1st Gen. Ram - All Topics Discussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.

POWER SERVICE ANTI - GEL in a 1st Gen.???

Old Dec 15, 2008 | 06:08 PM
  #1  
BearKiller's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 95
From: KENTUCKY
POWER SERVICE ANTI - GEL in a 1st Gen.???

I have been using white-jug Power Service in all my diesel equipment for years.


I don't remember where I came up with the ration that I have been using for many years, but I have always pre-measured 12-ounces Power Service for each twenty-gallons of diesel.


Last winter, a 96-ounce jug cost around $13 at Walmart, usually a couple dollars cheaper at TSC, but TSC is not as handy, nor close.


This winter, the jugs have been down-sized to 80-ounces and the price has increased to around $16; a pint less stuff for three more dollars.



According to the instructions on the jug, one-ounce will treat three-gallons of fuel, 20-oz/60-G, 40-oz/125-G, 80-oz/250-Gallon.


It says for maximum CETANE increases to double the dose; it makes no mention if doubling the dose increases resistance to gelling.


According to the recommended dosage, my 12-ounces could be treating 36-gallon, instead of the 20-gallon.

I could cut back to 7-ounces/20-gallon and, according to the recommendations, should not have any problems with fuel gelling; and, mixing at that reduced rate will almost cut my expenses in half.



My questions are for you guys that also use Power Service.

How many ounces of Power Service do you add for each twenty-gallons of fuel ??

What state/province do you live in ??


Do you think that the recommended dosage is sufficient to keep fuel from gelling ??


Thanks.
Reply
Old Dec 15, 2008 | 06:14 PM
  #2  
wannadiesel's Avatar
Adminstrator-ess
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,594
Likes: 19
From: New Holland, PA
I'm very scientific. I dump "enough" in every time I fill up when the temps are in the 30's or on their way there.
Reply
Old Dec 15, 2008 | 06:19 PM
  #3  
92'1stGen's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
From: Southern Maryland
I add 16 ounces, of either the white or gray bottle, to each tank of my 3 diesel vehicles. The tank sizes are 25, 35, and 44.

I noticed the same thing about a month ago with the power service, cut the size and increased the price. Annoyed me not only because the price increased, but because usually I will distribute the larger jug into 6 of the smaller 16 ounce bottles and now it only works for 5. Leaves me having to do more work now.
Reply
Old Dec 15, 2008 | 06:51 PM
  #4  
Featherman's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: Manitoba
Are you Gellin

I'm with Dave.............I dump in "enough" and don't much worry about what it costs. The instruction says adding too much will not hurt anything , so I dump it in using the "more is better theory". Better than having to deal with a "gelled" fuel system.

I might might measure the universal 2 stroke oil that I just started as a lubricant!!!!!!
Reply
Old Dec 15, 2008 | 07:00 PM
  #5  
Colo_River_Ram's Avatar
With age comes the cage
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 3
From: The Gas Patch
5 below zero last night no problems with the std mixing ratio..when it gets in the -20 to -40 range I double the dose..
Reply
Old Dec 15, 2008 | 07:19 PM
  #6  
The_Head's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 0
From: Wyo
I do 1 ounce of the grey PS and 1 ounce of the Wal-Mart 2 stroke oil per gallon now.

I dont know if it's gelled up yet.

I'm working in North Dakota right now and we definitely are having problems with equipment gelling up. They got filled with #2 diesel and no additive
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 02:14 AM
  #7  
keith1992's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City
I treat year around. Every tank, every time. I don't care what the temp outside is. Part of it is the fact that I go all over so while its sunny and 50 in OKC it may be cold and wintry in Wisconsin or Upper Michigan. The other part is that I think PS is good for the system in terms of lubrication.

I bought a bunch of small 16 oz bottles once after they were empty, I bought a 55 gal drum of the stuff from a distributor in Texas. Then I refill the smaller bottles from the drum. I put one full bottle in with every full tank. Saves the environment on plastic and I get a cheaper per ounce price.

