Fuel gelling and icing: What causes it, the myths, and how to prevent it

Lucky us, yet another blast of arctic air is pushing south from Canada. Portions of MN, WI, IA, ND, and SD. are expecting blizzard conditions today, and actual air temps as cold as -20 to -35 tonight and Monday night.

For anyone who has ever had fuel filters ice or freeze in cold weather, it goes without saying that it is not a fun experience. I let my guard done once and only once, and it WILL NOT happen again. It does not make for a fun day having to unscrew the fuel filter on a C-15, fill it with fuel and re-prime it when its 20 below zero outside and windy on top of it.

Forget anything you know or think you knew about diesel fuel prior to 2007. When Ultra low sulfur diesel was introduced, it gave many of us up north a rude awakening. #2 ULSD simply does not have have the cold weather tolerance that diesel prior to 2007 had. If left sitting outside long enough in the elements, and untreated, it usually begins to get cloudy at 20 degrees. At 10 degrees, if left sitting outside long enough, it is not uncommon for the waxes and chemicals to separate enough to begin plugging fuel filters. If have seen trucks with summer fuel and biodiesel completely gel and ice fuel filters at zero or slightly above zero. Biodiesel is even worse performing in cold weather than the new #2 diesel.

#1 diesel, if you can find it, is very expensive but a good alternative. Two places I know of in Minnesota that sell it are the Petro in Clearwater (I-94 exit 178, and the BP in Hasty (I-94 exit 183). About $4.55 per gallon the last time I got some. Keep in mind too that all #1 road diesel sold is now ULSD, so it has lost some of its cold weather tolerance as well. Prior to 2007, it was always said that full tanks of #1 diesel will keep you safe to 40 below zero. I think a safe bet today would be more like -25. And in Minnesota, most of the #1 sold still contains some biodiesel. Also keep that in mind if you blend #1 and #2. A 50/50 mix used to be good to 20 below zero, I would say maybe -5 or -10 on a good day today if left out in the elements.

There may be some places in the far northern US and Canada that sell some sort of Arctic diesel, which is supposed to be better than #1 diesel. I don't know much about it, but most truck stops even as far north as Minneapolis do not like to even sell straight #1 diesel, it is expensive to refine, and hard to sell in anything but extreme cold weather.

The best alternative to trying to find #1 diesel which is next to impossible, is to use a good anti-gel and anti-icing additive. The most common are Power Service (Arctic Formula in the white bottle) and Howes. There are other good brands out there as well, but these two are the most common across the board. Some people swear by one or the other, I have had good luck with both. When you add them to your tanks, do it it when you fuel up, don't simply dump them in to a truck or a reefer and let it sit or they wont mix properly. If you are unable to put fuel in with the additive, add enough to your tanks to treat your remaining fuel, start up the truck, and immediately and safely rock it back and forth to mix it with your fuel. Read the bottle carefully, it clearly tells you to double the dose if you fill up with biodiesel or are operating in below zero temps. Same thing with a reefer, half a bottle is more than enough to treat a 50 gallon tank in below zero weather. Reefers and APU's do not run hot enough or circulate fuel fast enough to keep it from freezing, so this is even more important!!! After adding the additive, be sure to let truck (and reefers if applicable) run for at least 15 minutes, this way the treated fuel is able to completely circulate and saturate the fuel pump, fuel filters, injectors, and return lines.

Ignore their claims about improving fuel mileage, if you read the fine print what either one of these companies if basically saying is that their product improves fuel mileage over gelled fuel in the cold. From my experience my fuel mileage has gotten substantially worse when using these products, just like #1 diesel thinner fuel means less performance. But I would rather get 5.4 MPG in this weather, than puffing smoke on the side of the road hoping I don't freeze to death. Their purpose is to keep for fuel from freezing, and from my experience both products work well.

Here are some other helpful tips and mythbusters:

1. Keep your truck running in the extreme cold and on fast idle of at least 900RPM. Most trucks today have a pretty high fuel return rate back to the tanks, It will keep your fuel warm and circulating, and mixing. As I stated above, Reefers and APUs don't circulate fuel fast enough or keep it warm enough to prevent fuel from gelling. If you have a reefer or shut the truck off to use the APU, you must treat your fuel!

