cold temp and gelling

[cojhl2]

It is the distributor that adds the lubricity additive before getting sent out to the various filling stations

mhenon I did not realize anyone added what we call an additive. PS etc. .



But is that just for lubrication? If they are adding what we would out here in the user community like PS then they are adding an anti gel of some sorts also?



Thank you for the information.



As always if you stick with these threads there is always something to learn.

 

[CRuth]

My question would be how long does it take for nice warm fuel to gel? Here in Sacramento its rare to even +32 let alone anything really cold. If I go up to Tahoe for weekend should I be worried?

 

[rperker]

I am performing a jell test. I put Cenex #2 15 ppm in quart jars and set them outside to see when they jell

100% #2 about -6 F cloudy

75% #2 25% #1 -21 a little cloudy

powerservice summer rate looks like 100% #2

powerservice winter rate maby alittle better at -5f

Howes summer rate looks clear however wax settles to the bottom at -21f

Howes winter rate a little cloudy at -21f

one must realize that if you keep your pu plugged in and when you start your pu let it idle till it warms up fuel will not jell alot colder than fuel in a jar.

 

[EKlem]

Fuel doesn't take that long to gel. If you drive over a cold pass, it won't gel on you but if you stay in a cold area it will. Remember that it doesn't take very long to cool down your fuel lines and once they gel, the truck is dead. If you do gel up ever, it can take a long time for the fuel to become liquid again even after it gets warm.



If you are taking a weekend trip to Tahoe, I would try to plan it so that you arrive there with about 1/4-1/3 tank of fuel and fill up with the local stuff(it is usually properly blended). Then it still wouldn't be a bad idea to add a little additive.

 

[rperker]

EKLEM

The jelling that everyone is talking about is the wax chrystals in the fuel and where you have trouble is in any filter or screen. It only requires bringing the fuel temp back above the jel point. The jel point with ulsd #2 as refined at the Cenex Refinery is about -5f. Cenex does offer #2 Roadmaster (in some locations) this has additives that lubes better, cleans injectors, and jels at a mutch lower temp. I live in North Dakota and I have used 100% #2 down to -15f with no jel problems. Colder than -15f I added 5gal. #1 per tank. I've been driving diesels since 1985 and this has worked for me.

If the pump reads #2 thats what your getting. If the pump reads Premium you are getting additives.

 

[EKlem]

EKLEM

The jelling that everyone is talking about is the wax chrystals in the fuel and where you have trouble is in any filter or screen. It only requires bringing the fuel temp back above the jel point. The jel point with ulsd #2 as refined at the Cenex Refinery is about -5f. Cenex does offer #2 Roadmaster (in some locations) this has additives that lubes better, cleans injectors, and jels at a mutch lower temp. I live in North Dakota and I have used 100% #2 down to -15f with no jel problems. Colder than -15f I added 5gal. #1 per tank. I've been driving diesels since 1985 and this has worked for me.

If the pump reads #2 thats what your getting. If the pump reads Premium you are getting additives.

I understand that where things plug up is in the filter. My point was that while it may take the fuel in the tank a while to cool off enough to gel, the fuel in the lines directly before your fuel filter doesn't take very long to cool down. I know of several instances of people going and shutting down a piece of diesel machinery that does not have a heated fuel filter for only a few minutes and then not being able to get it to run again. Often, they could start it but once the fuel in the filter was used up, the gelled fuel from the lines plugged the filter. The fuel in the tank was still plenty warm because of the hot fuel that had been coming back to it through the return line while the engine had been running. The problem was that the wax crystals had formed in the lines and they were sucked into the filter.



I believe that the way fuel pumps are labeled must vary depending on where you are. Around here, they are not labeled as #1 or #2, they are just labeled diesel. After some research, I have found that in the previous winters(I do not know about the new ulsd) that they all had blends of either 50/50 kero and #2 or 40/60 kero and #2.



I had my old truck gel up twice because I got fuel in mass and came to new hampshire. This is why I suggest getting fuel in the coldest place you are going because it is mixed for that area.