Add fuel to diesel , is this a myth ? To prevent gelling

What "fuel" are you referring to?

 

Add one gallon of WHAT fuel? Gasoline? Kerosene? Rocket fuel? Aviation gas? Plasma infused Kryptonite? Jack Daniels?

 

Fuel? What type of fuel? When you travel to the Northwestern US states, you will find #1 diesel available at the pumps, and sometimes a #1 and #2 blend. Straight #1 diesel is very resistant to gelling in cold temps, but provides little lubrication to the fuel system. A blend is better for your engine, but will gel at higher temperatures.

There are anti-gel additives available at the truck stops. Read and follow the directions for the temperatures that you are likely to encounter on your trip. I've driven in temps as low as -20F using regular #2 diesel and never had a gelling problem.

 

Some people would add 1 gallon of gasoline to their fuel in really cold weather

 

Next time you fuel up don't pour the fuel additive in the tank, rub it on the outside of your tanks. Works down to -30F.

 

I drive to Fargo every week from Texas. Winterized #2 fuel will get me to -5 degrees. After that the truck suffers greatly. I top off with a 50/50 mix of #1 and #2 fuel in Vermillion South Dakota if the temps are going to be below 0 between there and Fargo in the next 24 hours. There are many factors involved and it seems two trucks of the same make and engine will behave differently in -0 weather.

If you have never gelled up, as soon as you feel your truck losing power it's game over. You will limp to a stop and by forcing it down the road you are going to starve your engine quicker thus losing valuable heat that you could have used while waiting for a road service. The one time I have gelled up, I was towed to a heated garage where my truck sat overnight while I got a room. I was about frozen in the two hours it took the tow to get there.

The OP, you're doing the right thing by asking questions and there is lot's of info on this forum regarding extreme cold temps and preventing gelling. Once you gell up your truck and get stranded, it likely won't happen to you again. People from the northern US and Canada are tough SOB's! No way in HE-LL could I live in that cold, it will kill you slowly and painfully if you're not prepared for it.

 

I'm pretty sure they mean a gallon of gas. Years ago, before additives, old-timers used to do that, but I think with today's engines it would do more harm than good. Most fuel is blended today, so if your fuel does gel, something isn't right where you bought fuel. (selling straight #2 at a blended pump) When in doubt, get some additive, Howe's or FPPF (I think) and you should be fine.

 

Yea, and do not go walking for help in the cold either if you haven't the gear for cold weather. That half a mile hike could be the last hike you ever do..
Frost bite is no fun....

 

anyone else notice it was old guys that knew he was talking about adding a gallon of gasoline?