fuel jelling

Nemologger · January 26, 2014, 10:54:56 PM

Has anyone else had more jelling problems this year than normal? I always start treating my fuel in late October and never have had any jelling issues...until this year. A lot of other guys around here say the same thing. Do you think they have added something in the fuel this year to cause this?

VLACOSSE · January 26, 2014, 11:14:37 PM

We have had a lot of trouble this year as well. I don't know what the temp rang is by you but its been mostly below zero where I'm at. I think the fuel is getting worse and worse just like the gas did. I use sea foam and that works well for me.

Southside · January 26, 2014, 11:16:26 PM

Is it jelling or waxing? I have read the ULSD has more of a waxing problem in filters and such at higher temperatures than the older fuel.

BargeMonkey · January 27, 2014, 12:19:51 AM

I was still working as a Bargeman when the new ULSD came out before I made Chief Engineer. They being "shell-motiva-conoco-exxonmobil" made us go to a 2 day deal to handle the new ULSD. What they dont tell you is that there is basically no lubricity in the fuel, which in turn makes it EXTREMELY sensitive to static build up. Shell learned the hard way when they blew up a few tanks down in texas killing a couple people. We treat it worse than gasoline or jet when loading it. Just throwing that out there.

chevytaHOE5674 · January 27, 2014, 06:02:08 AM

I haven't had any issues down to -30° so far this year. Pumping from the same tank that I had filled in August treated with some white bottle power service.

HiTech · January 27, 2014, 06:07:50 AM

I can remember back a few years ago my dealer got his fuel out of Canada and you could run it straight, uncut, no jelling or waxing. Ran great. That didn't last long, too much red tape i guess with crossing the Border. This year the fuel is terrible. I have a feeling it isn't jelling, it is something else. I have used more Power Service this year than ever before. Something is wrong with it.

coxy · January 27, 2014, 07:21:38 AM

I have never never put any of that anti jell crap in any thing I own the only thing I do is run white kerosene 60-40 mix with some atf never hade any thing freeze or jell or wax the reason I say never is my buddy down the road does every thing by the book and has had nothing but problems with his fuel spends more time putting heaters on his skidders tractors and loaders from putting all that junk in his fuel jmop

VLACOSSE · January 27, 2014, 08:04:16 AM

I honestly believe it is just garbage fuel. We have cleaned our tanks several time and they are spotless and we are still changing fuel filters weekly and emptying the sediment bowl daily. I agree I don't like putting additives in my fuel but at times it seems I have to. Kudos on the kerosene trick I will give that a try today seeing as when I got up at 5 this morning it was -38 outside.

jmouton · January 27, 2014, 04:23:00 PM

dude its friggen cold out at least here in michigan , i know alot of other places are cold too, but the cold here is colder that normal cold , my diesel pick-up quit working , my tractor stop in mid track while i was working ,not good , plus i think the diesel fuel is junk they make now not enough lubricants in it , just had to chime in for a minute,,

jim

Nemologger · January 27, 2014, 11:07:16 PM

Actually waxing may be a better term for the condition.

HiTech · January 28, 2014, 05:26:53 AM

Quote from: coxy on January 27, 2014, 07:21:38 AM
I have never never put any of that anti jell crap in any thing I own the only thing I do is run white kerosene 60-40 mix with some atf never hade any thing freeze or jell or wax the reason I say never is my buddy down the road does every thing by the book and has had nothing but problems with his fuel spends more time putting heaters on his skidders tractors and loaders from putting all that junk in his fuel jmop

Supposedly the fuel I run was cut 50/50. Something is not right with it.

Brleclaire · January 28, 2014, 04:23:55 PM

Was having trouble last winter when the cold weather showed up. Changing filters and fuel lines freezing all the time. The fuel place said the mixed 50/50. One day a salesman stopped by and we were discussing the issue. So he took a sample and had it analyzed. The cloud point was high and the cetane didn't even make the minimum and there was a large amount of suspended water in the fuel. Confronted fuel man with results and he came clean they were only mixing 80/20. After that we had no more problems with fuel. Finally got the right stuff and machines ran good. The newer machines we run are really fussy about fuel in cold weather. The filters with lower microns will wax/gel a lot quicker also. And most dealers tell you that with the higher pressures and finer nozzle holes that if you go to a higher micron to let the fuel flow you may damage the inj. pump or nozzles. Trying to find good fuel these day is a real chore.

Windy_Acres · January 28, 2014, 05:01:08 PM

Im running off road diesel, delivered fresh in December from a large local jobber that moves ALLOT of fuel (my neighbor works for them, I live in an AG county, everyone has an off road tank or tank trailer), treated from the jobber for winter, 100% dino, no bio. I tripple checked. The are also selling top tier fuel, and its priced accordingly, within pennies of on road diesel.

I add standayne Jr to my tank. That includes anti-gel. First cold day, my tractor froze up, at the filter. I had it running, soon as I try to move it, it would die. I dumped some 911 in it, after it got out of the minus -20 range, it went back to running.

I even asked the driver if the hose, had any bio diesel in it (I think the hose holds close to 20 gallons on the delivery truck), and he told me his truck only carried off road, non bio. So I dont know, that has not happened before. I changed out all the filters on everything in late fall. ???