Fuel Additive for winter

I haven't had problems with ice/water in the fuel recently... a little Power Service Diesel 911 will take care of that. Mostly I have trouble with parafin gelling, so Howes has worked well for me. This year it's $17.99 for a 64-oz bottle in the truckstops. I stopped by the Farm & Fleet store in Ottawa IL today after dropping my trailer - $9.99 per bottle.

 

More is not necessarily better. Most of that stuff appears to be essentially solvents of one sort or another. The idea is to keep the parafin in the diesel from gelling up, and stoppering everything up... not eating all of your rubber and plastic components.

Is it commercially available when and where you need it? There's no points for it'll arrive two days after the -10 degree cold front. Whatever you use, follow the recommended instructions. Pouring more of this stuff into your fuel than needed usually doesn't do anything good to your engine.

 

That is true. No use adding more than the recommended dosage. This is one sure area where more is not better. I realize that gelling of diesel is the forefront of what everyone thinks about an additive. But, all it takes is reaching the cloud point of the diesel in question and you soon will reach the cold filter plug point. And those may be higher than the actual gelling. That is why it is important to understand that the additive one choses effectively reduces the cold filter plug point.

As for the icing, I had two occasions, while using Howes, in winter of 2009-2010, that I have filter issues due to icing. Never got stranded, as I always carry a few spare filters. But, since using the Amsoil product for last two winters, I have not had an icing problem. I stay in the northern tier of the country all winter, and my fueling locations have been pretty consistent over the last 10 years. I know for a fact, that one of my icing problems came from T/A fuel in Walcott. I will never buy fuel there again. So much for name brand stations having fuel prepped properly. And the Pilot T/S in Iowa always seem to have fuel pump problems when it gets cold. And the one in Clive, IA (Des Moines) had a total shutdown the same year I had my icing issues, and their's was due to icing also. I have had good luck with Love's fuel in the northern tier. They may have issues with their control panels at the fuel pumps, but I have never seen them down for fuel issues in the cold, and I have never had a fuel problem with fuel I got there. Now I will admit, we are talking about -30F actual temps during the time I had my problems. Gelling has never been an issue for me, even when I drove in Alaska, and the last few years even running biodiesel. Now the great test of the XLP product this winter. If it doesn't work, I know who I can go yell at! My friend better be right about this stuff or it will strain the relationship!

 

as well as using additives, do not let your fuel cool down too much if your tanks are fairly empty. Better to leave it running if you're not going to run her out of fuel than to shut her off and let the tanks get cold, or fill 'em right full beforehand. Hot to cold creates condensation and the emptier your tanks are the more moisture you'll have in there available to make water.

 

The modern engines circulate a lot of fuel, and the tanks will stay well over freezing, a Davco filter is the very best, and they have heated models,
I did engines for all my life as a mechanic and I was licenced in 1973, I worked in engine dealerships and truck dealerships and trucking companies, even did long haul.
In all those Years, I never had one customer note they were using a fuel aditive, If you fuel gels up, how is it the fuel pump was able to dispense it. If you go to a reputable dealer and there is a problem tell them, if you are going north you may need an antigell, 99.9% of people that add things to their fuel get absolutely no benifits, I never saw a large fleet truck, adding any additives.
Get the best filtration you can and keep them clean.

 

i have never used anti gel additives. but i do one thing that seems to work. i wrap my fuel filter thats mounted on the frame with a pc of pipe wrap insulation and slip a tobaugin over it with a plastic bag and rubber band. thats where geled fuel usally gives you trouble. when it hits the filter paper. the wrap keeps the cold air off and the heat from the fuel in.

 

I like the Davco on mine. I can see what fuel is doing. On the truck I have now, I got a heated version.

One can do whatever they chose regarding fuel additives. Will it be necessary all the time? No. Everything is conditional on quality of fuel, and where you are operating. If possible, try and top of tanks before shutting down for a break in cold weather. Condensation in fuel tanks will occur more often in less than 1/2 full tanks, and there is where water can become a problem. Go with your gut. If the temps cause you to worry about fuel issues, then when you get that fuel, drop in some fuel additive for good measure. There is no one size fits all solution. But, all it takes is one time of sitting on the shoulder down the road, barely able to keep the engine running, no spare fuel filter, no filter wrench, no additive like 911 to pour in and try to get things working good again, to cure one of poor planning regarding fuel preparation. Do not count on any fueling location to always have the fuel prepped for winter conditions. The only tried and true fuel locations are ones that most OTR truckers never use..... local farmer's Co-ops, smaller family owned local truck stops, etc. Their fuel is a little higher in cost, but it stands a better chance of being prepped properly. They service their local community, and they do not need neighbors coming in, ready to cut their throat, because of fuel issues. The usual big name truck stop outlets might be prepping the fuel coming in during a recent cold snap, but what of the fuel already in their storage tanks left from earlier deliveries when it wasn't so cold? If the temps are low enough, leave the truck running, or at least start it every couple of hours and get things warmed up. This is for those with APU's or bunk heaters (like me) that will shut the truck off most times. You have to use a little intelligence here.

You have to look at the broad picture, use a little common sense, and know that you and you alone are responsible for what goes in your tanks and keeping the truck operational. That is unless you are driving someone else's ride and will let them worry about it. They will. After you have sit for 3 hrs or more along the road, in sub zero temps, with no heat. I see it every single winter in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc. Let it get down to -20F or lower and the roads become truck stop parking lots. And the truck stops are full of trucks that can't seem to keep their engines running well enough to go anywhere. With all those trucks calling for service help, you will be that last one on the list because they all called before you.

Get a good name brand fuel additive, put it in BEFORE you actually need it, carry some additive all the time with you, have spare fuel filters and proper wrench to replace them, and use that grey matter between your ears regarding fuel management. And always make sure you have plenty of proper attire for extreme cold weather. When it is -20F is not the time to realize all you have is regular shoes, a light coat, non or very lightly insulated gloves, no proper head gear, etc. Get some good clothing and boots designed for extreme cold temps and stash it under the bunk just in case.

 

With the hgh-pressure fuel rails on the newer engines, carrying a spare filter and wrench really isn't an option - you need to be proactive up front. The amount of fuel rail precharging required after a filter change just can't be done on the side of the road. My DD15 starts getting unhappy below 28 degrees, so its time for a little bit of prevention - Howes works fine.

Many folks have trouble fueling down south - south Texas and Florida won't have any kerosene or additives in their fuel. Come north into the cold, and you'll be having problems. So Cowpie... you're saying flip-flops 'n shorts aren't adequate in your part of the country??

 

CP1:
Excellent advice, right there. I wouldnt change a thing. As you say, common sense, be prepared.