# Gelled Fuel



## willingtonpaul (Apr 16, 2010)

this morning was a mess for me. at 6am it was -15 at the house. that is a good number, too. truck had the roughest start ever, but fired after the third try. on my edge insight, the coolant was 4 and the oil was 2 degrees when she fired. fuel pressure was up at the start, but fell off badly while she idled and warmed up, and she sputtered and died a couple of times. put in some diesel 911 and drained the HFCM and got her going again, but it was and hour and a half of jacking around and getting an icy cold diesel bath. i run power service gray bottle every fill up, but the fuel still gelled. anyone else having any trouble ? i last filled up at a station that i THOUGHT had good turnover. but maybe there is still summer blend in their tanks. i have never had a problem in 5 years with using the power service gray bottle.


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

our fuel didn't gel, but our tranny did!! Stacey left at 430a.m.







to clear drifts and salt and sand at the PO (one of our contracts) drove out of the yard, 3 miles to the PO, dropped the plow made a single pass, dropped it into reverse and NOTHING!!














So after a few minutes he drove over the pile, and down a little slope into the neighboring parking lot and home!
Swore and cursed buying a new rig and it's the biggest piece of **** I've ever owned!!




























Had a cuppa







spent a few minutes on the 'puter







went back out started it up, dropped it into reverse and FINE!!







It apparently didn't like the 27below we had last night!!


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## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

I cannot say as I have not even tried to start up my work truck yet. It has not been plugged in and has been sitting since Friday morning. I actually don't do much to the truck other than fill it up. I am usually pretty good about plugging it in this time of year, but forgot and Thursday and have not been back to my shop since then. I have never really had any issues, even when I was in Canada and woke up to -40.........I did a few cycles of the glow plugs, and it started right up. That particular truck is at 380,000 miles now too.


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## dirtengineer (Jun 6, 2010)

Sounds like you are on the right track. There are only a few things you can do. Diesel 911 and fresh winter Diesel. Might have to tow it to a warm garage to get her going again. It will likely be difficult if you lost prime. The other option that sometimes works is tarp and heat.

Or, just wait for warmer weather.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

The Power Service gray bottle says right on it that it won't prevent fuel gelling. They make a white bottle formula that is for winter.

I use the gray all summer long, then switch to the white bottle when it gets colder.


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

willingtonpaul said:


> this morning was a mess for me. at 6am it was -15 at the house. that is a good number, too. truck had the roughest start ever, but fired after the third try. on my edge insight, the coolant was 4 and the oil was 2 degrees when she fired. fuel pressure was up at the start, but fell off badly while she idled and warmed up, and she sputtered and died a couple of times. put in some diesel 911 and drained the HFCM and got her going again, but it was and hour and a half of jacking around and getting an icy cold diesel bath. i run power service gray bottle every fill up, but the fuel still gelled. anyone else having any trouble ? i last filled up at a station that i THOUGHT had good turnover. but maybe there is still summer blend in their tanks. i have never had a problem in 5 years with using the power service gray bottle.


 That sucks! Hope you got it taken care of Paul. Maybe the White Bottle of Power Service would help. I have been using it since I was in Iowa and have had no problems (coupled with the block heater). Coldest temp we have seen so far is about -17.

Eric


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## willingtonpaul (Apr 16, 2010)

huntr70 said:


> The Power Service gray bottle says right on it that it won't prevent fuel gelling. They make a white bottle formula that is for winter.
> 
> I use the gray all summer long, then switch to the white bottle when it gets colder.


yeah guys, i meant to say white bottle, the lighter bottle. that is the only one i buy. NOT the gray one. the white one looks gray to me. the darker bottle looks like charcoal black. but i am using the winter power service, i buy it in 24 bottle cases from a napa dealer near me and he gives me a good discount buying it that way year round.
i use the individual bottles that treat 40 gallons each. i dump the whole bottle in for a slight over treat.
but i guess if i got summer blend fuel that had no winter additives at all, then it still would not be enough at 15 below.
that is what i think happened, anyways.....


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

Dont you Guys's just Love those Diesels in the Winter time.


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## arotundo (Jan 2, 2011)

- anything must suck... Never been in that kind of weather.. I guess that's one thing to be happy about to have lived in







Fla my whole life!


