Archived gelled fuel...

[Charb]

the temps here have gotten to -20 (well below normal) and i am thinking the fuel may have gelled in the lines... the heater is pluged in and i've since added an electic blanket to the top of the engine... can anyone give me an idea of what kind of problems im in for or what else i should be thinking of...

 

[Glen Pratt]

There is a product called Heet Diesel fuel additive that you add to your fuel when your fuel gells up. This should do the trick for you. -Glen

 

[CatManTom]

How can I tell if my lift pump is bad its 10 degrees out side ,or a bad case of gelled fuel. If I remove the fuel filter cap off and turn on the keywill fuel pump out the filter housing ?I got 26. 000 mikes on 03. I replaced the fuel filter and added additive too the filter and the tank and also put a salamander heater under the truckstill no luck

 

[smartineau]

At what temps does diesel begin to gel?



steve

 

[Alan Reagan]

How can I tell if my lift pump is bad its 10 degrees out side ,or a bad case of gelled fuel. If I remove the fuel filter cap off and turn on the keywill fuel pump out the filter housing ?I got 26. 000 mikes on 03. I replaced the fuel filter and added additive too the filter and the tank and also put a salamander heater under the truckstill no luck

You don't take the top off the housing. Just open the water drain on the side of the filter. If you turn the key on it will blow out the drain. It's better to have someone do the key for you. After you've seen the fuel blow out, you can close the drain at any time.

 

[Alan Reagan]

At what temps does diesel begin to gel?



steve

It can begin to cloud (form wax crystals) as high as 20*F. It can begin to gel at 15*F. Usually, it's closer to or below zero, depending on the blend and freshness of the fuel.



I've seen charts that indicate it is region specific. In other words, the gel point in the SE might be different than the NW. I think that has to do with fuel blending during the winter months. We don't really have winter blend much down here, so our gel point is higher.

 

[ak_fleming]

This is what I use (http://www.powerservice.com/diesel_911Winter_app.asp)

Believe me when I tell you that I have had my fill of experience with gelled fuel. I always have an extra fuel filter and a bottle of Diesel 911 with me.

I don't know what part of the country you are from so I can't tell what fuels may be available to you. if you are running # 2 you may want to run a tank of #1 until the temps get milder. if you have winterized # 2 you can just add some of the Diesel 911 to your tank. I use # 1 diesel exclusively in the winter and add a half quart of the 911 per tank. Temps can get down to -60 here and untreated fuel tends to become jello at those temps.

Let me know if I can be of any more help?

 

[CatManTom]

I am sitting in my home in lower New York Sate in the bizzard (but nothing like up in Alaska ) The truck will start and run If I if the fuel filter up the truck runs until the filter runs dry,I put a bottle of FPPF Melt down and total power into the tank I am going to let it set all nigth. http://www.fppf.com/

 

[CatManTom]

Will the fuel pump continue pumping fuel with the key on?When I open the water drain valve? Dose any on have any information on the fuel pump?

 

[Will24]

I work at a NAPA store, and today we moved 12 cases of quarts of the PowerService Diesel911, and another 8 cases of 96oz bottles! Everyone that buys it comes back for more to keep on hand, so it must work pretty well. I personally run the powerservice in the white bottle for anti-gel protection.



-Will

 

[Will24]

The pump will come on for a few seconds when you first turn the key, if you hit the starter real quick then let off, the pump will continue to run for 30 seconds.



-Will

 

[Jeff H]

Other tricks.

Use heated hair dryer. Blow over fuel filter to degell.

 

[dcamilleri]

If your fuel is gelled bad, it could have blocked the pickup screen in the tank. Adding additive after the fuel is gelled doesn't do a lot of good. Sometimes it will go straight to the bottom of the tank and sit there. Fuel needs to be added after the additive to mix it up. Power service 911 might be the ticket. If there is any water in the bottom of your fuel tank, it's not water any more, it's ice! You could try blowing compressed air from the inlet hose of the lift pump back to the tank, remove fuel cap first. Then cycle the lift pump several times and see if it will pump fuel. Hope this helps.

 

[Buzzer]

I am sitting in my home in lower New York Sate in the bizzard (but nothing like up in Alaska ) The truck will start and run If I if the fuel filter up the truck runs until the filter runs dry,I put a bottle of FPPF Melt down and total power into the tank I am going to let it set all nigth. http://www.fppf.com/

Sounds like you might have a heater problem or something else. The blended fuel in NY is good until roughly -15. If your having fuel related problems I don't think its gelled fuel.

 

[CatManTom]

Still no luck I am going to get a salamander heater and stick it behind the bed of the truck and trap the bed over . I think the fuel tank has water in it badly gelled fuel. Its starts and stall. The fuel heater is working in the filter housing it was warm too the touch when I changed the filter.

 

[Alan Reagan]

CatManTom, You need some of those things we use down here for keeping water pipe from freezing. It's electric heaters that wrap around the pipes and warm them.



Short of that, if you think you have that much water, you may have to disconnect a fuel line and let the line try to self syphon from the tank. But it sounds like you have ice on the intake screen. If you have access to a compressor, you could blow back through the line to try to clear the screen. As cold as it is up there, it's probably not worth the trouble right now.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Still no luck I am going to get a salamander heater and stick it behind the bed of the truck and trap the bed over . I think the fuel tank has water in it badly gelled fuel. Its starts and stall. The fuel heater is working in the filter housing it was warm too the touch when I changed the filter.

Be careful with the salamander heater, its a good way to set your truck ablaze. Diesel or not, the plastic on a vehicle will melt.

I'd look to warming the fuel lines first, gentle steady heat first.

My dodge has sat outside for three days at -30 degrees and started with nothing more than a block heater. Unless the new dodges are more impotent than publicized, I doubt you'll need to go to such lengths to get it running as blasting it with a salamander heater. I regularly deal with subzero temps here in Montana, try one of the following if it is being stubborn.

Try putting a few gallons of diesel in the tank that is room temperature. I keep a 5 gallon tank in my cellar to take care of this when it happens. I also have a 1 gallon can of Kerosene to dump in on the tank if it is nearly full and can't take 5 gallons of warmed diesel to help liquify the trucks fuel tank.

 

[CatManTom]

Well I was at work today my wife called me she went out and started the truck it hesitated a little and started . I had the block heater plugged in all night . The temp out side warmed up to 25 degrees . I went for a nice long ride and run the fuel out of the tank to half tank and topped it off at my favorite Mobil truck stop with fresh fuel and shot of fuel conditioner. I will never fill up fuel from (Citgo) ever again I learn a lesson. Thanks for all the help

 

[Jeff H]

Don't put all your trust in the fuel staions. It doesn't hurt to add your own additive every time you fill up.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Don't put all your trust in the fuel staions. It doesn't hurt to add your own additive every time you fill up.

Stick with the high volume truck stop fuel islands and you're pretty much assured of no problems. I hardly ever use additives, I haven't treated a single tank this year now that I think of it. Haven't had a single problem with startup so long as the block heater is plugged in and if it gets real cold, I slap a magnetic oil heater on the oil pan, mostly to reduce the oil pressure gauge from scaring me to death as the sludge picks up ans moves the needle.

Don't top off you tank if it is going to get real cold, then you can add a few gallons of warm fuel as I mentioned earlier.