It should be noted that the 55 gallon drum is different from what you all are buying at Wally World. The stuff in the drum is a concentrate. The stuff I am getting is recommended to be used as 1 part PS for every 1,500 parts ULSD, the stuff at Wally World is something like 1 part PS for every 400 ULSD if memory serves me correctly.
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 05:08 AM
  #8  
KRB's Avatar
KRB
Registered User
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,234
Likes: 573
From: Central KY
Dang, where did you get a drum of it from?!?

I take the Scientific Dave Approach - I dump in 16oz every time I fuel up, whether its 16 gal or 26 gallon...
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 07:25 AM
  #9  
BearKiller's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 95
From: KENTUCKY
Before the local mom-and-pop fuel bulk-plant got gobbled up by the regional oil monoply that now has control of every drop of fuel/gas for miles around, they actually bought PowerService in bulk and pre-treated both farm- and road-fuel at the plant, starting in mid-October and continuing until mid-March.

So long as you bought fuel that originated from them, you didn't have to worry about having to add anything.



Approximately how much does a 55-gallon drum of concentrated PowerService cost ??


KRB is close; maybe he and I should split a drum.








One observation I will add :

Whenever most of these rednecks around here have their fuel gel up, even though they had never put any kind of treatment in the fuel, instead of admit that they were so silly, they will swear that they had plenty of "that stuff" in it; no way would they be dumb enough to go without it.

When asked what brand of anti-gel, they will either come off with the first brand that pops in their head, or otherwise say "whatever so-and-so uses".

Although they are lying through their teeth, such episodes give various brands of anti-gel a bad name.
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 10:54 AM
  #10  
JD730's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 1
From: Belvidere, NJ
We actually had a guy come into work with a #2 fuel fired portable heater and wanted it tested in the cold condition. After they found out straight run summer #2 with no treatment does not move at -50*F. And I did tell them so. After that he added white bottle power service at the maximum recomended level according to bottle, I think it was 4oz in 4 gallons. At -40*F the heater did suck fuel through the filter, yes the filter was on the suction side of the pump and it did light.
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 06:06 PM
  #11  
wannadiesel's Avatar
Adminstrator-ess
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,594
Likes: 19
From: New Holland, PA
Originally Posted by KRB
I take the Scientific Dave Approach - I dump in 16oz every time I fuel up, whether its 16 gal or 26 gallon...
You're one up on me, you measure it.
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2008 | 06:15 PM
  #12  
BearKiller's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 95
From: KENTUCKY
Where is everyone finding PowerService in sixteen-ounce bottles ??


All I ever see are 32-OZ and now 80-OZ (used to be 96-OZ).
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2008 | 04:37 AM
  #13  
KRB's Avatar
KRB
Registered User
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,234
Likes: 573
From: Central KY
No 16oz. I pour from the big jug into the 32oz. (but I could pour from a drum too )

Now that I actually think about it , I'm using 16oz of 2 cycle per tank.

I use a lower recommendation of white PS. I have a 32oz bottle graduated into 5ths or 6ths and thats how much I pour in everytime I fill up... I think. I'll have to walk out to the truck and look for sure...

I'm only about 50 miles further north than Bearkiller and have never had fuel gell yet (knock on wood).

I treat the farm tank (300gal) with a big jug of PS. Having said that, I plug in the tractors 99% of the time for a few hours when it's below freezing. Same of the truck - not because it won't start but so the inards will be warmed .
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2008 | 05:53 AM
  #14  
BearKiller's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 95
From: KENTUCKY
I saved up a bunch of those long-neck red plastic bottles that MarvelMysteryOil comes in and pre-measure my additives into those; they are perfect for pouring into the bed-side filler-necks like on a couple of our trucks that haven't been flat-bedded yet.

I am rather scientific about it; I even have a measuring-cup marked in ounces.
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2008 | 06:01 AM
  #15  
Crobar's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: ADKs
My truck gelled last winter @ -17 F with Power Service 1 mile from work in the worst intersection possible.
Tractor Supply has the lowest price in my area at around $12.95 for the bigger bottle / whatever number of oz that is now.
Gotta go clean the snow off & go to work...
Reply

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:40 AM.