realsquash

What's everyone's experience with gelling in the fuel filter before and after filter and lift pump changes? Does higher pressure help? Are there filters that are less or more likely to gel? It seems to me that if the lift pump pressure was higher it would overcome some amount of gelling, but obviously you wouldn't want 60psi!

I have my new lift pump sitting in the box here but not on the truck, and for the 2nd winter (2nd one for ULSD here as well, go figure) my truck has gelled up the filter. It seems to happen when the filter has some miles on it. I was planning on reusing the stock filter setup but if something works better I will change it.

Andy

Diesel-Dude

Are you using any additives? If not, head over to WalMart and get a 1 gallon jug of Power Service in the white jug (the grey jug is for summer use) for about $16.00. One gallon of this stuff treats 300 gallons of fuel. Add aprox. 11-12 ozs per every full tank of fuel (or 6 oz for a 1/2 tank fill) and your gelling will be over, plus you may regain the lost fuel economy brought on by ULSD and "winter fuel".

jkitterman

check you fuel heater and use additives if needed. You may also want to watch what you are filling the truck with. Is it straight #2 or what. Try changing brands. The gelling isn't the fuel getting thicker like oil but wax crystals forming and plugging the filter.

rjm022

never had a gelling problem- it is minus 15 degrees here right now with the wind chill. truck started right up this morning! but i am a firm believer in using additives!

DBLR

Last night it was -17 below zero and I have not used any anti gel additive in my fuel as the place I buy from sells winterized fuel that is good to -30 below zero. Being your in WI, I would be finding a new place to be buying fuel from. BTW your the first person I've heard of who has bought northern mid-west fuel that was not winterized.

Hounddog

You sure its gelling and not frozen mositure/water?

realsquash

I am sure it's gelling, I have pulled the fuel filter each time and it's covered with snot. Here's the sequence of events while I wait for the Packers to play:

1) Drive to Ohio, run down to 1/8 tank
2) Put a 1 gallon jug of white PS into the tank (better safe than sorry, right?)
3) Drive across the street and fill the tank up, 33 gallons
4) Drive w/o stopping until I get to the suspect BP in IL
5) Put a 1 gallon jug of white PS in tank
6) Notice taped-on label at the pump, fill the tank up, 29 gallons
7) Drive home the remaining 50 miles or so, no problem
8) -10F overnight, truck starts fine w/o being plugged in at -5F
9) Idle for 10 minutes, zero PSI lift pressure, run into the garage and turn the heat up
10) Replace filter with new
11) Drive around, maybe 50 miles in the cold, no problem, same PSI as normal
12) -12F overnight, truck starts fine today, but after 1 minute of idling I have zero PSI lift pressure again
13) Run the truck in the warm garage for a while
14) Drive around to get groceries, etc
15) Start this thread w/o swearing and the like

It's not water, unless it is manifesting itself as what has always been gelling in the past. I will try to check the fuel heater, but somehow I don't think that has enough gusto to do any good.

Andy

Scotty

I recently had a similar situation with an 07 5.9 but it was my fault or oversight.
The truck had been parked since early fall. I tried to start it but needed to charge the batteries. Truck started fine after about a ten minute boost. It ran on high idle for about 45 minutes while I ran and did a few errands. Then, 20 miles outside the city it starts to cough and sputter. I made it to my destination...barely and just crawling. Put it in the shop, peaked at the fuel filter and as I suspected it was a giant blob of goop. Its still sitting in the heated shop and will drain the now liquid in the canister and then pull the filter. Added half a jug of Howes and will top up the tank with #1 after I get the new filter in. First time this has happened to me to this degree. Last winter [ulsd fuel] I had sputtering but caught it with the white jug and some winter fuel.

Scotty

Minwy

Clean diesel fuel does not gell up until -25 or so. Most of the time plugged up fuel filters are plugged with water crystals, not gelled fuel. Keep you filters drained and changed regularly and most of the time you wont have a problem.

mopardamo

Can you put too much PS and cause a problem? The 1 gallon to a tank thing seems very excessive.

Damon

D45

It was 7 degrees here the other and my truck fired up and idled without any issues.

I added some PS about a month ago when I last filled up (still have 1/4 tank left) and it seems to be working good!

DBLR

Yes you can add to much PS to your fuel and have problems, Oh and what people think is a one gallon jug of PS is only 96 oz = 3 qt's.

DBLR

I wonder if either all of that PS in the tank cleaned out a bunch of gunk in the tank or you bought some Bio mixed fuel and the Bio gelled and or separated on you as with that much PS in the tank it you should not have any fuel gelling problem. Now that I reread your post again I see you bought fuel in IL and IIRC they sell 11% Bio fuel in that state and that is most likely the snot looking stuff you are seeing on your fuel filter.

BTW if you did get some Bio fuel and mixed it with some of the winterized diesel fuel that is not compatible with some Bio fuels this could be why you're having a problem. MN had the same type of problem a few years ago due to one diesel maker’s winterized fuel causing the same problem you said you have right now.