2. Filter plugging is not only caused by sub-zero cold temps, but also "waxing." As I mentioned above, even at temps above zero the chemicals in fuel can separate if left sitting long enough in the elements. If you leave a truck sit outside in the elements in the extreme cold for days, it is best to start it a few times a day and let it run for maybe a half hour, even with treated fuel.

3. Keep your tanks full or as close to full as possible!!! Another cause of filter plugging is moisture buildup from near-empty tanks. When you pull your fuel caps off in below zero weather, usually you will notice the insides are coated with ice crystals. This is what can happen to the walls of your fuel tanks if you run a diesel truck down to "E" in the cold. You are also that much ahead of the game if you do get stranded with full tanks. With as bad as biodiesel can be, you are better off with full tanks of biodiesel, than a low fuel light with the supposed winterized fuel that the TA sold you 900 miles ago.

4. DO NOT ASSUME that just because a truck stop claims they are selling winterized fuel, that you can safely fuel up there and don't need to treat your fuel. Even up north, most truck stops are only going to use enough additive or #1 in their own tanks to allow it to pump through the hose and nozzle. Once whatever garbage they are selling gets into your tanks, it becomes your problem. It is usually pointless to ask the cashier what temp their fuel is guaranteed to or how much #1 diesel they have mixed, usually they will just stare at you with a glazed-over herp-derp look on their face. If there is any questions or doubt, treat you fuel!

5. Ignore the word "wind chill" when dealing with trucks. Wind chill is a word used for the way human skin feels wind in the cold. Plastic, Aluminum, Iron, Steel, Oil, Fuel, and Rubber do not feel wind chills, only actual temperatures. It is possible to have 15 degree temps with wind chills well below zero. No matter how windy it is, your truck still "feels" 15 degrees no matter what. A windy day will bring the components to 15 degrees quicker, but to your truck 15 degrees is 15 degrees and only that no matter what.

6. Here is a link to the Kwik Trip in Tomah, WI and their fuel prices: http://www.kwiktrip.com/Locations/Details/796/

Their winterized fuel is a 30%/70% blend of clear #1/#2 diesel, which is a pretty good deal if you ask me. Most other places are 20% or less. Here are some important things to remember too: lets say Georgia is the last place you filled up, you have Twin 135 gallon tanks (270 gallon capacity), you fill up with 180 gallons. Looking at the numbers, this does not mean your tanks now have 30% #1 diesel in them, only the 180 gallons that I just added are 30% #1. 30% of 180 makes 54 gallons of #1 diesel inside of my 270 gallon capacity, making for an even blend of 20% #1 diesel now in my tanks. Many drivers fail to grasp that concept, and that's why winterized diesel gets a bad rap. In that condition if I shut my truck off and park it for a few days without putting any more anti-gel additives in, it might be good to 10 degrees below zero, and that's pushing it. If I keep it running, I am probably good to -40 for at least a day.

7. Avoid buying biodiesel period if you can, as I stated above it performs very poorly in the cold unless treated with additives. TA/Petro android app will even show in detail the percentage of biodiesel in their fuel.

8. Kerosene and #1 diesel used to be almost the same, I am not sure if that is the case anymore. I am not sure if kerosene can be used in a truck with an EGR, and is probably not a good idea on any truck with a DPF that uses ULSD.

9. It goes without saying, remember all the cold weather survival tips. Carry plenty of food, a flashlight, water, plenty of blankets and heavy clothes. Extra Oil, Antifreeze, and at least 1 spare fuel filter and a filter wrench are a must too. If stranded, Do not leave your vehicle unless it is a dire emergency. Once hypothermia sets in, you will more than likely be a lost cause. Even burning a candle or two in your truck will produce enough heat to keep you from freezing to death.

 

9 times out of 10 with full tanks you are fine in subzero weather, as long as the truck stays running. Its when you shut one off overnight or run the tanks close to empty that you really start to see problems.

I have had this happen before too:truck seems to run fine, check engine light comes on, or "water in fuel" warning light, and fuel filter ends up getting a bunch of that white waxy stuff built up all over the place. I have had that happen even with a good blend of #1 diesel.