04.5 Froze

[CWheeler]

How odd!! Monday morning it was approx. 0 degrees, drove the truck for about 2. 5 hours and all of sudden she shut down. The night before I had put about 1/2 bottle of Power Service treatment in and filled up. Well, had to have it towed to a garage where I could let it thaw out. Pulled the fuel filter and it was waxed over. Just wondering how effective Power Service Products really are?!?

 

[CLAYTON]

I guess not effective enough

 

[dave176]

Garbage..... use Howes

 

[RPolidora]

Which power service? The white bottle has the anti-gel and the silver does not.



So what experience/actual results do you have that makes power service garbage dave?

just curious because I only use power service and have noticed good results but I am willing to try others.

thanks

 

[Big MAK]

I think power service is the 'low' end of the spectrum for additives; but effective -- IF -- you use blended fuel plus some power service. I've been running power service for years w/o a problem; but I also make sure my fuel is blended if the temp drops below about 20 degrees. Hopefully I won't get froze up; but hasn't happened yet.

 

[DCaswell]

I use HOWES up here in the great white north 12 months of the year, never had a problem with fuel. However I think we get fuel up here with alot more anti-coagulant in it

 

[jelag]

I see another issue... . Someone correct me but I thought that the fuel filter assembly had a fuel heating element in the housing, and I'm surprised that after 2 hours of running your having this problem...



Jim

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

She??? ya shoulda bought a Ram not that ewe

In most parts of the country, the fuel is already treated with anti-gel during the winter.

 

[JLovas]

I too am surprised that the filter gelled up on you. I'm still running straight #2 with fleetguard diesel fuel additive (has anti gel in it) up here in ND (I hate no #1/blended fuel), and the HIGH is suppose to be -6 today. No problems here.



This brings up a good question. Has anyone else ever had their pickup gel up on them, and if so where was the problem... did the filter wax over, or was the fuel line coming from the tank gelled up to the point where the lift pump couldn't pull fuel anymore. It would seem to me that if you can get fuel to the lift pump, the fuel heater should keep the filter from waxing over. Any thoughts?

 

[CWheeler]

The Power Service was in the white bottle, supposedly containing the anti-gel!!??! I would have thought the fuel would have been blended as well, as it came from a reputable truck-stop. Even if the fuel wasn't blended, I would think that 1/2 of a bottle of fuel treatment would have prevented that problem. Guess not!!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"I would think that 1/2 of a bottle of fuel treatment would have prevented that problem. "



Are you talking about a GALLON jug, or one of the quart bottles? 2 quarts in a 32 gallon tank seems a pretty small percentage - half a QUART is way too little...

 

[BHolm]

I think it has been posted elsewhere on the forum that PS is 75% diesel fuel. In that case it might take a lot of additive to make a difference!



I could be wrong but I think that the fuel heater operates when the block heater is plugged in, not necessarily when the truck is running. If that is the case it would explain it running initially then gelling up.

 

[HDerrick]

Did you have your fuel filter replaced recently? If not, that could be the problem. I've never had a problem using the white PS conditioner when filling my pickup up with number 2. I always put in 8 oz to 10 oz of ps before filling up with #2 fuel. Never had a problem here in ND.

 

[E7mack96]

The big power service jug is 96 oz. and for treating 300 gallons of fuel. the quart bottle is for 100 gallons. roughly 11 oz for 34 gallons.



Did you put it in first then fuel up, or did you dump it in on top of the fuel?

 

[CWheeler]

Yep, fuel filter only had about 3500 miles on it. I also put 1/2 the bottle of PS in the tank before I filled up, not to mention I drove another 60 miles before getting home the night before it gelled. Oh well, lessen learned. No more PS for me.

 

[mbadger]

I have used Power Service for 8 years as low as -25 degrees (not chill factor) in Northern Montana on a trip at Christmas and didn't have a problem. (I was concerned though) I did have my 96 shut down because of waxing when I didn't put enough in the fuel tank. There probably are serveral kinds that work. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.



Mike

 

[bmoeller]

I could be wrong but I think that the fuel heater operates when the block heater is plugged in, not necessarily when the truck is running.

The fuel heater is controlled by the PCM. It is not on when the block heater is plugged in.



I haven't had a problem with gelling, on the Ram. I did on my Ford when the wire for the fuel heater got pinched off. Got that fixed, and no more problems with that.



I use Howes or Lucas fuel additive. Last winter I mostly used the Lucas and it wasn't even the stuff with the anti-gel additives. Never had a problem.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Merry Christmas Everybody

Just because the fuel came from a "reputable truck stop" DOES NOT mean that it's blended. It most likely means the exact opposite. Here in MN I know of exactly ZERO truck stops that sell blended fuel. Guys running big-rigs don't want to loose power and mileage to #1 so they have pumps with #1 available for you to mix your own. The smaller gas stations that have diesel as well, sell either mixed or anti-gelled fuel. Unless it says it on the pump, I wouldn't assume that the fuel is mixed. I prefer to run #2 a much as possible and only add #1 when it gets really cold (-5 or colder).



As for the Power Service being garbage, I've never had any problems with fuel gelling whatsoever. As long as the fuel isn't gelled when the additive is put in, they all seem to work fine. The fuel you're buying is a bigger factor than the additive you're putting in it IMO.

 

[realsquash]

Maybe it was just a batch of scuzzed up fuel? How can you tell if it's blended or not? I buy my fuel at the same station every time but they aren't a truck stop.



Andy

 

[NIsaacs]

I find it odd after, 2. 5 hrs of run time you would have a gel problem. With under hood temps and the fuel returned to the tank. Usually a gel problem will occur within minutes of start up. That the truck stalled I have no doubt, but that it gelled



"NICK"