Midnite

It's probably just barely cold enough to start gelling your particular diesel blend in the filter. That's where it will gel up first. Also, a lot of the people I've talked to around here have had to use about double the amount of anti-gel additive with the new ultra low sulfur diesel.

It's probably worth pointing out that on the bottle of my Power Service additive (the white bottle), it says it won't fix a gelled filter, it'll only prevent gelling. Also, on the red PS bottle it says that it won't prevent gelling, it's only designed for thawing out a gelled filter. So I ended up buying a bunch of both.

Mike

bandedgandr

Chesapeake-
I had the same problem up here in MN last week and the week before. I was running a 60/40 mix of #2 and #1 diesel with 16oz of white power service. Low temp was -22f, highs -10f. The first time it gelled the whole system. I had to put a tarp over the truck and throw a nepco heater under it for 3 hrs. Unfortunantly I ran it out of fuel when it gelled up and had to crack all 6 injector lines to get it fired up. Then last week the filter on my airdog gelled. It was only -5f. I haven`t chaged filters, but i did switch to Howe`s brand additive, it was -15f two nights ago, and no problems. I`m not using white PS or there 911 anymore... My 2cents.

Chesapeake

Thanks for the tip. I will pick up a bottle of the Howe's additive and give it a try.

Fueling around

Dieselers;
All #2, or for that matter, all pump diesel is not created equal.
Those of us in the northern and expected low temperature zones will have #2 derate and/or treated fuel in the pump starting in September or October.
Temperate areas do not anticipate these radical temperature swings. That pump fuel requires special attention when the temperature dips well below expected normal.

Minnesota has a mandated 2% minimum bio in pump fuel. That stuff really is bad in the winter especially with this ULSD.

What I'm saying is that what works for me will not necessarily work for you.

10 minutes of idle is not bad for ANY diesel. The oil is circulated and the metal components warm. This significantly reduces the engine friction of cold start. A manual tranny or an auto in neutral is warmed, too.


Chesapeake;
Does your handle indicate you are from the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland/Virginia?
If I assume correct, you gelled. Power Service is marginal. Howes is better. I prefer others such as Penray, FPPF, Dieselpower, & Stanadyne.

johnh

there is one advantage to idling your engine, even though it will not warm up to operating temps the fuel will warm up via the fuel return.... the longer it idles the more fuel is returned to the tank, so the warmer it is in the tank..... no more gelling....... if i'm wrong slap me

gandalf1g

This guy has the right idea. Here in Indiana some fuel suppliers blend before it goes in the ground and some dont. Some retailers order fuel with cold flow additives. Pilot and a lot of the other truck stops order straight #2 with no blending. If your running a rig that runs 24 hrs a day you dont need additives unless it gets 0 or below because the engine heats the fuel. The only time I treated the fuel in my truck was if it was going subzero or if I was going to shutdown in 15 deg or below weather. Remember that diesel start to cloud at 20 deg.
IMO most PS products are crap. Howes is a good flow extender. I also like Polar Power.
Idleing a diesel at start is a very wise practice to warm the parts to operating tolerence. It will also keep the oil from collecting topside. The engine wont come up to operating temp at low idle but the 200Deg. egts will warm the fuel. allow the pistons to expand, crank tolerences to stabalize , etc.
Diesels last for hundreds of thousands of miles because they run all the time on a thin film of lubricant with relatively wide bearing tolerences.

smokinram99

White power service should help exactly? maybe other better antigel??

rob

wyododge

Depends on the fuel. there still may be summer fuel out there. You should also change your fuel filters. If they are a little bit dirty, mild gelling will slow down fuel delivery. By you the symptoms you describe, I would say more than 80% that your fuel is gelling.

Not to beat a dead horse, but -10f will gel fuel, I have seen it. Especiallly if it is poor quality (not your fault). Always check the pump, and make sure your 'additives' are at or even a little bit above where they should be. I use Stanadyne. Try a few and see what works best for your rig.

89dieselkong

I have let it sit for days not being plugged in throughout the winter with the temps in the single digits, and have never had a problem. I also run the white Power Service with every tank. You could have summer fuel, but the power service should aleviate that. Maybe your getting air into your fuel lines somehow, and when the fuel is "thicker" due to it being cold, it makes it harder to start. I had a similiar problem with my 1st gen and the fuel lines had a crack in them and I was sucking air. When it was warm it ran fine, but cold weather starting was tough unless plugged in. Just a thought...

89dieselkong

Also, you should have the high-idle feature in your truck, if not go to the factory and get it flashed. When it is that cold my truck has the high-idle as well as the cylinder deactiviation ot help get things going.