First Time in 27 Years...

[HammerDown]

First time in 27 years...my fuel gelled!

This morning I went to fire the truck, good-long GP burn, turn the key and it fired-up > then 5 seconds it died hard!
Not sure what to do I called the master AKA 'Mel' and he explained to me, the fuel most likely gelled at the small IP inlet orifice.

He suggested I put a hair dryer (I used a heat gun) directed at the IP inlet with a blanket over top to create a little oven effect.
Performed the above for about 5 minutes, cycled GP and gave it the 'slightest' whiff of Starting Fluid...she cranked and sputter then she fired and stayed running!
BTW I know to NEVER use starting-fluid when GP's are burning

My Walmart only had Power Service in the Silver bottle and the White bottle > Diesel Fuel winterizer/antigel.
No Red 911 in stock.

I Doubled dosed it with the White bottle, the engine really took on a nice quiet note...I'll see how it starts tomorrow am.

Thanks again to Mel for directing me to the path taken

 

[icanfixall]

A hair dryer pointed at the injection pump will work wonders. Throwing a blanket over it increases the effect too.

 

[marmot]

Ya'll are too far south to get a winter blend I guess, I have gelled the winter blend of #1 and #2 diesel twice now both times it was below -30f and at that temp you just stoke the fire up and wait for warmer weather with a diesel. The only truck I had that would start without plugging in when it was that cold was a 1986 fj60, all the rest gas or diesel failed.

 

[79jasper]

I'm sure he gets it.
We do in Oklahoma.

Sent from my SM-T537R4 using Tapatalk

 

[marmot]

I believe the amount of kerosene(#1) in the winter mix is quite a bit lower in the lower middle west and south east. Gel point of our mix in MT is -20f while straight #2 is at about +17f. It takes quite a while at or below those gel temps to actually get the fuel cold enough to gel. Then you have to actually warm the fuel quite a bit above the gel point to get the paraffin to go back into solution, the so called remix temp.

Looks like it got down to about 8F in your neck of the woods so I'd bet that is well below the gel temp of yer fuel. Good work getting it going.

 

[ironworker40]

We absolutely get winter blend here. I have never seen anything published on what the mix is. Where are you getting the mix ratio's from? Also with low sulfer fuel are they still using a kerosene mix in the winter or something else?
Another thing to do if fuel gels is to leave the key on so the fuel heater is on if yours is still equipped with one, while you use the heat gun.
Hammerdown what brand fuel are you running? I try only to run Hess or Raceway. Mine started fine yesterday after sitting all week, but I plugged it in for 4 hrs first. I'm wainting for the real cold sunday night to see how it does not plugged in.

 

[HammerDown]

We absolutely get winter blend here. I have never seen anything published on what the mix is. Where are you getting the mix ratio's from? Also with low sulfer fuel are they still using a kerosene mix in the winter or something else?
Another thing to do if fuel gels is to leave the key on so the fuel heater is on if yours is still equipped with one, while you use the heat gun.
Hammerdown what brand fuel are you running? I try only to run Hess or Raceway. Mine started fine yesterday after sitting all week, but I plugged it in for 4 hrs first. I'm wainting for the real cold sunday night to see how it does not plugged in.

This tank of fuel was from a Citgo in Williamstown NJ...filled both tanks because it was cheaper then here on the Pa side.
Anyhow, the truck fired fight off this morning, it lite so quick I thought it was going to bust away from the engine mounts.
The engine REALLY likes this double dose of the PS White bottle.

Another test will be tomorrow and Monday morning...calling for the coldest temps since 1888

BTW, I have no idea 'if' the fuel filter heater is still working, but my bet after 27 years...very doubtful.

 

[marmot]

Should say your winter blend's gel point on the pump. At least our pumps do. Kerosene is also known as #1 diesel. I do know that the mix varies, probably because #1 is expensive and we all know how those oil companies roll. Plug in your block heater if you've got one or start the truck before you go to bed and let it get warm then throw a blanket(not your wifes) on the engine and close the hood. Thats what the trucker across the street from me did in MN when I was a kid, of course he did incinerate his mack one day with a pan of charcoal under the oil pan. I have used the blanket trick and it works fine. Good luck wish we had winter.

 

[ironworker40]

http://www.xtremediesel.com/XDP-Polar-D-Winter-Formula-Diesel-Fuel-Additive-XDPD216.aspx
I have been use this with good results. I use their summer blend in the warm weather. The bottle is convenient, makes it simple to measure and store behind the seat. I never seen that info on pumps around here. I would forget about the blanket and that wouldn't be good, worse than a cat. I use the block heater a lot ,but sometimes I like to see if it will start when it's extremely cold and I don't have to anywhere important with it. It's like changing light switches and receptacles without shutting the breaker off lol. I think I'll leave it unplugged tonight it's supposed to be O with wind chills -20 below.

 

[marmot]

I'm jealous winter is not showing up this year in SW MT.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Well it's -3*F here in Ohio now at 10:30 AM, wind chill is -20*F. To damn cold to go out and try to start. But we have beautiful Sun Shine. Still have Summer blend in the 99, haven't driven it for almost 2 yrs.

 

[HammerDown]

Update...
this morning was zero with temps windchill -10 degrees +
Didn't use the block heater (never really do)
Long GP burn, turn the key...engine went around 2-3 times and...BAM...it fired so hard I though it was coming through the hood!

to Power-Service in the White Bottle!

 

[dunk]

I'd guess temps around 0 today, mine cranked a few times sputtering then lit off pretty rough, stalled after 10 seconds or so. Cranked again with pedal about halfway and roared to life with a plume of smoke and smoothed out quick. I usually do not allow it to go on high idle immediately on a cold start, I let it run a few seconds to get oil pressure up. I do run synthetic which I'm sure helps, also put synthetic in the 460 truck since it tends to sit and only gets driven in extreme cold and snow. Hated waiting for oil pressure on cold starts with dino oil, now it comes up much faster on both the 460 and the IDI. Anyhow, I'm down by that Citgo in Williamstown regularly but never got fuel there. I'm not picky, I usually go wherever is cheapest. My last fuel was Hess on the pike and before that Wawa further down, never had a problem.

I must say this winter has been no problem so far since doing a new pair of group 31s and new 2/0 cables. World of difference over last year on old batteries with junky cables. I think my starting issues last winter when temps were single digits was from cranking too slow.

 

[ironworker40]

Mine lit off today no problem too, no block heater. Use the block heater if you can it makes them happier when the start. If you see a raceway get fuel there. I always see a mpg improvement running it. See what you guys think. It's all personal preference anyway.

 

[Agnem]

I killed my PSD yesteday trying to get it warmed up. It started in 6 degree weather just fine, but ran like crap, just barely staying alive. I tried to nurse it along, and when I accelerated, nothing happened. A few moments later it got slower and slower until it died. No doubt my fuel is gelled up. That tank did not have an additive in it. *shakes head* The cobblers children have no shoes.