I live in WV, but am heading up into the Poconos (NE PA) this weekend to remove some trees from my brother's yard. Forecast is for near zero temps.

Now I know we have guys on here from Wisconsin and Minnesota and Canada and even Alaska, where it is cold enough in November to freeze a well-digger, so don't laugh at my concern, but the only thing a little scary is fuel gelling. Not only am I cutting up 2 big hardwoods, I am hauling the wood home to burn in my woodstove, so Sunday I will be running with probably 1.5 tons in the bed and 2.5 on the trailer. A breakdown is a disaster.

I have seen people here say the white Power Service (which I already use) will stop the gelling. Should I use extra? Also, I remember the old farmers at home (NW PA) putting a gallon of kero in their diesel tractors for every 10 gals. #2. will that work in addition to the PS? what can it hurt?

 

Kero wouldn't hurt, but a double dose of PS white should do the same thing.

Key is to get it in and mixed good.

At zero you really shouldn't have problems with stock winterized fuel though.

 

worry list.

 

One thing that I try to do is to fill up with fuel where I am going, because they should have fuel blended for the temps that they see. It is probably a long enough drive that you will have to fill up anyways. The white bottle of powerservice adds some piece of mind too.

 

Make sure your batteries are in good shape and your block heater works.

 

a winter front might be a good idea as well...

 

partially blocking the radiator? Or is it something fancier than that?

 

hi
the ole cardboard in front of rad will help keep it warm , just watch temp gauge when pulling a load !

5 w 40 rotella syn oil will give easy starts if sitting overnight and not pluged in .

 

I use Howes Lubricator with anti-gel (available at all the truck stops) OR Power Service white bottle and never have had any problems. It was -4f yesterday morning and is supposed to be -10f this morning.

If I know its going to be below 0F* I will double dose the system BEFORE filling up.

I also carry a bottle of Power Service 911 (red bottle) and a spare fuel filter just in case.

 

White Buffalo, I am from WV as well.
From what parts do you hail?
I live in Eastern Panhandle, Mineral Co.
Are you running an auto or manual trans.
I am trying to decide wether or not to keep my auto or go with a 5spd.
I would like to ride in a truck with a built auto it just might make me keep the sloppy thing.

 

I wish I had a 5 spd. too, but my built auto is serving me well in my 96. Of course I only have about 20k on it, and I may be hating life when it has 120k on it and it has to be replaced. I have a good guy near here who does his own rebuilds. Let me know if you want to know more.

 

well we just got done with a week of -30 degree temps, and all i did was double up on the power service, and the fuel never gelled once, and the truck was parked outside without being plugged in for 14 hours at one time with temps near -30 and it started up just fine.

 

my thoughts exactly. i love in central NY and we just got done with a pretty frigid cold snap. i run white bottle powerservice at every fill up. it was down around -25f here last week a couple nights. kept her plugged in and it started and ran like it was summer time. i went to northern quebec before x-mas and even with temps in the -40's i still never had a problem with a double dose of white PS. one fellow posted how he made a make-shift grile cover by covering cardboard with silver furnace duct tape and fastened it to the inside of the grille. i did this and i cut my warm up times by 20 mins. just watch with the load. and the red bottle ps is a good precaution just incase you do happen to gell up. hope this helps