I went to start my truck today to bring to the barn for storage over the winter. It started and ran for about 5 min and then shut off. It would not restart. The last time I put fuel in my truck was in the early november. (it was in the paint shop for awhile) I think my fuel has gelled and wonder how to fix the problem.

I thought putting a 150,000 btu heater by the truck and letting it blow under the engine and fuel tank. When I got it running I would add some additive and fill it up to be parked until ~April.

 

Typical filter plugging from gelled fuel, it usually takes about ten minutes to kill the engine.

If you wrap your truck in a tarp that touches the ground all the way around even a small electric heater under it will thaw it out in an hour.
I'd be a little concerned about a 150,000 btu heater cooking the paint off.

I had a semi load of fertilizer show up on a 0F day a few years back. The trailer had what's called a walking floor that pushed the fertilizer out the back. The last load the trailer hauled was wet bark, it froze the floor solid. After wrapping the bottom of the trailer with just thin plastic and putting a 5000 watt heat under it the the floor was thawed in half an hour.
I sure wasn't looking forward to shoveling it out by hand...

 

Your local truck stop or walmart should carry a product called Diesel 911. Get the bottle that says For Ungelling and dump the whole thing into your tank. Then you will have to replace the fuel filter and you may want to "prime" the system without the filter to make sure there is no gelled fuel in the lines still. Them put your new filter in an reprime the system and hope for the best. The heater should help aslong as you keep it away form your new paint

 

he's right heat is the BEST way to ungel it. especially if you got straight #2 way back from november in the tank. otherwise, you could get a bottle of power service 911 and a new fuel filter, change out the filter and follow the directions on the bottle. ORRR, you could just tow it to the barn and let it sit.

 

would it gell in the tank or is there too much volume for this too happen?

Thanks for the help!

 

no, it will always jell in the filter first. smallest (10 micron or whatever) passages.

 

right, the filter is first, but i don't really know the answer to the question about gelling in the tank, but i don't see why not. i'm very sure that it can.

 

It has to be extremely cold for fuel to gel so solid that it can't be pumped, it usually just plugs the filter. Gelled is really not a real good description of what happens. Clouded would be a better term.

 

Don't forget to change your prefilter also, chances are that is gelled too..

 

if his heater is working, it will just be the filter.

 

The past week has been at or below zero.

I ran a little test on Saturday. I filled an empty pop can half full with untreaded fuel to see how long it would take to gell. In 10min there was a considerable amount of crystals forming.

 

I think I will try that too. I'll use a clear plastic pop bottle so I can see through it. It is supposed to get down to 0 Deg. F tonight.

Why is this such a big issue? I have had my truck for 4 years, never used any kind of treatment (the only thing in the tank is what comes out of the pump) and I have never had a problem, or heard of anyone having a problem with gelling. And yes is does get cold here - maybe not cold enough.

How cold does it need to be for this to be a problem?

 

lot's of times the fuel station is doing what there supposed to by adding some anti-gel. usually it's the family owned smaller places that give a hoot about there reputation. they will sometimes advertise it as "winter blend diesel".

 

I don't trust any station's claim to winter diesel and always add the recommended amount of anti-gel additive, usually Power Service.
Must be doing something right, been driving diesels for over thirty years and never had one gel up.

 

That diesel 911 is suposed to be used for allready gelled systems. Add 1quart per 100gallons I think and then it says to take your fuel filter bowl off, put a new filter in it fill it with 50% diesel and 50% 911, run and idle for 5min or something. I keep a bottle and filter in my truck in the winter just in case but havnt used it yet.