Has anyone here actually had their fuel gel?

[BudTX]

And if so, at what temperature? Were you running any additives?

I run Power Service white bottle in the winter, and have not had problems yet. This Sunday, however, it is supposed to get down to 0 degrees F, and in the minus numbers on Monday. I do not want a dead truck while I am driving.

 

[Unit453]

Not completely gel but at -10 with my 04.5 LLY repeatedly threw 1093's if I gave it too much throttle because it was starting to gel up. I dont remember if I was using additive or not but I'm pretty sure I ran Power Services back then before I switched to Stanadyne.

I pretty much learned my lesson not to use too much throttle when it was bitter cold.

 

[btfarm]

I haven't and have always used the white PS any time it's going to be below 20*. I park in my wood stove heated shop at night so it's never below about 30* by morning. I do park outside all day so I've had some -20* starts a few times. I also NEVER run any BIO mix from 11/1 to 4/1. The problem I see for you guys down south is that your winter blend isn't geared for real low temps like ours. A guy here at work with a new LMM dually gelled 2 weeks ago after filling up with B20 in southern Illinois and after he got up here in Zero to +10* weather with a fresh fuel filter from before his trip. I suggested he drain it, pour some 911 in the filter about 1/2 way up, put it back on and prime it. That did the trick for him. His first indication of the problem was when he got on it hard and it fell on it's face like Nick suggested.

 

[Idle_Chatter]

I had my aux tank gel when I shifted to it at 5 AM in the middle of nowhere at 25 below. I was running FPPF treatment, but came to realize later that the aluminum tank actually "scavenged" some of the additive because of the molecular bonding of the lubricity component to the metal plate. Long story short, I got it refired and made it to work on the residual fuel in my OEM tank. Went out mid afternoon at a "balmy" minus 11 and super dosed and got the aux tank mixed and running so I could make it back to town that evening.

If you are doing normal treatment you shouldn't have any issues at zero, Bud. You have to pay more attention at sub-zero temps, and ULSD has a "normal" cloud temp of plus 10 F.

 

[stacks04]

i have been using the power service for a while now, and never 1 issue. it gets below 0 here for a bit during the winter. you'll be fine.

 

[Mad Maxx]

I haven't had any issues yet. Been using Power Service White Bottle in the Winter, but I just recently tried Howes Lubricator. So we'll how this stuff does in the Winter. I noticed it Smokes ALOT less with the Howes VS Power Service too.

 

[Unit453]

If you are doing normal treatment you shouldn't have any issues at zero, Bud. You have to pay more attention at sub-zero temps, and ULSD has a "normal" cloud temp of plus 10 F.

I think that also depends on where you are and the percentage of the fuel that they cut. I know up in Watertown NY where I moved from, it was generally a 75% diesel 25% kerosene mix due to our temps. The further north you go, the more they'd mix it with kero. Not all states do a winter blend though. I saw a map of the US at one point and there was a cut off to where the northern states would get it and below the line, they didnt. The east coast was around Maryland on up got it but south of that didnt. I'm not sure about the mid west though.

The blend we ran was supposedly good for -25 or so. I still used additives anyways though.

 

[Z79outlaw]

I used to be paranoid about running PS every tank but, then I got kinda lax on it, and have never had a problem, but every station here sells winter blend, and some stations will pay for service done to your vehicle because of gelling or other forms of bad fuel.

 

[FF_Opie]

I run straight number 2 with Power Service and have never had an issue.

 

[BudTX]

Sunday and Monday will be the test for me. The truck will be outside without access to a plug.

If you hear screams of profanity, you will know the source.

 

[Ozzie]

Up here in Minnesota we can get downright chilly...probably kill most of you...):h

Last year I learned something the hard way. I USED to keep a bottle Stanadyne in the back of my truck for fills. One day it was below zero out and I went to fill up, the Stanadyne was slushy...thinking nothing of it, I filled and went on my way. Shortly after that I was about half throttle and threw a code. Panic set in. I wasn't ready to deal with this crap in the cold.
I ran up and got me some 911 and threw it in the tank. It saved my butt and now it never leaves me.

What did I learn...not to seek warmer climates like I should've, but to keep the Stanadyne in the house all nice and toasty waiting to be used. If it has to be in the truck for the day, it's under the heater getting thawed before I use it.

 

[btfarm]

Stanadyne turning slushy doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling about it as an anti gel...From all indications it's an excellent lubricity additive though. I guess I'll stick with the PS. Wish I could trust BIO in winter. That's some good lubricity but only in warm months for me.

