Bbabic1

It got about -14 F. last night and i just happened to forget to plug it in. I started it this morning after letting the block heaters warm up a couple times and it was running then just died. After that it has been extremely hard to get it started and when i do it runs rough and eventually dies. Is this because of gelled fuel? if so what should i do?

AH64ID

sounds like gelled fuel.. How old is the fuel?

You need some sort of emergency additive.. only one I can think of the name of is Amsoil Diesel Recovery

GAmes

The block heater only warms the engine, not the fuel filter, lines, etc. The best way to determine if the fuel has gelled is to let it sit overnight in a heated garage. If it runs OK after thawing out, then it is a pretty good bet the fuel was the problem.

Just wondering, do you have oil pressure after a cold soaking at those temps?

Bbabic1

Yeah i get pretty good oil pressure.

vrj

Buy a case of Power Service. I use it all the time when I go to cold climates. I used it once when I went skiing and I left a water bottle in my truck overnight.

The next morning, the water was frozen solid but the truck started up. It ran a little rough for approx 20min. but after that I was fine. This stuff works. I've added a link below. Check out their website for more info.

In your case, you need Diesel 9•1•1 by Power Service which is for fuel that has already jelled. Their claims are listed below:

De-ices frozen fuel-filters — no requirement to change fuel-filters
Prevents fuel-filter icing
Reliquefies gelled fuel in minutes — no tow truck needed
Removes water from fuel system — extends life of fuel-filters, fuel-injection pumps and fuel injectors
Contains Slickdiesel® for maximum fuel lubrication — protects fuel injectors and pumps against Low and ULSD wear


What I use when going to cold climates is:

Diesel Fuel Supplement® +Cetane Boost®
or
Arctic Express® Diesel Fuel Antigel


Instructions on their bottle state:

To De-Ice Frozen Fuel-Filters
Water is dissolved in and carried by all diesel fuels. At temperatures below +32°F, water that has collected in fuel-filters freezes. This causes decreased fuel flow to the engine and results in reduced engine power or engine shutdown.

To de-ice frozen fuel-filters, check to insure that diesel fuel in the equipment fuel tanks is not gelled. If fuel is liquid:

Remove fuel-filters.

Empty remaining liquid from fuel-filters.

Fill fuel-filters with 50% Diesel 9•1•1® and 50% diesel fuel.

Reinstall fuel-filters.

Start engine.

If outside temperature is below +20°F, add Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement® +Cetane Boost® as directed to prevent further gelling.

To Reliquefy Gelled Diesel Fuel
During cold weather operation, diesel fuel that has not been treated with Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement +Cetane Boost can change from a liquid to a solid. This transformation is called gelling.

To reliquefy gelled diesel fuel:

Add 80 ounces of Diesel 9•1•1® to each 100 gallons of fuel in equipment tanks.

Remove fuel-filters.

Fill fuel-filters with 50% Diesel 9•1•1® and 50% diesel fuel.

Reinstall fuel-filters.

Start engine — let idle to warm up fuel system before resuming normal operations.

Add Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement® +Cetane Boost® as directed to prevent further gelling.
To Remove Water from Diesel Fuel Systems
Diesel fuel systems accumulate water during normal operations. The constant recirculation of diesel fuel for lubrication and cooling of fuel injectors causes thermal variations within fuel tanks and produces water in the form of condensation. Water can also be introduced into a fuel system from fuel suppliers that do not periodically check their fuel-handling equipment for water contamination.

To remove water from a diesel fuel system:

Drain or pump water from the bottom of fuel tanks until diesel fuel appears.

Add 80 ounces of Diesel 9•1•1® to each 200 gallons of diesel fuel.

Remove fuel-filters.

Fill fuel-filters with 50% Diesel 9•1•1® and 50% diesel fuel.

Reinstall fuel-filters.

Start engine.



Hope this helps! Its no fun being stuck with jelled Diesel !!!!

http://www.powerservice.com/products/antigels.asp

wurkenman

Get a bottle of diesel 911 and follow the directions. I keep one in the truck at all times. Then use the white power service.

JustLuckey

Power Service 911 (red bottle) is designed to help.
http://www.powerservice.com/

Since I run some biodiesel during the winter, I decided to get a inline fuel heater installed in my truck. I got it from http://www.disnet.com/ (you'll need to call them and ask for it) It's about 12-14" long, cost ~$50-55. $150 for installation from a local guy. Cut that length out of your line and fit in there. I have mine hooked up to a switch on my console...rigged so it turns off when the key is in off position to not kill battery.

In my Diesel Jetta, I have a simple fuel filter housing wrap heater: http://www.fryer-to-fuel.com/store/product32.html
I also have that hooked up to a switch on my console...also shuts off when key is in off position.

