Cold Weather Diesel Fuel Additive

[Showme_5vr]

Ok it's going to be 10 degrees tomorrow -8 Sunday night and a high of 3 degrees on Monday. I know that the fuel I've been buying is "winterized" but does anyone add anything to their fuel during these temps?

[GoPackGo]

The thing to remember about winter blend is that the blend ratio is not static - nor is the blend ratio the same everywhere at the same time.

The fuel is blended at the BULK level for temps expected at the date and location of the stations where the bulk fuel is delivered. I'm also sure that the blended fuel ratio in Kentucky is different then the blend in Minnesota. In Minnesota, they may be running 100% #1 right now but in Kentucky it could be mostly #2 with a little #1.

Keep in mind that the fuel is blended in stages for the expected temps. Early December blend might very well be different then January blend. Maybe the blend is 25% #1 and 75% #2 in December but it could be 50/50 in January. Or maybe 75/25. And the December blend could have been in the station's tank for some time if they don't sell a lot of diesel. And then you may not use it all up for a week or more - especially if you fill an aux tank in addition to your OEM tank.. That's why I would go out to a high volume station located on I-80 (Iowa) in December, January and February to buy fuel. That way I was pretty sure I was getting the latest blend.

Tim

[kmbelt]

I never use additives either until late last week. In Kentucky, we don't get cold weather normally and i rely on the winter blend here. However, last week we were down in the -5 range for a couple of days. You guessed it, my fuel gelled on me. Driving home from work i couldn't get over 30mph and it wouldn't rev hardly at all. Put in some PowerService Diesel 911 and it cleared it in less than 45 seconds. I then added a white bottle of power service to prevent it from happening again. Apparently winter blend in KY isn't really made for winter weather.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

soren wrote:
Thanks for the tips. In this case the white PS absolutely did the job. I'm not sure how long it took to clear up the gelling, since I ran out of daylight, and decided to leave the next morning. I have a 100 gallon tank that was about 2/3rds full of fuel purchased in late Oct. The DW ran into some health issues, and I basically ignored the motorhome until last weekend. Obviously not the best plan, but......lesson learned.

Late October should have been winter blend :h unless you fueled up at a Mom and Pop station with very low volume. All the truck stops even in the warmer states switch to winter blend in late September so you should have been OK. If I were you I would not fuel up at that station anymore.

Don

[soren]

Thanks for the tips. In this case the white PS absolutely did the job. I'm not sure how long it took to clear up the gelling, since I ran out of daylight, and decided to leave the next morning. I have a 100 gallon tank that was about 2/3rds full of fuel purchased in late Oct. The DW ran into some health issues, and I basically ignored the motorhome until last weekend. Obviously not the best plan, but......lesson learned.

[Airstreamer67]

If you can get the engine running even roughly, just drive the rig back and forth a few times to mix the additive into the fuel. With the additive properly mixed in the fuel tank, it only will take a short time to get the mix into the fuel line and pump.

If you can't get the engine started, take off the fuel filter and put some additive in it.

[Engineer9860]

Yup, if it will run at all PS911 is your best bet. Almost instantly fixes a gelled fuel system.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

soren wrote:
I tried to head south from PA. last weekend, but an excess of "summer" fuel in the tank, and -8* Saturday morning derailed my plan. I first tried to heat the filter up, as I was assuming that it was icing. I was correct, in that the engine went from not starting to idling smoothly, but it would not run up and hold 1500-1800 RPMs without stumbling. I put a double dose of the PS White bottle additive in, and then stood inside the middle of the motorhome and rocked the whole rig back and forth like a retarded Gorilla, trying to mix the additive in. A few hours later it still brutally cold, but the rig was running fine..... sweet.

Next time use Power Service 911 in the red bottle. Link
It work after you are froze up.

Don

[soren]

I tried to head south from PA. last weekend, but an excess of "summer" fuel in the tank, and -8* Saturday morning derailed my plan. I first tried to heat the filter up, as I was assuming that it was icing. I was correct, in that the engine went from not starting to idling smoothly, but it would not run up and hold 1500-1800 RPMs without stumbling. I put a double dose of the PS White bottle additive in, and then stood inside the middle of the motorhome and rocked the whole rig back and forth like a retarded Gorilla, trying to mix the additive in. A few hours later it still brutally cold, but the rig was running fine..... sweet.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

Surely possible.

My other thinking is that some sort of micro-climate may be responsible. In other words, ambient temperature is measure at one height above the ground, while the position of my oil pan and its temperature gauge is at a lower height to the ground.

Heard about this micro-climate deal while watching baseball some years back. The ambient temperature at the game was very, very warm. But then they placed a thermometer on the playing field itself, and it showed much warmer than the measured ambient temperature. They explained it as micro-climate conditions.

So hard to say. I should start keeping a log on what shows on my vehicle just for giggles.

[Engineer9860]

Norsky-

It is impossible for your oil temps to be less than ambient unless it is refrigerated, which we know it not to be.

I would suspect a defective sending unit.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

mowermech wrote:

Wes Tausend wrote:

nevadanick wrote:
Your truck and its fuel dont know what windchill is. Only ambient temps affect it.

I believe an engine will cool down quicker in moving air. Same principle as a radiator fan.

Wes
...

True. However, it will cool ONLY to the ambient temperature. The "wind chill" only effects exposed skin. The engine will NOT cool to the -50 (or whatever) "wind chill".

:h I had thought for years that wind chill did indeed affect fluids in the vehicle, but you folks had convinced me otherwise over the years here on the forum.

BUT, and this is a big BUT, my thinking has changed somewhat again.

Seems my current vehicle has an oil temperature gauge (2011 Ford F350 King Ranch with 6.7L diesel).

The oil temperature gauge has consistently shown a temperature below that of the outside ambient temperature on any given day that I start the vehicle. My vehicle sits outside, and is NOT garaged, thereby exposing it to all elements.

Now this is interesting to me, but not yet of use more than anecdotal at the moment. This is because I have not yet checked these oil temperature readings versus the current wind chill readings for my area.

However, as I said, the consistent below ambient temperature readings I am getting surely has me curious. Also, these temperatures are shown for the oil without the vehicle being plugged in to its factory block heater.

[GeoBoy]

My BL drives a big Pete w/Cummins and he was up in St. Albans, VT where it was -15 and he had to use a lot of Diesel 911 to get back to Albany, NY.

[GoPackGo]

Absolutely correct. You can speed up the effect of cold temps by adding in wind, but the temp of a piece of metal will never go lower then the air temperature that surrounds it.

[mowermech]

Wes Tausend wrote:

nevadanick wrote:
Your truck and its fuel dont know what windchill is. Only ambient temps affect it.

I believe an engine will cool down quicker in moving air. Same principle as a radiator fan.

Wes
...

True. However, it will cool ONLY to the ambient temperature. The "wind chill" only effects exposed skin. The engine will NOT cool to the -50 (or whatever) "wind chill".