We received a notice from Flint Hills Resources about a problem with their Arctic Gold® winter diesel and bio-diesel. Arctic Gold is #2 diesel normally good for -30°, but with bio added the problems hit before 0°. Flint Hills pulled Arctic Gold from the Minnesota market, but continues to supply to other areas.

Retailers as Mills Fleet Farm clearly label their pumps as Arctic Gold. Most places do not. Be sure to know your fuel source, If you travel in and out of Minnesota take care to avoid blending bio bearing fuels with Arctic Gold.

 

I would say avoid blended fuel in MN period at this point.

The arctic diesel I "had" been using form Murphy's oil (wally world) started giving me fits last week. I am on my 3rd fuel filter in 6 days.

First filter was the classic bright yellow and turpentine smell. Second (only 2 days old) still yellow and not as bad. We'll see how the 3rd one holds up after having straight #1 mixed in.

I am back to blending my own fuel now. To bad....I liked that stuff.....

 

IIRC in MN the state law is that all diesel sold in the state has to have a min. of 2% Bio. You say they pulled it, so do they only sell normal diesel and if so how did they get around the law? I do recall the whole state had this problem when they first went to Bio so I'm surprised to see it show up again. I would think all they need to do is add anti gel to the fuel or did they change how they make Bio again.

 

Flint Hills only pulled Arctic Gold from Minnesota markets due to the bio issue. They are furnishing conventional diesel fuels to MN markets and yes, the 2% bio is part of that.

There has been a lot of other gel issues in the past week. It appears most of it is blend related. Retailers were running a pretty light #1 mix due to the very mild winter temps.

Arctic Gold is still sold outside of Minnesota and without bio it is the best winter fuel I've used in my truck. If I could get Arctic Gold from ND for everyfill that would be my choice for the balance of winter. Because I travel mostly in MN, I decided to blend a heavy ratio of #1 and good shot of anti-gel to get through this problem. I'm hearing the additives guys are working hard to find a winter agent for bio.

 

just add howes and dont worry i run #2 and that down to -20* F and have never had my tuck gel yet and i dont ever plug it in unless its going to sit for two or more days without being started

 

And we're bumming because it's freezing out!

 

Your temps are only light weight long sleev shirt weather Up in N. IA we had -16 below zero with wind chill of -40. I do feel luck this winter as last year we were at -27 below zero and that did not count the wind chill from 25-30 mph wind

 

I lived in New England for 20 years... still don't know how I survived the winters!

Guess I just didn't know no better

 

Tropical Iowa. Your lows were our highs

 

LOL

There's always someone who has it worse, and another who has it better!

 

Ive always had good luck with the howes. I mix it in every tank full and only run straight #2. The other morning i went out and she started right up and the thermometer read a balmy -18*F. Just gettin nice out i say!!!

 

Where do you buy straight #2 diesel fuel this time of the year as they start to mix & sell mixed #1 & #2 no later then Nov 1? Now if you have a storage tank (weather it be underground or above) I would think that it’s already mixed with anti-gel for you to be able to fill your tank at -18 below zero. I would think the fuel would gel in the pump if it has not either been mixed with #1 or been treated with anti-gel at -18 below zero. IIRC straight #2 ULSD will start to cloud up at around 22 above and gel shortly there after at around 19-20 degrees above zero.