Froze solid it was 6 above zero

[MOConnor]

Ok I just got my truck thawed out after 8hrs in heated shed. Cost me 200. 00 bucks to get it towed to the shed from the city about 50 miles. I put STP Diesel waxing and geling stuff after it would not start. then had it towed home,it now runs fine. What kind of additive should I use the next time I fill my truck up..... Thanks from the frozen north east... ... ... ... ... ... Mike

 

[MMiller]

Howe's Lubricant. It comes in a clear bottle and the liquid is a yellow color. That is my first suggestion. Power Service would be a close second.



We(my dad, brother, and I)have been using howes for several years now with good success. There was a couple times we had tractors gelled up with straight #2,added howes and 1/2 later started the tractor and ran. We also however when it gets cold mix in some #1 diesel too, when we can get it. Some of the stations around here supply fuel to the school buses, firetrucks, ambulances, they mix #1 in so they have no gelling problem. Milage suffers BUT the truck runs and gets you to where you are going. $200 will go along ways to keep the truck running, instead of towing.



Be prepared for lots of opinions!



Michael

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I would think just the winterized fuel from the pump should not gel @ 6°?



The 3rd Generation trucks should still have a fuel pre-heater before the filter?

 

[lmills]

I know how you feel. I was getting a little worried yesterday when I woke up and it was 3* outside. I will definitely be putting some additive in tomorrow when I fill it up

 

[CFowler]

MOConnor,where you been getting your fuel? i luckily havent had that happen. did you find any water in your filter?do you have your grill blocked off?what about the block heater,were you pluged in?

 

[JakeGMCHD]

MOConnor

If you ever have this happen again here is a tip. Buy a quart of Power Service 911. Pour some in a new fuel filter and the rest in the tank. This always works on Semis. It's a lot cheaper than getting towed. You can always store a quart of this in the truck for yourself or a friend.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

In Michigan I haven't had a problem with fuel gelling in temperatures down to -15 with the winterized fuel in the stations around here. There are some stations in the winter that pump straight #2 - if they do they always have a sign stating that it is straight #2. The only thing I can think of is that you either fueled up from a straight #2 pump, went to a station that doesn't sell much fuel so hasn't had much winterized fuel delivered, or had water in the fuel and the water froze. 6 above should be no problem running winterized fuel.

 

[coobie]

To prevent gelling !!!

Here in michigan I use stanadyne performance formula,with good results. coobie

 

[KKlepfer]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Stanadyne Fuel Additive. Here is the link:



http://www.stanadyne.com/dsg/dsg_dfa.asp



When I asked for an additive Stanadyne was recommended 90% of the time. I couldn't believe the following this company has so I bought it based on testimonials and I haven't had any problems. My concern is lubricity, but you might be more interested in the Winter 1000 formulation. The Performance formula would work too.

 

[Hunter1]

Winterized fuel from the pump should never gel at 6F, something else is wrong with this picture

 

[GBrzezinski]

I had gel problem at -30 last winter, started using stanadyne performance blend. No problems since. Even get better milage. My truck sits out, but is plugged in. Notice CTD doesn't have insulation under hood like PSD had. Sure has more POWER! Cold in N. Y.

 

[Ncostello]

This may sound goofy... but I have a Mason jar of diesel in the garage on the floor by the garage door. The garage is detached and not insulated so it basically gets as cold in there as it does outside. Just no wind.



I didn't add any additives to this fuel. I did this so I could get an idea of what straight diesel does when it gets cold. I figured it may look like 5W-30 on a hot summer day but it dont. It splashes around fine. I dont know if its winter blend or not as I did this back in October sometime. Its been down to 3 thus far.



I use Stanadyne PF anyway so I'm not worried. I figured I could look at the jar on super cold mornings and predict any problems if they happened to come up.

 

[kstehnacs]

fuel gelling

Just throwing some info out here. Shell makes an all season diesel fuel additive under their rotella line , and mopar sells a diesel fuel conditioner as well. It's listed in thier chemicals catalog.

 

[mbaston]

#2 fuel should be fine down to -15. After that, mixed or #1. I prefer #2 when I can get it and I just add either Power Service or Stanadyne and never had a problem to -30. Most of the winter, however, I run #1 due to that being all that is available.

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by Ncostello

This may sound goofy... but I have a Mason jar of diesel in the garage on the floor by the garage door. The garage is detached and not insulated so it basically gets as cold in there as it does outside. Just no wind.



