Diesel Gel

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I need that one saying from the Adam Sandler movie with jack nickelson from a few year back though.

 

a small amount of gasoline works in a pinch. It only takes a couple cups. It may not be as great for your engine as anti-gel treatments, but it's a lot better for your engine than gelled fuel, that's for sure.

A couple years ago I was running in -16 hauling corn. Every truck that was running the local cooperative bio-fuel was gelling up. anti-gel additives would not work, even the ones that stated good for biofuel. Some guys said that there are different biofuels, depending on how it's made some are no good in the cold. Those guys had to just keep changing filters and a couple just parked and waited for it to warm up or were towed.

I don't know if it was just a freak thing, or a batch of bad fuel or what but since then I try to purchase 100% fossil fuel or as little bio as possible in cold weather. I guess it should go without saying, but if you don't know, you should carry extra fuel filters and a filter wrench, a couple jugs of anti-gel, starting fluid, and an extention cord for plugging the truck in. especially when it's cold.

 

I haven't had any trouble in a couple years. Last issue I had was in Oklahoma, I fueled in Sayre going to Joplin, MO and then back to TX. It was a bad storm and super cold, -10 or so. I gelled up once back in my first go round with trucking in the 90's so I put some power service in the truck tanks for insurance but not my reefer. My reefer kept shutting down due to fuel gelling but the load I was hauling was frozen anyway and the temp stayed fine until I got back to TX and got the reefer fired back up.

I have heard that bio-diesel blends will gel at higher temps than regular diesel so I try and watch out for that also in the winter.

 

My Semi, pickup, dads semi and bobcat and 2other semis I know of gelled up last Saturday running winter fuel from the same station. It was 7 outside. They all would run but wouldn't rev over about 1300 rpm some 911 solved it and the station gave me a discount on my next fuel purchase there.

 

Last weekend it gelled on me. Gelled at 5 degrees, i've never had probs at that temp before. Serious loss of power, but ran so i limped in to a T/A for new filters and 911. And buy morning the fuel filter gauge all the way pegged and 5 miles down the road started again. That time i got bigger water separator filter on it. For years i didn't use additive for gelling until -10 and have never had issues. Then i borrow a 379 to finish a run and that happened..... And the filters were new the day i took off

 

I drove 10 years in Alaska and spend the lion's share of my time now in the upper tier of the U.S. After various experiences with fuels from a lot of places, I have grown accustomed to erring on the safe side. Gelling is only part of the problem. Icing is another one as much or more so an issue. It doesn't take much water to really ruin one's day. And brand name has nothing to do with it. If ground water gets in the storage tanks in only small amounts, it is going to hit you hard down the road. I get fuel additive in bulk and refill bottles to take on the road each week. If the temps get in the 20's or lower, or is predicted to go to that level in the next two days, additive goes in the tanks. ULSD and biodiesel has changed the game rules considerably. Folks who want to play the game the "old" way, can play the odds all they want. I can get a great additive in 5 gallon cans, delivered to my front door for free, for $136.55. Dosed at 1 oz per 7.5 gallons of fuel makes that very cost effective for the protection and peace of mind I get. And in the rare case that even that won't take care of things, I carry 3 extra fuel filters for the Davco and a Davco wrench and some spare fuel (a diesel, kerosene, additive mix) to add to the Davco after a filter change. Might seem like overkill to some. Could be. But driving in Alaska year round really conditioned me to think differently than most.

 

i was broke down highway in city this morning at Regina, SK. temp drooped to -34 C. now was towed to dealer. i got bio diesel fuel at Fargo ND and 2 bottle additives yesterday, should not a problem now. i know it's something wrong in fuel system and 911 is better way now. someone told me change filter with 911 filled, i want to put 911 in tank. which way please ?

 

a little gas wont hurt it,where do people come up with this stuff.

 

It can be done both ways, if you aren't having gel issues, put it in the tank to help prevent it from happening. If you are gelling, and catch it before engine shuts off, it will work in the tanks too. Another thing that helps is a product called "Heat". Little yellow or red bottle about 16 oz. It is alcohol based, and helps remove moisture from tanks. I was in No. Dakota just before Christmas, -40 at night, -25 during the day. I used #1 diesel, 911 or Howes, and "Heat". Never had a problem with gelling.

 

911 says right on bottle it will not prevent gelling. It is used after the fuel has gelled/is starting to gell or the filter is icing up.

I've been told guys put it in as a preventative measure but I just know what bottle says. Maybe it's done to help remove the water before it freezes up? I dunno....