A buddy's PSD is gelled up good, I told him to put some Power Service "Diesel 911" in the tank, he wanted to know how long it will take til he's ungelled. I don't know, I have never gelled up. How long w/ the 911 and if you don't have the stuff, how long would it take to ungel providing the temps got up around 30 degrees?-Steve
PS-it's warming up here now, -8 currently, from -24 yesterday morning. also, he had no additive in the tank. Just diesel #2

 

The "911" is okay but doesn't help much that I've ever experienced as jelling occurs not just in the tank but in the line, the fuel filter, etc. The stuff isn't like Drano so the question is how it is going to get throughout the system?

My experience has always been to drag it into a warm garage and let it sit for several hours, preferably overnight. Change the fuel filter and usually they'll start after a bit of cranking. That's assuming he's just got a small amount of water/diesel that's gelled in the system.

Hopefully he didn't get a massave slug of water in his tank when he was fueling or in my instance back in 1987 when the neighbor kid (6 years old) was shoving snow down my fuel filler neck. Said he was helping me to get a full tank...thankfully his dad helped me pull and drain the tank, and then bought me lunch. Then I got a locking fuel cap....

Leaving it outside will only prolong your pain and the 911 won't help him until spring....

 

If you can't bring the truck inside, do the filter change but fill the filter with Power Service or Stanadyne or whatever anti gelling diesel conditioner you have handy. This will allow the truck to fire right up and get the fuel in the tank circulating to make the 911 work.

 

helping you have a full tank ...bwaaaaahhhaa

 

Steve-
Aren't you at Malmstrom?
If so, I think there are a bizillion empty hangars there. I'd pull it inside and let it warm up. Then run it down to Kernaghans and throw some #1 in it.

 

I told him to put the 911 in cause it will start, but it sputters and dies pretty quick. Figured if he got it running for even a few seconds it might draw the 911 into the filter. scottrod- Thats not a bad idea, I wonder if he is humbled enough to let the Cummins tow him on base - He has had the truck for a couple years, I remember last winter him telling me anti-gel was a rip-off and he had never had a problem! Well, last winter was pretty mild for Montana, but he got a rude awakening this time! And to think before I bought the Cummins I thought he was a pretty knowledgeable diesel guy! Thank god I met you guys! Heck, I'd probably be gelled up now too, or even worse, be driving a PSD! God, it would have been a 6.0l, too! I gotta go hug my truck now! -Steve

 

Around here we have the winter fuel now. Does anyone know if the winter fuel gels too and if so at what temp?

 

Old story here, bin there once to often. Fuel companys take there time to start using winter fuel . Only way to fix dump in 5gal kerosene and find a warm shop, yes put in new fuel filter. Most likely there will be frozen water in it.

 

Winter fuel is usually a localized mix depending on anticipated low temps for the area so there is really no set gel point temp. A 50/50 #1-2 blend is good down to minus 30°F. I'll bet Seattle area blend isn't 50/50 because it rarely gets that cold there. Straight #2 doesn't start gelling till below +10°.
I quit using winter blend about 10 years ago and use straight #2 with additive for the winter. Never had a problem even with -26° in Montana yesterday.

Best bet when it gels is to bring it into a warm garage, I've never even changed the filter and they fire right up. Towed a buddy's gelled PSD into the shop at 4 pm yesterday, he drove it away at 8 pm. Along with thawing out all we did is add regular Power Service.

 

Lol good thing you said his truck is a couple of years old. If it was a 6.0 I would say change the software to get it to go...
Warm shop or heater under it and tarp the truck works best. I had to get a shovel running one time and that is what we did.

 

I agree. If you don't have access to warm garage or can't wait till it thaws out, even with juice added. I would find a Salamander heater and place it under the truck. My 110,000 btu does a fine job in drying everything out from underneath pretty quick, maybe 1 hour for the total truck. Fits perfect without being too close to anything that could cause fires. Gets sloppy under there while slush falls down but does it quickly. Still change filter and throw 911 or whatever in the new filter. May spit and spat a little but should keep running after a couple of tries.... hopefully.

Good luck to him.

 

I was at the FJ in Tacoma last week, so I asked if they were using winter blends yet. I got a confused look and a stare, so I assumed the answer was No!

We use Howe's instead of PowerService, because it doesn't look red in the filter. I've had several mechanics look at me strangely when I say it's just Power Service! Yeah, right they said. Too much of that stuff will clog your filter.

 

He finally got it running last night. I gave him enough crap about it yesterday so I went easy on him today, but another guy at work w/ a 6.5 Chebby rubbed it in all day about how he forgot to plug in a couple days ago @ -20 and HIS rig still started! -Steve

 

Most of the counter jockeys have no clue as to what Diesel even is, let alone winter blends, cetane levels or even the difference between #1 and #2, or the fact that it even has a number.


phox

 

I didn't ask the counter girls. I asked the delivery drivers.