what do they add or take away in the processing of winter fuel and what can you add that will get the fuel millage back to summer fuel.

 

Many places still mix in 30% or more of #1 diesel and #1 diesel has less BTU's thus giving us lower fuel mileage. There are some places that sell winterized #2 diesel but you still get lower MPG due to the longer idle time to warm your engine up. FYI, A cold diesel engine gets poor fuel mileage. As for the lower fuel mileage we now get in the summer its from ULSD that the EPA made them make starting back in 2006. Its the way they make ULSD that takes away some of the things that gave us better fuel mileage.

 

What if you add a quart of clean and unused oil to a tank to bring up the btus plug the heater up to prewarm the motor which bring up another question does the heater have a thermostat. I know that both of have a price to pay but how does it play on the longevity and less money spent break downs.

 

Now that everyone is using ULSD, do they still winterize it? do they make a #1 ULSD and a #2 ULSD? I've never seen anything about winter fuel at the pump. I'm wondering just how they winterize the fuel. Also, how long should you run the block heater prior to cold start. Is 3 Hours enough? Just some curious questions.

 

Yes they make both #1 and #2 ULSD and not all places tell you that they are selling you winter mixed fuel. The one place I get my fuel at sells #2 winterized diesel. They call it Arctic diesel and as I understand it they add some type of additive to the fuel to keep if from gelling to -30 below zero. As for block heater time at temps down to 10 above zero I plug it in for up to 2 hours as its in a garage and temps from 9 to -5 below up to 3 hours and at -17 below or colder 4 hours.

 

If you mean the block heater, no. It's just an immersion heater. It's on the whole time it's plugged in.