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Thinning diesel fuel?

Started by Joe Hillmann, January 02, 2015, 12:47:32 PM

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Joe Hillmann

Can diesel fuel used for coolant/solvent on the blade be thinned with regular gas?  I like the way diesel keeps the blades clean but it was below zero this morning and the diesel was too thick to flow through my lines. 

beenthere

This would be a good time to try that.  :)

Thought diesel would flow in below zero temps. But guess it does not.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

caveman

I would be reluctant to thin using gasoline.  There was a post of a fellow milling a log in Qatar earlier today that had sparks coming off his blade guide roller. 

Caveman

Joe Hillmann

It turns out I wasn't using diesel.  The neighbor I got it from stopped by while I was trying to warm up the lines and he told me it was fuel oil.   I blew the lines out with an air compressor and went to the gas station and got some winter blend diesel.  It is still thick but at this temp (12 degrees now) it flows without a problem.

Southside

You can mix diesel with kerosene to make it flow when cold. Which is basically what winter fuel oil is.
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Chuck White

Fuel oil and diesel fuel are basically the same thing, just different color.

Sometimes they just add a dye so that they are different colors for tax purposes, but winter mix is thinned with another additive.

You can get the antijel additive at Tractor Supply, Walmart, etc.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

barbender

Kerosene is a good thinner for your purpose. Up here, fuel oil and off road diesel are the same thing. BTW, I have seen #2 diesel that wouldn't flow before, but that was before the ULSD (ultra low sulfur). A guy that was hauling with me pulled up to the #2 diesel pump on a morning that was -30, he was complaining to me that it wouldn't even pump. I told him that was a good sign that he didn't want any of that kind ::)
Too many irons in the fire

jaygtree

i've always thought fuel oil and diesel fuel were the same thing and kerosene was a better grade  fuel oil.  here in northern wisconsin they sell #2 fuel oil that will jell when cold and #1 fuel oil that will not jell. fuel oil and off road diesel is dyed red since they do not collect road tax on these products. keroseene or #1 fo would work for a cold weather lube w/o jelling.   jayg
i thought i was wrong once but i wasn't.   atv, log arch, chainsaw and ez boardwalk jr.

ozarkgem

Go to your local airport and get 5 gal of Jet Fuel. Good to -60 or more.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

Joe Hillmann

Quote from: jaygtree on January 02, 2015, 11:22:50 PM
i've always thought fuel oil and diesel fuel were the same thing and kerosene was a better grade  fuel oil.  here in northern wisconsin they sell #2 fuel oil that will jell when cold and #1 fuel oil that will not jell. fuel oil and off road diesel is dyed red since they do not collect road tax on these products. keroseene or #1 fo would work for a cold weather lube w/o jelling.   jayg

I got curious and looked it up.  #1 & #2 are meant for engine fuel and can be clear for road or dyed red for off road.  #4 is meant for heating is dyed and its weight and gelling properties are changed depending on the climate of where it is being sold.  #6 heating fuel is dyed and is the thickest of all but is only meant for barrels that are inside a heated building.


Brucer

Don't thin diesel with gas. Period.

In my neck of the woods, diesel and fuel oil come from the same tank at the distributers ::).

Diesel has wax dissolved in it. It acts as a lubricant. It also solidifies (or gels) is there's too much and the temperature is cold. Kerosene is a refined version of diesel, without the wax. Common practice is to thin the diesel with kerosene if it started to gel.

Summer diesel usually has more wax than winter diesel. If your timing is bad, you can end up with the wrong stuff in cold weather.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Doug Wis

   I added a little 911 diesel fuel conditioner to my diesel blade lub tank this week. Seemed to help although the  weather warmed as the week went on.   Have got a  Cooks flow valve setup and had trouble with either too much flow or not   enough.  But have had a lot of trouble with diesel equipment gelling up this year. Have had to add 911 to anything I have to use in the cold weather.
A man who says he can do everything at 65 that he did at 25 sure wasn't doing much at 25.

barbender

My understanding was that 911 isn't really a conditioner, it's meant only for emergencies (like gelled up on the side of the road). I think the label even says not to use it unless completely necessary. No big deal for your blade lube, but regular Power service fuel conditioner or something similar is better for engines.
Too many irons in the fire

thecfarm

I would mix the diesel with some kero.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

barbender

Quote from: thecfarm on January 04, 2015, 10:06:47 AM
I would mix the diesel with some kero.

     X2, if you are just thinning it for blade lube, that would have to be the cheapest route.
Too many irons in the fire

Doug Wis

     Barbender:  I guess I didn't read the label that close. Most stores have 911 and another product side by side. [can't remember the name] . It got my machinery to run so I must have had an emergency. thanks for the tip.
A man who says he can do everything at 65 that he did at 25 sure wasn't doing much at 25.

thecfarm

The 911 comes in a red bottle,the regular stuff is a white bottle. I try to use the white bottle all the time.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

barbender

Doug, I had to go to the PowerService website to brush up on my info. I didn't see any warnings about only using it in emergencies. Either they changed the formula, or, quite possibly, I was just plain wrong ::) It seems the difference with the 911 is that it also contains a de-icer. Either way, it's an expensive way to thin your blade lube ;)
Too many irons in the fire

Doug Wis

   With the cooks wick system it takes very little diesel to keep the blade clean. have got a 2gal tank off an old cub cadet mounted on top, and it lasts many thousands of feet. Have never really kept track of how long it lasts. But the label on the 911 bottle says mostly for emergencies caused by gelling. So didn't really thin the diesel, just put enough in to eliminate  some gelling.
A man who says he can do everything at 65 that he did at 25 sure wasn't doing much at 25.

4x4American

I agree, thin with kerosene, or you might try to add a de-gel additive type deal to your blade lube.  The regular white powerservice bottle is most likely best for your blade lube.  The 911 is meant for an emergency, what you do is remove your fuel filter, empty it out, fill it up with 911 and dump the rest in your tank.  I would think that since it's meant to go right into your fuel filter its not a full concentrate like an additive. 
Boy, back in my day..

Billbob

Agreed.  Mix diesel with kerosene. 
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oros35

Quote from: Southside logger on January 02, 2015, 02:50:35 PM
You can mix diesel with kerosene to make it flow when cold. Which is basically what winter fuel oil is.
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Solomon

Quote from: Joe Hillmann on January 02, 2015, 12:47:32 PM
Can diesel fuel used for coolant/solvent on the blade be thinned with regular gas?  I like the way diesel keeps the blades clean but it was below zero this morning and the diesel was too thick to flow through my lines.
Don't use Gasoline.  Go to your local auto parts store and buy a good guality fuell stabilizer for diesel fuel.   One that specificly addresses gelling of the fuel on it's labeling.
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