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Nope. Wouldnt trade my diesel.

Sorry you had a "delayed start" to you r day Paul. As you know I have my truck set up the same as yours. My truck temps were 18* the other morning when I left work. I plug itin at home, but cant at work. So whe I left the past few mornings, I was surprised at how well it started. I think your problem may have just been a fluke, especially with all the prevention you have in place.

Jim


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## bobTHEbuilder (Jan 4, 2011)

Have you fellas heard about engine block warmers?


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

bobTHEbuilder said:


> Have you fellas heard about engine block warmers?


A block heater wont do anything for the fuel. I use the white bottle with each fill-up in the winter and the grey bottle in the summer. Knock on wood, no gelling problems (yet). Last week, the temps dropped to the -15 degree area at night. I plugged her in about an hour before I wanted to leave for work and she fired right up.


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## bobTHEbuilder (Jan 4, 2011)

Hrmm... what about a fuel tank warmer, they use them for the hybrid diesels that run on fry oil, something similar could act like a fish tank warmer. ? Just throwing ideas out there as I don't own a diesel.


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

This is the 2nd winter I've had with my '06 F250 6.0L diesel. My truck sits out overnight, and we've had plenty of below zero days here in Minnesota over the past two winters. I was worried when I took the plunge to the diesel world, but it has never had a problem starting. I plug the block heater in when it's below 15, but there it's been parked at work for 8 hours not plugged in and below zero. Around here, all the fuel stations have winter grade diesel starting in October and I think that helps with fuel gelling most.

I'm hoping you just got a bad batch of fuel.


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## Red Beard (Feb 13, 2010)

Tractor Supply (TSC) sells saw them last year, 110V engine heaters that are stick on. They come in several sizes. I believe that they were labeled for diesel tanks also.
I know that some of the extreme cold weather trucks use tank heaters as well as insulated lines. 
I think that it is more likely that you got some bad fuel and/or had water in the tank.


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## dirtengineer (Jun 6, 2010)

bobTHEbuilder said:


> Hrmm... what about a fuel tank warmer, they use them for the hybrid diesels that run on fry oil, something similar could act like a fish tank warmer. ? Just throwing ideas out there as I don't own a diesel.


It usually gels in the fuel filter first and once the lines are solid you are pretty much out of luck.

We work outside in Alaska year round and our drill rigs are Diesel. Little 4 cylinder Cummins 4BT. The winter fuel is a mixture of #1 and #2 Diesel or straight #1 if it is really cold, like in Fairbanks. We have had gelling problems a couple of times, usually when we travel early in the winter from south central Alaska to the interior where it is colder. Sometimes Diesel 911 works, sometimes it doesn't. Power service certainly helps and we generally put it in every tank.

I drive a Diesel every day, do not usually use additives, don't have a plug in at work, and have seen colder than -20 F. Truck does not like to start when it is that cold, but has started every time so far. I always fuel at places that turn over their fuel regularly.


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## CdnOutback (Apr 16, 2010)

Living in Winnipeg, I have found that the truck starts way better when I use 10-50 synthetic oil. It has started without plug in even at -25c. I think that's about -15F..


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## bobTHEbuilder (Jan 4, 2011)

dirtengineer said:


> Hrmm... what about a fuel tank warmer, they use them for the hybrid diesels that run on fry oil, something similar could act like a fish tank warmer. ? Just throwing ideas out there as I don't own a diesel.


It usually gels in the fuel filter first and once the lines are solid you are pretty much out of luck.

We work outside in Alaska year round and our drill rigs are Diesel. Little 4 cylinder Cummins 4BT. The winter fuel is a mixture of #1 and #2 Diesel or straight #1 if it is really cold, like in Fairbanks. We have had gelling problems a couple of times, usually when we travel early in the winter from south central Alaska to the interior where it is colder. Sometimes Diesel 911 works, sometimes it doesn't. Power service certainly helps and we generally put it in every tank.

I drive a Diesel every day, do not usually use additives, don't have a plug in at work, and have seen colder than -20 F. Truck does not like to start when it is that cold, but has started every time so far. I always fuel at places that turn over their fuel regularly.
[/quote]

Ahh I see, that would be quite a bit of work to get heated lines and insulate the fuel filter =\. Lucky that you get to travel so darn much!


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