Fuel gelling problem

[ggorney]

Today truck started and ran about 1/2 mile then stalled. Restarted then ran for a bit then stalled. Was adding Howes diesel treat 16 ounces to 1 tank full. Had 3/4 tank. Called wife and asked her to bring some Howes withher. (I always keep some in the garage. Poured about 12 more ounces in tank. Eventually truck ran without stalling. Temp was about 6 degrees at the time and truck was not plugged in. Sat outside all day.

The questions:

1. Is 16 ounces per tankfull enough?

2. Should I increase the dosage?

3. Does the additional treat added today harm the engine?

4. Is Howes a good product to use?

Thanks ahead of time for your respones.





04. 5 2500 4x4 Regular cab SLT auto 3. 73 27000 miles (still stock lift pump)

 

[Dieselnerd]

I've used Howes many times in hunting camp parked outside in zero or below temps for several days. It's good stuff and you need to use enough to keep the fuel flowing. How much depends on how cold it is. It won't harm the engine if you use double or triple doses. It's a popular additive in Minnesota and all the truck stops have cases of it for sale during the cold months.

 

[Diesel Power]

might be the heater on the filter houseing?

 

[Doughboy21kd]

when does the heater on the filter housing come on? Are you talking about the fuel filter in the canister on the driver side of the motor?

 

[oilburner]

The fuel heater is used to prevent diesel fuel from waxing during cold weather operation.

When the temperature is below 45 ±8 degrees F, the temperature sensor allows current to flow to the heater element warming the fuel.

When the temperature is above 75 ±8 degrees F, the sensor stops current flow to the heater element.



Battery voltage to operate the fuel heater element is supplied from the ignition switch and through the fuel heater relay. The fuel heater element and fuel heater relay are not computer controlled.

The heater element operates on 12 volts, 300 watts at 0 degrees F.

The heater element surrounds the top of the filter element inside the canister.



The thermostat and power supply input are mounted outside at the front of the canister at the top above the fuel drain.

 

[todt061458]

Simple rule you can not over treat your fuel but you can under treat it!

Always kep a spare fuel filter with you and the tools to change it.

Hell I always dump the whole bottle in the tank in winter and half a bottle in summer. Now we are talking about the small bottle.

Power serve also has a product called 911 that will put the wax back into solution if it too cold.

It's a lot cheaper than a tow.

-10 yesterday no problems. Good luck from a old trucker.

 

[broeser340]

ggorney,



I did not have any poblems on the 18th when I started mine. I think my overhead was reading 5F and I didnt have the block heater plugged in. I was not planning on driving it that day until some unexpected plans came up. Key was cycled twice to cycle the heaters one additional time before startup. It did idle rough like it was running on 3 or 4 cyls. at about 1000 rpm. Didnt want to idle down to 750. A little blue/white smoke but that cleared w/i 5-10 seconds. Within 30 sec. all was well. It only had about 1/4 tank of fuel, but I have been running 16 oz. power service per tank of fuel. I am unsure of Howe's recommendations for dosage but that does not seem out of line. I had it plugged in overnight 18th-19th in anticipation of our cold spell. Fired and idled like a champ this morning.



Oh yeah, I carry a bottle of Power Service 911 in my tool box "just in case".

 

[Smokey 01]

I had a third of a bottle of power service in mine and after a day and night where the high was only -5 and the low was -20 my fuel pressure was not what it should be so I added some 911 and all is well.

 

[RVTRKN]

My brother says that he wont buy a diesel due to cold gell. We were just talking about this the other day due to his first dodge HEMI having a problem in the electrical circuits, he has had weird problems since he bought the truck used at 20K. I tried to convince him to sell it and buy a diesel since he liked mine but quoted several buddies of fuel gel problems. I live in so cal so I was not aware of this condition and I drive to cold country to ski and will follow advise learned from here.

 

[MAV1]

Check out the additive test results on Stanadyne's website. Tests were done by an independant lab. Been using the Performance Formula since I bought my truck in November 1999. Has started at 25 below on straight #2. I also believe that the lubricant in the Stanadyne has contributed to 140,000 mile on my vp44. Despite 4 failed lift pumps.

 

[HCR552]

Hard starting Heater sensor overide

Help. I have a hard starter. 03 2500 4X4 It only seems to be hard starting belo2 45 deg. I think it is the fuel heater sensor on the filter housing. I was wondering if I coule override the sensor by jumping around the round sensor and have the heater element on every time aI start. What do you think about that? :--)

 

[jelag]

1 - modern diesel fuel doesn't think about gelling until it gets below 0... . including the new ULSD thats in the tanks now... at 5 or 8 degrees you should have been fine. .



2 - remember that fuel in the tanks is usually not treated until a cold snap..... so start to treat the day before when you see the weather report the cold weather coming in..... and it might take a week for blended fuel to reach the pumps where you get fuel... they DO NOT come back and treat whats in the tanks in the station, just whats on the tanker... ... so if whats on the tanker is good to -20 and whats in the ground is good to 0 and its a 50/50 mix its still only good to -10...



3 - the hard start issue below 45..... I'd look at your grid heater as the problem not the fuel heater... . the fuel heater like mentioned above doesn't really come on until the computer sees below 30* between 30* and 45* its up to the grid heater to warm the air to get the truck started..... also understand that low compression engine will be hard to start when cold... .



Hope this helps...