Gelled fuel again!

[Exekiel69]

I was going to suggest installing a fuel heater or heat exchanger of some sort but You have one already, the water in fuel could be an extended problem. I'm not used to -30 temps but how about some fuel dryer like sea foam and the like?

 

[Papabear]

so would adding methanol to the tank help? Something like gas line antifreeze?

methanol is bad for diesels bad bad bad not only does it have no lubricity at all it also literally dries the fuel out (it is an alcohol therefore a degreaser).

 

[Full Monte]

I don't live in a cold area like yours. One comment...reconsider RUG. Even Mercedes recommends it for low temperature operation at 5% mix. They wouldn't do this if there was a chance it would kill some engines and cause them to pay out large claims.

 

[Papabear]

when i build my project truck i am contemplating adding a circuit to my heater core circuit that will run the length of the fuel lines at least as far as the tranny perhaps all the way back to the rea diff not sure yet and yes i will of course valve it so i can turn it off the concept is applied on alot of the big rigs up here in the great white north.
PS santa stopped by this morning i had to give him a boost his battery was dead and hell i gotta be a good neighbour

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

It is very hard to correctly diagnose a situation when the world around you is frozen and windy.

That being said, when fuel has been properly treated with antigel, and it appears that yours should be, and other trucks with the same treatment are passing by un-gelled, while yours is shut down, I tend to speculate that you are possibly getting water entrained into the fuel lines and the resulting slushy mess appears similar to waxed/gelled fuel.


Ice or gelled fuel, they both act the same by shutting down the engine, and both are "cured" by heating the air surrounding the fuel system, either by artificial means, or by warmer weather; so, it is a very hard call to make.


Whenever a truck gells (or freezes up), it would be ideal if we could collect samples, both from the filter and from the fuel-line ahead of the filter, plus a sample from the tank, and have it analyzed, in order to know for sure just what is going on.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

i am contemplating adding a circuit to my heater core circuit that will run the length of the fuel lines

I recently saw a Dodge/Cummins that ran on used cooking oil.

The fuel-lines were enclosed within heater-hoses for the full length, supply and return, with the hot coolant circulating throughout.


These were store-bought lines made so from a factory.

There were special fittings to allow the fuel in and out of the coolant-hose.

In sub-zero conditions, it really isn't a bad idea.

 

[opusd2]

Ok, I have to say this. Just add some Kerosene or #1 to your tank to help with the blend of the fuel. You CAN run on straight K1 (Kerosene) or #1 fuel, but it not only has much fewer BTU's per gallon but also less lubricity. When fuel is blended for winter, it classically has been blended up to 50% #2 and 50% #1 and there should be a LOT fewer problems.

If you have gelling, just try adding some kerosene (or #1) in your tanks for blending, it WILL help!

But besides that as extra precaution because our International tractors aren't shedded in the winter, I add a can of Isopropyl (or a can of red HEET) per 10 gallons of fuel besides. Oh, and if I have the extra money, Power Service is the choice.

 

[Exekiel69]

I recently saw a Dodge/Cummins that ran on used cooking oil.

The fuel-lines were enclosed within heater-hoses for the full length, supply and return, with the hot coolant circulating throughout.


These were store-bought lines made so from a factory.

There were special fittings to allow the fuel in and out of the coolant-hose.

In sub-zero conditions, it really isn't a bad idea.

Do You have a Part # or site where He got them from?

I made My own but unless this are the ones they sell on the bio fuel sites I didn't know they made them elsewhere

 

[opusd2]

There is a product similar to what is being described (if I am imagining it correctly) that is used as a heat exchanger with outdoor furnace systems in their function of exchanging heat into water heater systems. I'll see if I can find the piece to reference.

 

[Agnem]

Ron, where is the fuel freezing up? How do you fix it? (picturing you on your back doing what I was doing along the PA turnpike in 07') It sounds like it's not freezing at the filter, so it must be in the lines. No doubt it is colder back towards the tank. Sounds like you need to take some of the bad fuel you scoop out, and get it analyzed to determine water content.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Ron, where is the fuel freezing up? How do you fix it? (picturing you on your back doing what I was doing along the PA turnpike in 07') It sounds like it's not freezing at the filter, so it must be in the lines. No doubt it is colder back towards the tank. Sounds like you need to take some of the bad fuel you scoop out, and get it analyzed to determine water content.

Yup yer right except I was doing snow angels under the truck instead.

Mel, it's freezing and getting hung up at the electric fuel pump just forward of the selector valve.
The quick fix I did to get it nosed into the shop was just blowing the fuel back into the tank from the pump and let the extra dose of additive do it's magic.

The electric pump pretty much lets me know cause it changes tone when it starts pulling vacuum.

Last year when I had the water in fuel issue it was lik 6 degrees out with no wind and I was able to get a sample. Sunday at 0 degrees and the high winds were less than ideal situations to spend the time to draw samples.

If I get my buddies truck repaired tonight, I plan on taking a sample before I run fresh fuel in there.

After last nights plowing ventures I run that tank near empty and it only stumbled twice.