should I worry about gelling?

[panamacamper1]

Ok, I am in korea for a year. My wife is home with our kids and my truck. I purchased a ram 2500 with the 5.9 cummins a month before I left. I know she will start it and drive it once a week. The thing is we have never owned deisel. What is gelling?
in maryland should I worry about that?

[Redsky]

Gelling is more likely with B20 bio-diesel which was only introduced in the past few years to appease the giant corn corporations that control Congress. GM had to engineer a special heater to minimize gelling problems with this fuel. Avoid the B20 and you should have no worries.

[brooks379]

I've owned diesel motors since 1980 and run in very cold weather every year and the only time I have ever had a problem was one night in MN when the temp. went to -18 I had anti gell in the fuel put found one of my fuel lines had frozen at a connection (water in the fuel). Just dump a bottle of Power Service or FPPF that treats 40 gallons that you can buy at Wal Mart or any truck stop and you will be ok. I never put anything in the fuel until they start calling for temps below zero.

I was in Denver last week and it was -11 and we never had any trouble with our fuel gelling but we did have some FPPF in it.


If your wife is not going to drive the truck I wouldn't put anything in it. Gelled fuel won't hurt it and as soon as the temps go back up the fuel will go back to normal diesel fuel. Gelled fuel won't flow through the feul filter/lines and then the truck wont run.

[greende]

Please do not use rubbing alcohol in a modern diesel. A water dispersant will make any water bypass the filter. I am with the group that says you should be okay. Rarely use anything but if you want piece of mind, have her get some power service and add some per directions on the bottle.

[Colorado71]

I experienced gelling for the first time last week. Temps were down below 0. My 5.9 would start, but not run.

I added a bottle of ani-gelling to the tank, but that didn't help, so I added another. Then the temps warmed up to 60 and the truck started hesitating.

Starting to wish I never installed that Air Dog fuel pump...

[john_bet]

Engineer9860 wrote:
I have a million miles on various diesel powered trucks. I have never used any diesel fuel additives/supplements. Been in many -10 and lower situations without additives. I have only had 1 gelling episode, and that was in single digit conditions. Truck would idle, just wouldn't pull with a load. Easily fixed with Power Service 911.

Buy winter blend fuel and you'll be good to go.

The main reason you would have trouble with gelling would be during the transition months. I don't recommend buying fuel in Florida then driving to North Dakota without adding a gel preventative.

I had one in Jan.'88 on I-80 with a wind chill in the -50 range. It was in a IH straight truck with a DT360 engine. Had to pull the filter and put in a new one. It had anti Gel put in it before we left IN. and after we refuel later. I was in MT. a year ago with my truck in -4 temps and had no problems with out supplement. Run across Iowa on I-80 with 0 temps all day without problem. I have never used a supplement here in southern IN. in the 10 years of ownership. JME

[APT]

Sometime in Late Sept/Early Oct in the US, diesel supplies switched to "winterized" to prevent gelling. As long as the truck was filled with winterized diesel, no extra precautions or additives are required.

My daily driver is usually kept in a garage which seldom drops below freezing. However, I have kept it outside a couple times near 0F, and it sits outside all day at work. Never a problem. Drive more, worry less.

[Terryallan]

WE use to put a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the tanks of the big truck in the winter. Removes water, and prevents freeze up. Diesel seems to make water in the tanks, or did. Maybe not now. But 2 bottles of Alcohol in 240 gal, kept it from freezing, or gelling.
Any way. It never stopped. But the one running behind us, with no alcohol in the tanks did.

[naturist]

I'll add my 2 cents to say DO NOT EVER PUT ANY AMOUNT OF GASOLINE in a modern diesel. That trick worked great -- in 1965. But diesels sold since about 1990 have fuel injection pumps and injectors that can be damaged by such treatment. The newest ones so treated cost about $10,000 to repair because it is necessary to replace the fuel tank, all the lines, the injection pump, and all the injectors, in short the entire fuel handling system in the vehicle.

(I realize that some ding-dong is going to come on here and say nonsense, they did it last week by accident, and their vehicle is just fine. Do be sure to check back with them in about a year when they will have had their moment of reckoning.)

And while we're on the subject, all ye new diesel drivers, should you ever accidentally put gas in it, DO NOT START THE ENGINE. Have it towed to the shop, the tank dropped and drained, and you'll be fine. If you (or someone you love) does start it, you've just added the need to replace the fuel filter and complete flush of the lines. If it is driven until it stops running, you are dead meat.

[45Ricochet]

You should be fine in Maryland weather. As others have stated fresh fuel should have been blended for your area already and the suppliers know exactly what that amount is. It differs wildly from your area to N Dakota.
I myself use a anti gel only cause it can be -5/10F for a week at a time. Just don't want to chance it. Also have her start it up and have the high idle take over, your fuel return line which gets hot eventually will pump warm fuel back to the tank. You will notice fuel gelling early after starting a cold vehicle, very rarely after reaching normal engine temperature's.
And in closing, thanks for your service. Heard some tension happened in the North today, keep safe buddy!

[dieseltruckdriv]

Make sure she doesn't use any gasoline in the fuel. Every so often someone suggests it, and it is nothing but trouble and repairs for the newer diesels like yours.
I have well over a million and a half miles with diesels, and I do trust Power Service and Howes additives. The best bet if her temps are going to get near zero, is fill with #1 fuel, or at least a winter blend. As others have said, above 15 degrees, don't worry about it.

If she would happen to gel up, Power Service 911 will fix it. I have used it once and saw it liquify the gelled fuel. Do NOT use it regularly though. Only if needed. The bio blends (which I am a fan of) will gel up much faster (warmer) than pure diesel will.

Edit: Thank you for your service to us.

[Jerrybo66]

You're in Korea in service for our Country and the last thing you have to worry about, fuel in your truck.. Forget about it. Maryland is in the tropics compared to where diesel will preform. I've fired my Mack diesel up in temps around "0" with no problem..

[I_am_still_wayn]

camp-n-family wrote:
Some people add a little regular gas to the tank to prevent this.

GOOD LORD! Never add gas to a diesel powered engine. A small mixture will burn in the diesel engine, but at much higher temperatures. Can cause a blown head gasket, burned valve, or cracked piston. A too strong solution of gas and diesel can cause an explosive type event that will cause immediate catastrophic engine failure.

It is amazing what people will post on the internet!

[transamz9]

Engineer9860 wrote:
I have a million miles on various diesel powered trucks. I have never used any diesel fuel additives/supplements. Been in many -10 and lower situations without additives. I have only had 1 gelling episode, and that was in single digit conditions. Truck would idle, just wouldn't pull with a load. Easily fixed with Power Service 911.

Buy winter blend fuel and you'll be good to go.

The main reason you would have trouble with gelling would be during the transition months. I don't recommend buying fuel in Florida then driving to North Dakota without adding a gel preventative.

X2^^^

[carpetguy2]

Dave H M wrote:
when was it fueled up? it just may have winter fuel in it.

anyhow it will not hurt anything to have the DW throw some antigel in it just for grins.

Unfourtanely that's all they sell by me is bio crap.It happened at half tank of being filled at my same place of years of filling up