What temp idle to prevent gelling?

I was under the impression the ULSD gelled more readily

I just pay attention to where I am going and where I buy fuel. Fuel in Idaho is treated fuel in Mississippi is.not.

 

Truckers use #2 diesel road diesel. During winter months the colder climates mainly up north will either winter blend their fuel with #1 diesel (kerosene) or they winterize with additives like we use Power Service or Howell's. Most fuel drivers I talked with will blend 10% #1 which isn't much when you get down near zero. I think 10% lowers the gel point 5 degrees. The further north you go the more they blend. Some fuel stops up north you will notice #2 and #1 is offered so drivers can mix their own. So if your company won't buy additives you can skin the cat by buying 10-20% #1 which is a little more expensive if you are bringing southern fuel north. Some will carry additives at the terminal shop and you can get some there for free. Fuel south of I-40 and maybe a little more north is untreated #2. That's why north-south drivers have to be careful. You fuel up down south and head up to Minnesota or such you are in trouble if you don't treat your fuel. Many companies will allow drivers and encourage buying additives as it's much cheaper than an expensive tow/shop bill. If they allow it, use it every fuel up. Follow the directions on the container and not wildly add it.

Gelling is when a waxy like crystal forms in the diesel fuel from the impurities. #1 is refined clean. The first thing it does is clog your filters and then your injectors. Then when you lose your engine heat the rest will gel. Most engines have a fuel bypass that returns the excess fuel back to the tanks which helps raise the tank temperature a little. But with cold lines and the filter it's not hard to gel when the extreme cold is there. Many northern trucks have filter heaters as that help a lot.

If you are driving down the interstate you will notice a gradual lose of power. At that point you have about 3 miles to get to a safe haven or you'll be on the side of the road. At that point just your filter(s) are clogged and the tanks are thickening. If you have some 911 put some in your tanks and drop the filter and pour some in there. With luck you might get it restarted. 911 is not good for an engine so preventive measures should be how you roll. The longer you sit the more it gels up. Then you are looking at sitting in a warm shop to thaw out.

Even treated I would idle below 15 degrees. A cold engine is hard to start with cold thick oil. You might run the batteries down before you get her cranked. That's where your block heater comes into play if you are able to plug in.

I gelled one time in IA leaving a terminal after coming from the south. It was -15 out. I didn't get 1/2 mile and started losing power. I literally crawled back to the terminal in LoLo and made it in the shop bay. My reefer gelled too it was so cold. That's another thing if you pull reefer you don't know how the last guy took care of it. I always treat every reefer too.

You gel once you won't gel twice because it's a royal PITA!

 

Uh, my tripac runs just great at 120 degrees in Phoenix in the summer and cools off my spacious Volvo 780. So long as I don't have the truck facing the sun directly (park with trailer behind away from sun to avoid as much direct sunlight as possible) I've never had an issue with warm temps and my TriPac.

 

Just last week had to replace filter because of fuel gel. Also had added the fuel additive after the gel and had no more problems. Temp was around 20.

 

are you sure it was gelled fuel or algie in you tanks.

 

8 degrees last thurs.,(1/3), passing Cambridge Ohio on I-77, had NC fuel and started to lose power,with a little sputtering, going up steeper grades . stopped at the t/s in Newcowertown,(exit 65), added some additives and was fine after.

wasn't paying attention to the weather and almost had a major time delay. not to mention freeze my butt of.

better $15 for the additive than $1500 ,(approx),for the tow and thaw out.

 

Put fuel in at Mauston WI on Dec 21 during the last midwest blizzard.

On Jan 1, I left Faribault MN it was -15 that day. I put in a jug of PowerService before I even started to mess with the truck. Truck had been sitting for 4 days by this time. I started the APU, went inside for 3 hours. Came back out, gave it a shot of ether and it fired right off.

Before I left I put in a half load of fuel.

Had no issues with gelling.

 

Juzt got up. According to the ClimaCab was -2.

Filled up in COlby Ks, topped off in Lamar Co on the way to Garden City Ks.
Truck started up just fine.

 

some info.....

http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/bioenergy/properties.asp

http://www.enertechlabs.com/ULSD_Cold_Weather_Information_09032007.htm

 

Well i was home for about a week.. and it was in the 20s and when i finnaly hitted the road my fuel was gelled. so if ur home for awhile start ur truck every day for about 15-30mins everyday if its in the 10-20s out. when ur on the road if its in the from - to +10 i would idle the truck... or you will be sitting in a shop waiting to get unfrozen for awhile lol