65pacecar

I haven't driven my diesel much lately and still have about a half tank of Summer Blend Diesel in it, what temp does that stuff start to Gel? I may have to get it out this weekend and don't want to cause any issues. Also, is what is the best additive to prevent it from gelling in these temps until I can run enough out to put a fresh tank of the winter stuff in?

Thanks.

SIXSLUG

It depends on wht you have in there. I have read problems start in the mid 20'sF.
A bottle of Power Service 911 will help. Its the red bottle.

65pacecar

Thanks, I am in KY, I have heard the 911 stuff is hard on the IP, is there any truth to that. Will the regular white PS with Anti-Gel help very much in preventing it from gelling. The truck is in a heated garage so I dont have any issues yet, just trying to prevent one.

knc77

Run the white bottle and keep the red bottle in the tool box for an emergency along with a new fuel filter. IIRC 911 is mostly alcohol which can be hard on things.
The heated garage will help a lot. If you are at a half tank, you could top off with winter blend which would help lower the gel point some as well.

pug

Heated garage no problem. When driving years ago we would put a 1 to 100 mix of gas to diesel.

65pacecar

Thanks, I should have been more clear, I'm not concerned about it while in the garage, but if I have to get it out with the Summer Diesel in it and leave it sit out over night. Supposed to get cold here Friday and Saturday (19 for a high, 5-10 for a low) and I dont want to run into any issues. Thanks for the suggestions.

SIXSLUG

Yeah, use the 911 for gelled fuel, a heated garage will negate this.

Use white bottle the rest of the time with the occasional (4 times a year) silver bottle for injector cleeaning.

MontanaRam

The fuel stations here say the summer fuel has a filter plug point around 20F, but that could be different where you are, depending on the refinery. Adding about 8-12oz. of power service white should take care of a full tank.

johnh

don't worry about it,as soon as the engine starts warm fuel is put back in the tank

Midnite

John, you're right that after it's running it's not an issue, but he's worried about the possibility of having to leave it out overnight.

You definitely don't want to use the 911 Power Service to prevent gelling. That stuff will do nothing to prevent gelling--it's purpose is to melt the waxes in fuel that's already gelled up. I only use it to pour into gelled fuel filters, not into the tank. You want the white Power Service if you want to add something to prevent that summer fuel from gelling.

It would also probably be a good idea to get a gallon of kerosene and dump that in, and keep topping off the tank with fresh winterized fuel from a known good filling station to minimize the proportion of summer fuel in your tank.

chaikwa

I had a problem with keeping my loader in a heated garage. The heat of the garage, presumably combined with the heat from the returned fuel, made the inside of the tank sweat. When the fuel sloshed around I imagine the moisture from the sweating got into the fuel, then when I drove it outside the moisture in the fuel froze up in the filter. Since I've parked it in an UN-heated garage I haven't had any problems.

^^^ Good advise right there! ^^^ I use the white Power Service with straight #2 home heating oil in my loader and even tho the fuel lines are tiny little 1/4" things, I've never had a fuel line gel, only the filter as mentioned above.

94ram

the parrafin waxes can start to form at +40F. i used 25% #1 to 75% #2 in ND (was up there last year in jan and feb) and never plugged the truck once. i only had starting issues twice. temps were anywhere from +30 to -40F

supr

Fill your tank with the current blend. Add the reuired amount of White PS before fill up for a tank. Keep your tank full when leving it parked to prevent moisture/ice build up. Keep the white stuff in for as long as freezing may be an issue.
Happy Warm motoring!