Where you are, you might want both.....to take it to another level and install a tank heater (basically, a stick on pad heater), that runs on DC & AC. My buddy has all 3 heaters (and also uses the block heater)....the block & pad are on a timer that turns on a couple hours before he leaves for work. Then when he's at work (no AC available), he turns the key, but does not start, so 3 of the heaters on DC power can start to heat....then starts after a minute or 2. They don't draw that much power to worry about running the battery dead, unless you're going to wait a long time.

Here's the link to the tank pad heater:
http://www.ultraheat.com/shop/Tank_H...nk_Heater.html

Good Luck!

infidel

I'm surprised your fuel wasn't winterized at the pump. Most stations in the north switch to winter fuel Oct-Nov 1st.
Got to remember the stations don't want it gelling up their pump either.

ttcfan4476

i have a filter wrap that just luckey has on his jetta on my truck and no problems and i run umo at 50%.

bobem12

yeah I use power service in the white bottle every fill up in the winter. Use the gray bottle every fill up in spring/summer/fall. Starts with ease without being plugged in down to single digits (doesn't ever get much colder then that here)

JustLuckey

I just found my packing slip for the inline fuel heater, I mentioned above. If anyone's interested, the part number is: DKT 26309KIT (In-Line Fuel Heater Kit). $52

Bbabic1

I'm surprised your fuel wasn't winterized at the pump. Most stations in the north switch to winter fuel Oct-Nov 1st.
Got to remember the stations don't want it gelling up their pump either.

yea, we have one gas station were i live. it seems like its 50% water half the time. The pump is gelled up at the gas station according to the "napa guy".

DRam11

Ah, the memories this thread brings back.

As the proud owner of a 1982 Toronado with the GM diesel I was towed home a few times before someone informed me of fuel supplements.

The old Toronado looked so spiffy with it's front end jacked up, engine heater plugged in, and drain pan full of charcoal briqettes glowing beneath the engine and blankets draped over it's hood. Usually it took only a few hours of such treatment before the engine would fire, and off we'd go just waiting for the next tow home.

Our fuel provider swore up and down that he sold winter fuel that would not gel, but once things got down to -25 or -30, well, it was towing time.

Now every fillup comes with Diesel Power Additive, and thanks to this thread the jug of Diesel Power carried in the tool box will be joined by a bottle of Diesel 9*1*1.

My son bought the Toronado from us and it ended it's life in sunny California, the victim of a friend who borrowed it and tried to return it with a full tank of unleaded. With 185,000 miles on the clock, it just wasn't worth putting another engine in it.

vrj

Bbabic1 - Why not do what I did. I added a Raycor diesel fuel filter. My model is the 4120 model. They have a heater bowl option that works off of 12v and relay. There is also a 24v heater also. Raycor also sells an external filter heater wrap.

The heater kit works off of the ignition switch and powers the fuel filter bowl heater via a relay. I've got the Raycor 4120 with 3/4" SAE ports using the R120T (10 micron) filter. It has a primer pump and air release port already built in so when you change filters, its very easy to prime the filter and remove the air.

Since I don't live in very cold weather, I didn't purchase the heater bowl option.

My Racor is my pre-filter using a 10micron filter and my main filter is the stock unit (which also has a heater built-in) is a 2micron filter. If you use a pre-filter setup, the pre-filter could catch all of the contaiminents (i.e. water, impurities, ect...) from the fuel station which would save your main filter, injectors and engine from the junk. The filters come in 2 micron (S), 10 micron (P), & 30 micron (T). The letters are the suffix (i.e. R120P). They are made for commercial diesel engines (i.e. big rigs, boats/ships ect...) but it works perfect on the Dodge/Cummins setup.

My pre-filter if very easily accessible and easy to change. The bowl at the bottom is see-through so you can see water and stuff thats in the fuel. It also has a drain plug attached. All I have to do is look under my truck to view the bowl. My system works very well for me. I'm also using a FASS fuel pump which helps keep my fuel pressure high.

Fuel enters my Raycor pre-filter prior to entering my FASS. I want to protect my FASS which is why its setup this way. I've been running this setup for approx. 3yrs. with excellent results.

Let me know if you need more info. on my setup. Hope this helps.

mike1788

same as the other folks said... diesel 911 (red bottle). dump a little in the tank. drain the filter by opening the drain and crank the engine a few times. take the filter apart and add 50% 911 and 50% fresh fuel. put everything back together and it should start with ease. worked great for me. then switch to the white bottle whenever you fill up just to avoid any future gelling situations. mine gelled up once when it got to about -8. learned the hard way. ive been adding the juice every since and knock on wood havent had any problems yet. even at -35 in northern quebec on a caribu hunting trip. hope this helps