started much easier when plugged in. Once started, it takes forever to heat up though. I didn't need chains but I had them just in case. For chains, make sure you take zip ties. Also, take a scraper for the windshield.

halbritt

I was in North Lake Tahoe a couple of weeks ago when it was snowing. I filled up with #2 in Sacramento and didn't have a problem while I was there. I believe the overnight low was around 17F. I did plug it in over night which made for easier starts.

If you don't have "M+S" tires, then you should probably have chains. If you do have M+S tires or you really know how to drive, you won't need to worry about chains all that much with 4WD. Chain control is a pretty course measure of driving conditions. When I was in Tahoe, I saw chain control in effect just before a 5-mile patch of dry pavement. Driving with chains on dry pavement really sucks.

While I was there, I was having problems with the CAD as well. I also wished I had gotten the posi-lok.

catnfool

when you plug in, RUN OVER part of the ext cord so some #@## doesn't steal it in the night! The cardboard (or "rez thermostat") is a must- these heaters don't get that hot anyways... -15*F here in MT yesterday and I found out 1 Oddesy gel batt is not good enough without being plugged in. Whoops I had better go buy another

edit- bring a new filter along too- if you can, a gallon of diesel to fill the filter is a nice thing too. I have filled the filter with Power Service, but I don't know if this will hurt anything except my wallet...