Truck gelled 4 times this winter

[CBrabec]

My buddies '13 gelled up on him 4 times this winter. His truck is always plugged in at night and he always puts the correct amount of Howes or Power Service in the tank everytime he fills up. He fills up at the same station and on the nights when the wind chills got to -20 to -40* he made sure he put the additive in and filled the tank up and drove the truck for about 30-45 minuets to let all the fuel mix up before going home to shut it down for the evening. All 4 times it gelled the truck was plugged in (block heater cord was checked and its working) and would sit no longer than 10hrs max. Is this normal? My truck sat out for 2 days unplugged in -25* and started right up and didn't gel. Its really frustrating him, is there anything else he should be doing?

Chris

 

[Stab]

I'm sorry to say Howes is not good for anti-gel...good for lubricity but, not anti-gel. We have a lot of temps working up here from the South and I get calls EVERY Cold spell about gelling. My first question is "did you put Howes in the tank"? Most of the time it's silence, before the answer. It's cheap for a reason. I find it hard to believe that the proper amount of Power Service (anti-gel) let it gel up. #1: Stanadyne, #2: Power Service. I was taught this thirty plus years ago and it is still true today. I check with my fuel injection guy a least every other year on this to see if it has changed. My trucks sit out for a week at a time elk hunting in -20 weather, unable to plug in and I have NEVER had a gelling problem. Maybe I'm just lucky but, I think it's more than that. Pluging in the engine heater does little for anti-gel when it gets below 0 deg.

 

[mpaulson]

I think he needs to buy fuel somewhere else, like a well used truck stop. We deal with colder temperatures on a regular basis and I have never in my life had a fuel gelling issue. I would assume that the station isn't maintaing there tanks properly.

 

[gsbrockman]

Its really frustrating him, is there anything else he should be doing?

Chris

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/245765-Most-2013-and-some-2014-NO-fuel-heater-engaged

 

[Sticks]

9 times out of 10, it's not gelling, it's ice crystals from the water in the tank.

Just went through that this year with our heavy equipment fleet. -15* and no starts all over the place. Frozen filters, frozen fuel lines (pulled fuel lines and was full of ice crystals sucked off the bottom of the tank). Fuel tank was nice and liquidy (if that's a word).

Even yesterday we had -2* for an overnight at the job site and 3 no starts. Same thing. Had to back blow the fuel lines, replace the filters and they fired right up.

 

[Stab]

Yes, good idea to change filters too, before the cold hits. Gelling occurs in lines & filters first, then the filter gathers them all up in one place.

 

[NIsaacs]

Some stations have a choice of #2 or winter blend. Is he using straight #2?

Nick

 

[AnOldBiker]

Wasn't mentioned if he had aftermarket filters or just the stock filter unit. Has he checked if there was water in the units, which ever unit he has. I have a pre and final filter unit and check for water in fuel. No water confirms stations servicing storage tanks properly.

 

[mwilson]

I'd find a new place to get fuel.

If that is not an option then use Power Service 911 (orange bottle) before fueling when it is really cold instead of the white bottle.

 

[TCDiesel]

Another thread to prove Don't use additives, even if they did what they claim he should NOT be gelling, Hopefully his fuel heaters are turned on if NOT simply get them turn on with anybody in North America that has WITECH, over the last Decade it been proved that additives have little to NO effect on properly scrub and refined Diesel in North America, if you get that additive mixed with bio-diesel your really screwed. As long as retailers keep selling that junk I guess people will keep drinking the Georgetown Kool-Aid.

 

[mwilson]

Let me modify my statement...

I DO NOT use additives in my diesels. I don't have to as Irving Winter Blend fuel does not bother ever.

However, in Maine we do not have Bio-Diesel thank god.

But if you get stuck with someone else's crappy fuel and you are standing on the side of the road with a dead or barely idling diesel then the Power Service 911 will straighten it out. May have to change the filters a couple of times but you can get going again.

I have brought a gelled diesel back to life by warming the fuel filter if it is mounted out where you dare to heat it. The thing is at -25 below is you don't have a lot of time to do something before the block goes stone cold and you're not going to get it going easily no matter what you do.

The white bottle stuff is not necessary at all if using decent fuel.