 

[12ga diesel]

Not completely gel but at -10 with my 04.5 LLY repeatedly threw 1093's if I gave it too much throttle because it was starting to gel up. I dont remember if I was using additive or not but I'm pretty sure I ran Power Services back then before I switched to Stanadyne.

I pretty much learned my lesson not to use too much throttle when it was bitter cold.

Had something like that happen to me as well. With my '05, and just a couple weeks ago with my LMM. Was about 3* in the morning, on the way to work and went to pass someone doing 40 mph in a 55 zone. Got about even with the other car, and the truck just quit putting power out. Lagged for about 2 seconds, and then the power came back. Have been running the white bottle of Power Service all winter since the temps have stayed under 20*. Never a real problem with fuel gelling but might have had it get a little "thick".

 

[TIM Z]

Never a problem with Power service yet. My truck sits in an un heated garage right now, never had to plug it in yet either.

 

[NAR]

Never in the truck, and it's been down to -30, -50 with wind chill. Started it without being plugged in that cold too. The places here run straight number 2 with stanadyne in it, because the local truckers bitched about losing mpg with a #1 mix. Does start to make you worry driving along and can't even get the windows defogged on the sides cause it's so cold... But no problems yet.

I have had tractors gell a few times because they hadn't been fueled since earlier in the year and still had summer fuel. Changed filters and put power service in the tank and filled it up and it was fine.

Several truckers swear that gas at 1/100 gallons works great.

 

[BKDespain]

I have ran Howes for about a year. All last winter and all summer. I haven't had any issues with gelling or injectors whatsoever. I notice less smoke with the howes also than with PS white or grey. We have been down to 0* and the LBZ fires right up.

 

[Drew]

I have no additive in mine and mine is sitting outside in 1 degree weather...which reminds me I had better go run a cord and timer to it for the commute to work tomorrow.

 

[RayMich]

I have not had any problems with this truck (knock on wood!). I have been using Stanadyne Performance Formula in every tank ever since I bought the truck new 3 years ago.

I've had the truck sit outside overnight at -10*F before and had no problem starting or running even though I have never plugged in the engine block heater.

I had diesel fuel gel on me only ONCE in my life. - That was on December 1983 while on my way to work early one morning with temperatures at -10*F. Back then, diesel fuel additives were not widely available and the only recommendations by the auto companies at that time were to either run #1 diesel or add up to 5% gasoline to the #2 diesel fuel.

That fateful morning, I was driving my 8 month old Chevette Diesel when the fuel gelled and the engine died. It was a very bright sunny day but colder than the proverbial "witch's boob". I was able to pull over to the side of the road and reached for the door handle to exit the car, when an IDIOT college professor driving an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, who claims he didn't see me in broad daylight, rear-ended me at about 40 MPH, so hard that the car was shortened to about HALF its original length. Fortunately no one was sitting in the back seat or they would have been killed instantly. The rear axle ended up just about UNDER the front seat.

All that kept going through my mind was that my two boys had been riding in the back seat the night before. Needless to say I refuse to own a tiny car any more.

I learned my lesson about using a good quality diesel fuel additive at all times and Stanadyne has taken care of me in every diesel I've owned since that fateful day.

 

[Drew]

I should have kept my mouth shut.

The truck sat outside lastnight, got down to 1 degree for most of the night and was a balmy 3 when I got up.

I went out at 4am and plugged the truck in. At around 9, I went out and the truck started right up. I kicked in high idle for about 15 minutes before I left.

Got about 1 mile down the road and it started losing power and died.....had to have the wife come and tow me back home.

I dumped some anti-fel fuel additive in and got it barely started, but enough to pull it into the barn where it currently sits.

I suppose I never had problems in the past because the truck sat inside last winter.

 

[woodchuck2]

I think that also depends on where you are and the percentage of the fuel that they cut. I know up in Watertown NY where I moved from, it was generally a 75% diesel 25% kerosene mix due to our temps. The further north you go, the more they'd mix it with kero. Not all states do a winter blend though. I saw a map of the US at one point and there was a cut off to where the northern states would get it and below the line, they didnt. The east coast was around Maryland on up got it but south of that didnt. I'm not sure about the mid west though.

The blend we ran was supposedly good for -25 or so. I still used additives anyways though.

X2, i dont run any additives anymore and havent for almost 2 years now. I only get my fuel at the local station here in town. He sells gas, fuel and runs 4 home fuel delivery trucks. He marks right on the pump how much he is cuting with kero. He has been cutting 50-50% for the last month. All of his trucks fill up from the same pump as everyone else i have never seen his trucks have a problem nor have i ever had a problem. Last winter the truck saw -20 often and it never gelled.