2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission air dog in cold weather

[telliott]

it has been cold here recently, 20 below last night, about 5 below all day and -40 windchills. coming home tonight, i had no fuel pressure but everything ran fine.



could the airdog be working incorrectly in the cold, or am i just about to gel? i opened the water drain on the airdog filter and fuel drained out so i dont think it should be gelled yet.

Any thoughts?

 

[AWeiman]

i am assuming you have a duel filter setup, if so probably gelling. i have the same issues with my fass 95. i can still get fuel to drain out of the first filter when the second filter is gelled up. i normally have issues once a winter. air dog and fass both make powerful pumps but when its that cold its hard to get gelling fuel thru that fine of a filter. it is supposed to be -10 tommorow night. i changed my 3micron filter this afternoon and wrapped the filter tight with 2 diapers and some duck tape. hopefully that will help keep the fuel in the filter a little warmer.

 

[KCramer]

Been fighting the same today with the FASS factory replacement - after PS 911 and a new filter, I think it might be gel deposits in the intake screen in the pump. Does the AirDog also use a fine mesh screen upstream of the pump?

 

[telliott]

thats what i was afraid of.



no, there is no mesh screen upstream of the pump.



Thanks for the input

 

[DSeamans]

I haven't had that problem, and I've had -20 here in WI. I'm curious if the pump and lines are gelling or just the gauge? On a mechanical, it's a much smaller line and would freeze faster. Electronic, and the sensor could get cold enough that a little thicker fuel wouldn't read. I'm not an engineer, I'm just wondering if it's possible?



Dave

 

[jhoughton]

I had the same problem here once. It got near zero and thought that I had lost fuel pressure. Ended up being the diaphram in the fuel pressure issolator. The rubber got hard when cold and could not push the diaphram to indicate that I indeed did have fuel pressure. Just another place to look.

 

[JCyrbok]

never had that problem with my FASS in the last 7 years and we get COOOOOLLLLDDDDD here in Michigan. I always run Stanadyne Performance which has anti gell and cold flow improver in it. I also run a 3 micron filter year round.



could your water seperator have enough water in it to freeze?



J-

 

[telliott]

went to town today to get new filters. hard to find airdog filters in this area, and of course i'm not the only one with this problem right now. the only guy that carries them was sold out.



tried some of that diesel 911 stuff. Put it in both filters and the rest in the tank. Again, it will start and run, but i still have no fuel pressure, or atleast its not showing any on the guage.



the water seperator was not frozen, as it will drain freely when the petcock is opened.



It could be the guage not reading right (mechanical), but it does show some pressure (6-8 psi) when i bump the starter to run the pump. However, as soon as I start it, pressure drops to zero so I would think the guage is probably alright.



It is supposed to warm up a little tomorrow. will probably let it sit until then.

 

[telliott]

also, I dont even have an isolator anymore... . I know I know, bad idea but i seemed to have to many problems with it so i just eliminated it. i run direct pressure with a copper line to the guage. No problems with that in 2 years. I have a small valve on the line to shut it off should i spring a leak.

 

[AWeiman]

could possibly be a gauge issue. the couple experiences i have had with gelling, the truck did not exactly run great, cut out alot. however i simply tried draining my w/s once and when i bumped the starter i had good pressure. started it up and 0 psi again. truck will run with very little fuel pressure but usually doesnt run well. thats the only thing might make me suspect a gauge issue if the truck runs just like it always does, while showing 0psi.

 

[KCramer]

It warmed up enough today for me to get things started. My pressure guage is on the output port of the factory filter, and was reading ~9psi at idle - lower than the normal 12ish. Any throttle would start the needle downwards - I gingerly drove without load, and kept the RPM as low as possible - after a couple of miles, the pressure popped up to 15ish, and trottle would drop to 9. I'm guessing I had gel in the lines and the intake screen to the pump, and had not gotten 911 flowing through the lines. Things seem fine now.



I also called FASS today to see if there were other reports like this - no is the answer, but I learned that the filter screen has been replaced by an inline 20um fuel filter between the tank and pump.



Hope you have similar luck. Sposed to be warmer tomorrow... .

 

[jeepit]

Never had a problem with my AirDog and it has produced a solid 14 all the way down to -14.

Are you running any anti gel or fuel treatment before this happens?

 

[telliott]

unfourtunatly i was not running any fuel treatments or anti gel before this happened. Its already about 10 degrees this morning so hopefullly it will be fine today.

 

[Midnite]

You guys can thank the wonderful new ULSD fuel for this. ULSD #2 fuel starts to gel at a much higher temperature than the older fuel specs.

This really underscores the importance of having spare fuel filters on hand, as well as the 911 treatment, and regular antigel additive. It's also important to point out that the Power Service 911 stuff is only for melting a gelled filter. It will not prevent the fuel from gelling, and it says so on the bottle. There's no benefit from adding it to the tank except that you get to go buy more the next time you have a gelled filter. What you should be adding to the tank instead is straight kerosene or an antigel additive like the Power Service white bottle stuff.

I had to experience all this fun and excitement not long ago when I parked my truck for a month just before the local filling stations started ordering winter blend fuel, so I ended up going to start the truck in 10 - 15 deg. F temps with a tankload of straight #2 summer fuel.

 

[MAngelotti]

My Air Dog constantly gives me different pressures even in the summer. Right now it is in the 20's and I get 14psi at idle if I'm lucky and 11-12psi under way. Not How It was advertised. Although Until It drops below 10psi I'll deal with it.

 

[JCyrbok]

My Air Dog constantly gives me different pressures even in the summer. Right now it is in the 20's and I get 14psi at idle if I'm lucky and 11-12psi under way. Not How It was advertised. Although Until It drops below 10psi I'll deal with it.

does the air dog have a spring in the return line like the fass does? you could change to a different spring or stretch the stock one and it would likely mitigate the flucuations, atleast it did on my fass.



J-

 

[KBrennan]

I have had my Air Dog now for four years, 2 in WI and 2 in NM and have not had a problem. I don't have a pressuer gage but have the idiot light. It never goes on except for a split second when I first start. Come to think of it I think I should put in a new filter since this is the original.