Peak Cold Weather Diesel Anti-Gel

[tonkit]

I see Peak brand Anti-Gel in several stores locally. I have not seen this brand before and am wondering if anyone has used this product and how it works. We have had a couple stretches of -20 to -30 degree temps this winter already.

I have used Power Service for years with very good results in my old Gen 3 diesel. I have also used Howe's with rather disappointing results, and total power seems to work well but no better than Power Service. Just my "unofficial" experiences though, I know that others seem to have good luck with the Howe's product.

Anyway, how about the Peak Anti-Gel? Any thoughts?

 

[Shiner]

Never used peak anti-gel, but use howes and power service a lot. Good experience with both.(No gel ups)

 

[Jim W]

I would stay with what you have used and you know that this works will.
Just my $0.02

 

[Shiner]

I would stay with what you have used and you know that this works will.
Just my $0.02

Very solid advice, Jim.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I don't ever use additives and live in Alaska. Where do you live OP?

 

[Shiner]

I don't ever use additives and live in Alaska. Where do you live OP?

Blended diesel then? Even with blended fuel here, have to use additive for the really cold snaps. One gel up and will wish you had. Coastal Alaska maybe ok, but doubt that would fly in the interior. Back when I had my 6.9 Ford, I filled with blended and made it about 5 miles and gelled up(I didn't think I needed to treat it). I never made that mistake again.

 

[JR]

Cold weather climates don't typically have to worry about gelled fuel as much. They get cold and stay that way for months on end which takes alot of the guesswork out of climatizing fuel. I grew up in Wyoming, it was the same as Don says. Pump it in the tank and forget about it. He probably has a very healthy mix of #1 and #2 fuel where places like around herh blend a #2. There's quite a difference between the two in terms of resistance to gelling. #1 has significantly less parafin wax which is what causes the gelling of fuel and is easier to keep the cloud point in check. the vast majority of the lower 48 uses a #2 blend only. There are exceptions here - parts of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and probably parts of Minnesota. But for the most part no #1.

Its the milder climates that have large swings with brief cold weather that have the issues. If you look up ASTM's website for winterized ULSD, it's worded something like 3 of the average coldest days of 30. It's NOT a requirement either - only a guideline. Its a big game of minimal additives to prevent problems vs keeping costs down and sometimes they get it wrong . I have fuel delivered to the house and haven't had a problem with the company I buy from in more years than I can remember. Most of their customers are Ag and commercial. The wife filled her car up south of here about 100 miles the last cold snap we had and her car gelled up the next day. It barely hit 10 below zero. Even though I had to do the leg work (driving out to get her and load it on the trailer) it reinforced what I have been preaching to her all these years - fill up BEFORE you leave home! The proof was in the tank - my truck had no problems.

 

[jhenderson]

As JR says depends where you live. Here temps swing wildly. 2 weeks ago it was -5 in my landing 3 days in a row but by the end of the week it was +40. At -5 I could see the paraffin in the sediment bowl of my off road tank. Conversely, a few years ago I had the misfortune of gashing a sidewall on a skidder tire. The best place for a vulcanization repair was in Colebrook NH. It was -25 there and when I bought fuel the sign on the on road pump said “ guaranteed to -40.” The off road said good to -55. I keep 2 jugs of Howes at all times. Last year we had a spell of -20 nights and there wasn’t any fuel treatment to be had within 100 miles, and Howes manufacturing facility is 20 miles from my house.

 

[JR]

I should have added to my above post that I treat my tank during the winter months before I get a delivery of fuel. Schaeffer's winterized diesel treat 2000. One gallon treats roughly 800-1000 gallons - I tend to dose on the heavier side. $40 per 800 gallons is cheap insurance considering the alternative. I spent that going to get the other half two weeks ago.

 

[Shiner]

I wonder the cost differential between treating fuel to say -30 with additive vs #1 + #2 blend?

 

[DonFitzwater]

Blended diesel then? Even with blended fuel here, have to use additive for the really cold snaps. One gel up and will wish you had. Coastal Alaska maybe ok, but doubt that would fly in the interior. Back when I had my 6.9 Ford, I filled with blended and made it about 5 miles and gelled up(I didn't think I needed to treat it). I never made that mistake again.