 

[AH64ID]

Sounds like he needs a fuel heater turned on, as many have noted.

I am not sure about the ice crystals, as they will form as soon as the fuel hits 32°F.

Gelling always initially manifests in the filter, while the tank can not look gelled at all. It doesn't take much fuel gelling to plug a filter.

Wind Chill doesn't effect gelling, only ambient temperature.

The block heater will also have no effect on gelling, as it doesn't heat the tank or filters.

 

[TCDiesel]

mwilson the post was in general and not aimed at individuals, In 911 cases you have to do something and 911 additives may help, In winter months Bio-diesel can be hazardous, that for sure ,but in warm temps 20+* its the best fuel you can buy if commercially refined. Again don't use additives in and Bio-Diesel fuels/Blends regardless of the temps.

 

[mwilson]

TC, I did not take it as such. No worries.

We do not have the Bio-Diesel and many times I don't think of that being involved when I discuss fuel in general. It is good to remind me of that. I should remember it anyways because I had to pump some in the last time that I had the '06 in Michigan and I was a nervous wreck until I had burned it all up. I checked my spare fuel filter about 6 times to make sure it was still in my toolbox after I fueled up there....

I'm on your side, additives are not needed as a rule if you run decent fuel and all is working as it should.

Mike.

 

[gsbrockman]

Sounds like he needs a fuel heater turned on, as many have noted.

I am not sure about the ice crystals, as they will form as soon as the fuel hits 32°F.

Gelling always initially manifests in the filter, while the tank can not look gelled at all. It doesn't take much fuel gelling to plug a filter.

Wind Chill doesn't effect gelling, only ambient temperature.

The block heater will also have no effect on gelling, as it doesn't heat the tank or filters.

I agree.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com...tomy-of-a-MOPAR-Fuel-Separator-p-n-68197867AA

I can see how fuel wouldn't flow through a 4 micron non-heated OEM filter such as ours.
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[JR]

I wouldn't say they are useless. When it hit -39 here a few weeks ago every crane in the plant gelled up solid, including the fuel tank. My truck made it 30 miles in to work and 30 miles home with no issues, plus another 50 to go rescue a family member with a roached battery. I get my fuel from the same company that delivers fuel to the plant, the only difference is when it is forecasted to get nasty I'll throw some Schaeffers antigel in.

That's the first time I've seen the fuel gelled up at work and we have had several nights of -15 to -20s at night the last two winters. Even that is unseasonably cold for here so I think that says a lot about the quality of fuel we get but there comes a point in time where the temperature will overcome the fuel. What ever that temperature is is dependent on where you live and the degree it's been winterized.

 

[jeepit]

gs brockman,
Those are nasty looking filters.

 

[gsbrockman]

gs brockman,
Those are nasty looking filters.

Yes....the rear frame mounted filter takes the brunt of the filtering. The underhood filter looked like it had less than 2000 miles on it. The filter you saw dissected (per the link in my post) had 13,728 miles and 281 drive hours on it. Ma MOPAR says the maximum interval is 15k miles. MOPAR / Cummins has really gotten serious in regards to fuel filtration on the 2013 & up pickups.

 

[Newsa]

I took my 2013 2500 in for the second time to get my chassis fuel filter turned on. Last week they told me it didn't have one installed and there was nothing they could do. So i went back today with a printout of the TSB and told them that the chassis fuel heater is standard on all cummins. And showed it to them under the truck. They argued that the on board truck computer says it's not installed. Then (since they can't read) I read the TSB to them and enunciated that "many BLU ' S are wrongly configured making the computer not recognize fuel heater #2". (Not exact wording, but I had done other research because they were confusing fuel heater #1 with fuel heater #2). The chassis fuel heater may not solve all problems every day. But it sure will help. The fuel in the tank will be warm enough to conduct a small amount of heat through the fuel lines. And the warmer fuel pushing it's way into the fuel filter will help. The place to start would be have the dealer engage the chassis fuel heater. That is at least a partial solution. These trucks are tested in cold weather and designed to work in cold weather

 

[Newsa]

http://blog.ramtrucks.com/features/2013-ram-heavy-duty-extreme-cold-testing-video/