Treating Gelled Diesel?

Went to start the diesel tractor to feed a couple round bales this morning. Tractor cranked slowly, but started. After a few seconds it died. It cranked and started a second time and died almost immediately. I suspect the diesel fuel has gelled/jelled??? I'm gonna try a tarp and torpedo heater to get it going. If I do, what can I do to treat the diesel fuel? Why do we have summer diesel in the tractor in the winter? Of course, because it NEVER gets that cold here in south Texas! :-( It was about 15 this morning with a wind chill of zero. kelly

There are multiple products. Power Service, and Howes are two that are popular. Truck stops should have them for vehicles going into Colorado and north. Call as I don't live there to make assurances of that fact. -4 degrees here now in central MN. Jim

Kelly I use Power Service year round, Ctane booster in warm weather and the antijell in the dead of winter. 14 degrees here this morning.

Typically a diesel started in the cold with #2 fuel would have run for a longer time, 'til wax crystals clogged the fuel filter.

If it stalled that quickly moisture in a low point of the fuel system may have frozen.

This post was edited by wore out on 12/23/2022 at 10:26 am.

That's not really cold enough for gelling fuel. But instead it's likely you have water in the system that has frozen. Your most likely going to need new filters and some isopropyl inbthe tank.

I add howes diesel treatment before it gets cold and buy winter blend diesel.

Just add some Gasoline to the tank or number 1 fuel at a larger quantity. For a 20 gallon tank I would add about 5-10 gallon of 1 to the fuel and change the filters. when done feeding I would shut off the tanks and blow out the lines from tank to engine. then bleed the lines. Or put about a gallon of gas in the 20 gallon tank. This is for full tanks or close to it. All the snake oil is good for is spending cash on. I would also check with my distributor foe winter blend fuel in the future and have it delivered ahead of time like in October or November.

I would almost bet that the fuel did not jell that quick . But I live in South Dakota and have had moisture freeze in fuel If that is the case I have added a quart of alcohol to thaw them out.

Kelly, I had the same thing this afternoon (just outside of Fbg.). It was 7 here this morning, tractor in the barn. I had a 300 gal. tote full of water on the loader. I knew the water troughs would be frozen so I had the tote ready to go. I always add Howes or Lucas to the diesel, but evidently not enough. Went to other barn full of hay and one of the tractors in there started right up. Hay barn quite a bit warmer.

Usually gelling they die after you let it warm 60 seconds, then drive about 600 feet. About a fuel filters worth of fuel use.

With yours dying so quick, I too wonder if a spot of water in the lines or filter plugging things up?

As I mentioned below, I often get a very temporary fix with 2 gallons of hot water poured on the fuel filter, longer you can keep the warm water on the filter, and give it a couple moments for the heat to soak in. Can often limp back to the shed and electricity, where a magnetic heater can help more over time.

My first diesel tractor had the plug in coolant tank heater right below the fuel filter. Heat from the coolant rose up to keep the filter warm. I never knew there was a gel issue with summer diesel, that worked perfect.

The red bottle of Power Service 911 will clean things up even on a gelled deal but is hard on your tractor. And takes time to soak around.

The white bottle will usually keep fuel from gelling but sometimes you need to mix more than you expect.

Blending #1 is best, or some kerosene.

Ive heard of using a few % of gasoline, but a modern engine has a lot of fussy stuff Id be careful trying old ideas......

Here in Minnesota we have 2% soybean oil in diesel in winter, up to 20% in summer diesel. If you forget and have summer diesel in your tank, that can need a lot of anti-gel to keep flowing!

Hope this cold snap is brief for all you southern folk. You arent set up for it, any more than we are up here for what we are dealing with.

Paul

I use BG diesel thaw and Howes when something is gelled up. Install new filters pre-filling with Howes and diesel thaw. Pour some thaw in the fuel tank as well. Plug in the block heater. Hook up battery charger or jumper pack or both. Set up a nipco heater on the fuel filters. Maybe a little ether. You might get it running.

Did this on a JD 8370RT that was gelled up on Wednesday. 0 deg F with snow coming down. Battery charger, jumper pack, block heater, Howes, BG diesel Thaw, one set of new filters, nipco heater, ether. You name it, I threw it at it! Got it running.

no lead works fastest about a gallon per 25 gallon diesel in 15 degree temps

I used to always use Howes in my trucks.

(quoted from post at 10:57:04 12/23/22) Went to start the diesel tractor to feed a couple round bales this morning. Tractor cranked slowly, but started. After a few seconds it died. It cranked and started a second time and died almost immediately. I suspect the diesel fuel has gelled/jelled??? I'm gonna try a tarp and torpedo heater to get it going. If I do, what can I do to treat the diesel fuel? Why do we have summer diesel in the tractor in the winter? Of course, because it NEVER gets that cold here in south Texas! :-( It was about 15 this morning with a wind chill of zero. kelly

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There are different things that you can do, but it depends on how much time you have. You will need to change the filters. First, last, or in between. Like John posted, pre-fill them with gasoline, red 911, whatever you like.