I run #1 year round. You have to hunt for #2 around here............home heating oil is available in #1 or #2.

 

[Shiner]

I run #1 year round. You have to hunt for #2 around here............home heating oil is available in #1 or #2.

I figured. What is #1 going for up there? Predominately blended #2 here, but could do #1, but the anti-gel works for less, plus no concerns over lubricity, etc. I'll have to check the #1 price next trip into town. Very few homes burn oil around here anymore.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Diesel is 2.89 last I checked and home heating oil is 2.38. I’ve had zero fuel system problems since I stopped running additives. It could have just been my 06 5.9 and bad injectors but it was constantly hanging injectors. After three were replaced and one cracked, I quit running additives and ceased having problems.

 

[Shiner]

Diesel is 2.89 last I checked and home heating oil is 2.38. I’ve had zero fuel system problems since I stopped running additives. It could have just been my 06 5.9 and bad injectors but it was constantly hanging injectors. After three were replaced and one cracked, I quit running additives and ceased having problems.

I was under impression that #1 had less btu content and that lower lubricity would hurt injector pumps and such. Had a conversation with fleet mechanic, some time ago, about whether too much additive could be a problem...….answer=maybe/ possibly(that sure cleared things up). I don't know. I guess, we all just do what works for our own situation. My tractor(650hrs) does have a funky injector, #2, and additives in winter...….hmmm you got me rethinking fuel for that.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Lack of “lubricity” is an additive selling point and nothing more, in my experience. I’ve been running #1 diesel continuously, year round since I moved up here 20 years ago and haven’t lost an injection pump or injectors due to lack of lubrication. I’ve lost injectors in common rails due to bad injectors and pressure boxes cracking bodies but no failures. I used to listen to the old school diesel dorks up here and they’d have all sorts of recommendations like ATF or 2 stroke oil, etc. Remember this, there are solids in oils and on the newer common rail, super high fuel pressure systems, those solids will scour the internals of components.

#1 does indeed have less btu’s Per gallon but how much, I don’t know. There was lots of crying back in the day when ULSD was mandated and many predictions were made about fuel systems failing but I never experienced it. My trucks seemed not to notice.

 

[tonkit]

Diesel is 2.89 last I checked and home heating oil is 2.38. I’ve had zero fuel system problems since I stopped running additives. It could have just been my 06 5.9 and bad injectors but it was constantly hanging injectors. After three were replaced and one cracked, I quit running additives and ceased having problems.

My 2006 5.9 ran nothing but power service for 110,00 miles and 13 years (just traded for a 2018) and never had any injector problems. What type of additive were you using that you suspect caused the problem? And I live in South Dakota by the way. Temps this winter have been down to -35 so far.

 

[Jim W]

Shinner: My wife just paid $2.56 a gallon for winter diesel fuel in our area. This is #2 diesel that is blended for winter usage at the refinery. I did ask the fuel delivery guy one time a couple of winters ago, what they used. He said that the refinery blend the diesel fuel and the driver was also responsible to dump additional additives in the fuel depending on the station receiving the fuel. IE: Shell, BP, or some other brand name fuel they all receive the same diesel fuel from one or two refineries in our area. They might require additional LUBERICTY or Anti-Gelling additives for the diesel fuel.

 

[DonFitzwater]

My 2006 5.9 ran nothing but power service for 110,00 miles and 13 years (just traded for a 2018) and never had any injector problems. What type of additive were you using that you suspect caused the problem? And I live in South Dakota by the way. Temps this winter have been down to -35 so far.

Power Services (White bottle) and when injectors were hanging at idle, the dealer recommended Valvoline/Cummins injector cleaner.....it made the hanging problem worse. 2006 was a very bad year for Bosch as Cummins and duramax both had many injector failures from that year due to soft internals and brittle bodies, among other things. You are fortunate to have never had injector problems. The newer 6.7’s are stellar in the fuel system department (CP3 pumped engines anyway, not talking about the new CP4)