Newbie question: Flying J pump menu
Just made transition from gasoline MH and dinghy to F250 TD & 5W, hoping that truck diesel lanes would simplify the problem of finding accessible pumps. Well, accessibility is easy, but even after a 2...
Forum Discussion
cairnwalker wrote:
rdmike answered my main question (thanks again).
But again, for the sake of clarification: Is the diesel at the truck lanes the same fuel as delivered in the auto and RV lanes? Are their multiple grades? Is is possible to (accidentally) harm your vehicle with the wrong product in the truck lanes?
Thanks in advance.
#2 diesel is what you will find at both auto and truck lanes during most of the year. The Gel point of straight #2 is about 20 degrees F. Below, 20 degrees, the paraffin starts separating out and will clog your fuel filters, stopping the flow of fuel.
In the winter, your truck may start just fine, but may come to a halt 5 miles down the road when the filter completely clogs. So don't assume that just because your truck starts, you will be fine.
During winter, you CAN find #2 diesel that has been treated with additives that will decrease the gel point to below 0 degrees.
# 1 diesel is a thinner, more refined grade of diesel fuel that has a gel point well below zero. It is NOT just #2 treated with additives. You should only see it at a pump during winter.
During the winter, sometimes you will find #1 mixed with #2 in varying percentages, depending on the outside temps - Jan and Feb will have a higher percentage of #1 then during December. The percentage of #1 is changed as temps get colder. This is a better winter diesel fuel to use then the treated #2 IMHO.
Where you are driving during the winter dictates what you will find at the pump. In Florida I'm sure #2 is sold year round.
I also understand it's possible to find straight #1 at some locations in the far northern states.
I would only run straight #1 in extremely cold weather. The reason is because that really expensive injector pump on your diesel engine is lubricated entirely by diesel fuel and #2 provides way more lubrication then the thinner #1.
Now for the problem - Good luck figuring out what you are pumping during the winter. At an interstate truckstop, they will probably know, but at a town station, they will only know you are pumping 'diesel'.
For that reason, if traveling in the cold weather states during winter, I would always treat my fuel with an inti-gel.
Tim