I didn't add any additives to this fuel. I did this so I could get an idea of what straight diesel does when it gets cold. I figured it may look like 5W-30 on a hot summer day but it dont. It splashes around fine. I dont know if its winter blend or not as I did this back in October sometime. Its been down to 3 thus far.



I use Stanadyne PF anyway so I'm not worried. I figured I could look at the jar on super cold mornings and predict any problems if they happened to come up.

Excellent idea.

 

[GGades]

Howe's in the winter. Run a tank of stanadyne every few fills in the summer.

 

[JD SLVR 03]

Originally posted by Hunter1

Winterized fuel from the pump should never gel at 6F, something else is wrong with this picture

I agree w/ Hunter1 here. I had mine as cold as -8 without pluging it in or using an additive without any geling problems. Maybe something was wrong with the fuel. I might not get fuel from that station anymore if I were you.



Its odd how stuff works huh... everyone else seems to be fine to atleast -15 and your having trouble at 6 above 0! Ahh the world we live in isn't it great!



JD

 

[jelag]

I had a long talk with our fuel supply company last week... . thought you might like the answers he gave me...



First and formost, don't listen to the guy at the pump or who takes your money... or whats on the pump... ... it's always wrong...



# 2 Diesel Fuel comes off the pipe line in all areas of the country as a base product and will function down to about +5 before it starts to give you problems... .



Each local distributor will blend the fuel to take it to a lower temperature before it will give you problems. . and most local guys will blend their fuel with #1 Diesel as it works and functions the best with out reacting to other products you might put in your tank or whats in the fuel to begin with...



Because this is expensive our local company starts to blend down the temperature when they get weather reports that the cold weather will get to zero... or below... . They only blend what they are delivering, and won't treat fuel that's in the stations tanks. .



So if its going to -10 they will protect to like -15 was the answer he gave me... . but... the fuel in the ground at the station is only good to +5 so you must average the fuel in the ground with the fuel in the tanker... . maybe it will only be good to like -5... see his point.....



Also... if your out of the cold snap area... lets say 200 miles away its only going to get to 20 degrees. . than that local guy is not doing a thing to his product... ... so if you get fuel from a warm location and drive to a cold location your going to be in trouble...



As soon as the temperature starts to let up... they start to blend back to a standard +5.



He suggest that you carry a container of chemical that will help... and he suggests that you blend your fuel as you fill your tank... he also said that too much of the stuff can work like too much antifreeze. . won't work... .



He also suggests that you understand how to open your fuel filter to add additive if necessary and your truck starts to gel... .



His last comment was a problem they were having with their delivery trucks... some water in the water trap of the filter was freezing... . and stoping the fuel flow... . and this can be a big problem for some folks... .



I personally have a 100 gal tank in the back of the truck... I add a quart of additive whenever the temp will dip to below +15 or I'm heading to that area..... If I have no protection... . and I'm carring a good amount of fuel... I'll add some additive and go.....



Hope this helps... .



Jim

 

[JPitha]

Yep, I Froze too !!

Was 0 deg when I got home friday night. As I parked the fuel light came on... . should have got it filled, but did not. Saturday morning left at 5:30 am to go goose hunting. Truck acted like it was starving for fuel for 10 mins, but was ok after that. Parked in in an old grain bin, out of the sun and into the wind. Hunted all day. When I went to start it at 5:30pm, it ran for about 5 seconds then quit. would not start again. Pulled fuel filter; was waxed up pretty good. put in a new one and added 5 gals of fuel with power service mixed in from a friend. No good. Finally had it towed home. Sunday, I tarped the truck really good, stuffed a 110,000 btu space heater under the rear and 3 hours later got her started. I think I will use the power service for the rest of the winter. Another cold snap is headed our way this week, and I ain't getting stuck like that again.

 

[barbwire]

Minus 15???????????

Originally posted by mbaston

#2 fuel should be fine down to -15. After that, mixed or #1. I prefer #2 when I can get it and I just add either Power Service or Stanadyne and never had a problem to -30. Most of the winter, however, I run #1 due to that being all that is available.

I do not want to be argumentative, but, # 2 would not be fine to minus 15, unless there is an additive in it. Like power service or stanadyne, or like product. At least I would not risk it myself. Sorry! I do however believe that you can run a 50/50 blend and get by at -15. JMO