Gelled up/waxed every time!
 

Anyone else have issues with their truck gelling up at zero or negative temperatures. Seems like a really obvious question, but I'm frustrated.

This has happened for the last three or four years.

I live in Kansas. Fuel place uses blended fuel. I add white Power Service, double strength when below zero. New fuel filter before winter. Lift pump will carry 10-12 psi driving on a warm day.


I can almost predict when it is going to do it. Anything below zero. This past weekend was -10*F overnight. I added 32 oz of Red Power Service and let it idle until I got pressure back. Started OK, then went to zero pressure while running.

Come on, it cannot be that easy to gel it up. What do you guys do that live where it gets seriously cold?

Never had issues down to -8F but I add the red power service before temps drop, not after .

Not sure white bottle is anti-gel...

White bottle is for cold weather and is supposed to prevent gelling. I have been using it for the past few years with no problems or need for the 911 red bottle, temps down to -20f. I run it about 1.5-2 times the ratio in the directions.


Others swear by Howes, you may want to try it out.

FWIW at work our trucks (11-13 6.7 Powerstroke) are parked overnight in a non-heated but warmer than outside garage. Last week about 14 trucks went out and then gelled up after sitting on the job site. 6 needed tows. My 06 at home had a little hard time starting, filled up and dosed with PS and started next morning after -6f no problem.

-33F here this morning my '95 started but quickly showed signs of struggling for fuel so I shut it off and will try it again tomorrow as it is supposed to be a high of 15F.

Well something your doing is causing your truck to gel if others with diesels are not having the same trouble. Fuel additives do not work if the fuel is anywhere near it's cloud point, straight number 2 diesel starts to wax somewhere around 20 degrees. Most fuel stations already have some type of additive package in their fuel. Some additives don't work well with other additives which is one possibly scenario.

What in your trucks fuel system has been changed from oem? Do have a cold front to use in your grill? It's been about 25 below zero here for almost 2 weeks I luckily haven't had any issues with waxing yet.

I use stanadyne's fuel additives for several reasons, one being its the only one made by a fuel injection manufacturer. I am sure all the common brands are a good products but I just won't use them after using stanadyne brand products. The red bottle your referring to I beleive is the rescue 911 product correct? If so I wouldn't use it in anything I own as it may unthaw your fuel it's also not providing much in the way of lubricity for your fuel system.

I would find a mason jar with a lid and fill it half full of the diesel fuel your putting in your truck. Leave it outside in the cold and check it when the temp start to drop below 20. When fuel starts to wax it's readily apprent in your glass jar.

The only time I ever had problems with gelling was when I filled up my truck and then had to go out of town for a couple weeks in late fall. When I got back, temps were low and I had a tank full of pure unblended #2.

The red Power Service stuff won't actually prevent gelling, believe it or not. It will thaw out a gelled filter well enough though. As was already mentioned, (and you probably already know since you use it) the white bottle is their anti gel additive. The silver bottle is intended for improving cetane and lubricity additive.

Generally the first thing to gel up is the filter because of the large amount of surface area in contact with the fuel. From your truck info I'm guessing that you have a stock fuel filter. Since that's inside the engine compartment, it may help to regularly plug in at nights when temps go below 20, if you're not already doing that. Residual heat (especially if you have a good winter front and the stock hood blanket to help hold that heat in some) should help keep the filter housing a little warmer.

All that said, definitely do what Deere Country suggests with leaving a jar of fuel outside over night to see if it gells up. If it does, then the fuel station you're using is either completely ignorant, or lying to you about their fuel being properly blended for the temperature. Regardless, you might try filling up somewhere else for a little while to see if it still gells on you.

Good luck!

Thanks for the replies, many of the same thoughts I had.

I did put fuel in the freezer a few years back when I first had trouble. Sure enough, it was #2 with additive. Kinda cool to watch it cloud and then wax out. I change suppliers at that time and no issues. I just checked with the current supplier and they quit using Winter Blend and just went to #2 with additive.


Only change from stock is a replacement lift pump (stock style) It carries good pressure (best it can do as stock style), but I wonder if it cannot pump the thicker fuel and/or pressure it though a partially clogged filter. I can't justify throwing a new pump on it just to experiment, since it works OK other days.


I have not verified that the fuel heater is working.

I plug in when below 15*F. It always starts, just plugs the filter after running.

I tried the Howes three years ago and it was worse. I went back to Power Service white. Injection shop sells the Stanadyne, maybe need to try that.

I use the Amsoil Cold flow.
I don't get below zero often but over the holidays it sat for a week where it never drove , wasn't plugged in and never got above 20. No problem on start up besides a little belching of white smoke and it loped until it warmed up.
I did chuck a bottle of treated fuel in my deep freeze (-10f) and it never clouded.
Maybe either you got bad fuel or a bad bottle of additive.

I have access to #2 diesel year round. I start mixing my fuel in September to make sue it never jells. The only time I had a problem is when the truck sat into winter with only #1 in it. Un jelling took time. Add #2 to the tank and let set for a few days. Replace the fuel in the filter with #2. Repeat the filter until it keeps running. It never gets cold in Alaska.