Can someone explain what exactly happens when diesel fuel gels up

Coffee cup truckstop had #1 at the pump. I don't know if all of them do. I think the one in plankington, SD. Did.

 

I remember when fuel gelled on me. It happened in Cadillac, MI. I was under a load going to Benzonia, MI. It was during the winter where there were record setting cold temperatures everywhere. It was 31 below zero and I started losing power. That fuel filter had become white as snow and waxy looking. Where you buy fuel makes a difference. I fueled in Duncan, SC. The mechanic was telling me that fuel in the south isn't treated for temps below 10. Since the OP started having issues before it got down to 10, it makes me question the mechanic or how long the fuel filter has been in his truck. Nevertheless, it's totally necessary to stock up on Howes. It's cheap at Walmart. One bottle per tank if you know you're going to be in extreme cold, keep idling, regularly change the filters, you'll make it through.

 

Like you said...Lose power to where It wont even run.Had a truck start gelling on i70 ...got down to 25mph wide open.Had -8° windchill,25mph winds at the time.Coasted into Pilot and immediately treated tanks and topped of tanks.Ran like sh.. for about 15 miles and eventually smoothed out.Caught it in time I guess

 

Gelled up enough on Wednesday to have the truck start, but die immediately. Fueled last at TA North Bend (WA), and at -6, nothing doing.

Let it warm up that afternoon, tried again. No dice. Poured Red Power Service in both filters.... and then found out how much fun it is to prime the MX engine.......

Tried again this morning and she fired at 20 degrees ambient. And that's the real issue about gelling up: once you're gelled, it's a crap shoot if you'll get her running again until the ambient temp goes up. Treat early, and treat often!

On the farm, we run 50/50 this time of year. Good to about -20, maybe a little colder, but all our farm equipment is old school unipump type engines.

 

Lepton1, I say this in one sentence.

Don't just consider it. Pull your wallet out and get the #### thing on your truck. Just be careful which one you get.

Good luck to you.

 

I did not state windchill temp. I only state what the tractor saw on it's bumper sensor to the dash.

 

I have also heard that if you add too much anti gel , it can be detrimental also . N.o proof - just heard it .

 

Anti jell additive is very cheap compared to towing a truck.

 

I fueled there the winter before last. It was so cold the electronics in the fuel pumps froze up. Dang it was cold that night.

 

Again, I will reiterate, I have yet to spin off a fuel filter, open it up, and see the strawberry sherbert or caking paraffins of gelling fuel. It's always been ice clogging the filter.

Antigel works to prevent fuel gelling. I have started to use fuel additives that break down water and fuel, to mix the water back into fuel. I will report back later how this winter turns out, so far two instances of water (whether freezing or not) causing me to do a PM or swap out the first fuel filter.

@not4hire if I recall correctly, you have some experience with this issue and I would value your advice on this thread.