I got a crazy idea!

[PToombs]

Those of you that know me are thinking, " So what else is new?" :-laf



It gets cold here sometimes in the winter, 0 to -10 or -20. I've been driving a gasser for the winters for a long time, and finally decided to correct that deficiency. I'm paranoid about my fuel gelling up. So I was wondering about putting some of that heat tape like you use on water lines on the bottom of the fuel tank with some insulation to plug in when it gets really cold. Just to keep the fuel temp up so it won't gell.

Am I crazier than a siht house rat, or what?

Opinions and laughter are are welcomed with equal enthusiasm.

 

[Mishkaya]

I always thought gelling was only an issue in the filter for the most part...

Haven't had but one gelling issue to date and that was at -35, and didn't have any additive that time... #@$%!

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Throw in some WHITE Power Service and you're good to go!

 

[Hoefler]

Ditto on the white Power Service.



If you are really serious about the heat tape, use a heating pad for an RV holding tank. You can get a 12 volt or 110 volt. They are a peel and stick application.

 

[hwebster]

Up here where it's a little colder than NY state, I have never had a gelling problem, simply because the manufacturers switch over to winter fuel in the fall. What I have seen is some friends up for the winter rodeo with fuel from down south plug up. Took some degel additive and some patience.

Heat tape sounds like trouble, especially around fuel lines. Additives if you are concerned is the way to go.

 

[TboneMan]

PT,



I'm up Rt 481 from you and I've never had a problem.



I do park my truck in a garage at night but it is not heated and it is very exposed.



I've traveled up the Adk's in the winter and experienced -35F with out a problem (two cycles of the grid heater and it fired right up, albeit VERY load and smokey).



Remember also, when driving the truck fuel is being cycle through the injection pump back to the tank. The warm returning fuel will be heat the fuel in the tank.



Just don't fill your tank in August and not drive the truck until January. I've talked to fuel truck drivers while they were at the station dumping a load. They start "winterizing" the fuel around here in late September and start weening off around late March.

 

[JLEONARD]

Am I crazier than a siht house rat, or what

Do we have to answer that?:-laf



You could use a Wolerine oil pan heater under the tank and perhaps around the filterhousing.

But the fuel in your region should be treated to the proper temperature.

 

[Moose Truck]

Am I crazier than a siht house rat, or what

Do we have to answer that?:-laf



You could use a Wolerine oil pan heater under the tank and perhaps around the filterhousing.

But the fuel in your region should be treated to the proper temperature.

Like around our houses? Gelled up last winter, went to PS White and it was fine for the rest of winter of '09

 

[PToombs]

That heat pad sounds better than the heat tape idea. :-laf

I usually run the white PS in the work truck, but that stays inside where it's warm over night. On the equipment at work I dose the big tank with white in october so everything coming back gets it. If we have a machine going out and it's below 20* I usually dump in a bottle of 911 to make sure it doesn't gell on the job.

The reason I'm paranoid about his is I had an 89 that kept freezing up, by the time I could get to check it, it was ok. Turns out the fuel tank had water and black algea in it, and the lines were freezing. Once I figured it out and cleaned the tank it was ok.



I guess I'll just run white and see what happens, I can add some red it gets really cold. If it gells up I'll come and yell at you guys for it! :-laf

Thanks for the input.

 

[GaryOwen]

I had a lot of problems with gelling a couple of years ago in northern Indiana when they first switched to ULSD. I bought all my fuel up north, used up to triple doses of white PS, triple doses of Stanadyne Performance and still had gellling. I was not alone either. I could get the engine to start okay and was okay if not pulling a trailer, but when I hooked up a trailer, I just couldn't get enough fuel through the filter.



I ended up installing an Arctic Fox inline fuel heater, and had no more problems. It used the engine coolant to heat the fuel before the filter, hence warming the tank via the fuel return. I had shut off valves and only used the heater when it was less than 20* or so. I still used a regular dose of white PS. Not sure if I really needed the heater the next winter after the ULSD adjustments were made, but continued using it anyway. I would probably just stick with white PS until I had problems if I were you.

 

[monkeyman]

I don't even have a fuel heater anymore with the FASS, and since I have a Espar I don't even plug my truck in and it gets below <0>, my fuel has never gelled and I add PS.
Rick