Right straight to the point, I must emphasize the importance of using anti-gel in cold climates for obvious reasons but especially for safety. Just
today I learned the hard way, though it could have been worse. I have owned this truck for a year and a half and it hasn't left me stranded until today
(it migh have been my fault, we'll get to that later)

OK, rural highway, about 5 miles into my 20 mile trip i noticed a definite lag and a vibration and the truck started to slow a bit. So its a balmy 4*F, it must be
gelling up. Found a place to pull over, truck is running, but not happy. Got out the the red bottle of Powerservice 911 and dumped it in the tank, let it idle
for a while. Seemed to smooth out, thought everything was back to normal, so I started out again.

About 100 feet down the road, without warning, the engine lost power and i pulled to the side of the highway. It was still idling, but barely and died right
after i put it in park. Hit and miss but wouldn't restart. Pulled the secondary fuel filer, full of fuel and the pump was running but not delivering. Thankfully
I had a cell phone to call a tow, as there were no passing cars through the whole ordeal and the nearest house was 2 miles away.

Got the truck back to my shop, changed the the fuel filters (only about 800 miles on the old ones) and the primary was gelled solid. Installed the new
filters and cycled the key as usual. After only about 40 minutes in a heated stall it fired right up. For the record, I use 16 oz powerservice per fillup,
but i had forgot to add this fillup. Bad move 'eh? Or bad fuel?


OK, that was my experience, and I hope others will add their advise and input on the use of preventative anti-gel additives as well as how to approach
a near-gel-up situation and "recovering" a gelled up fuel system. I would like to add that everyone should consider what items to have on board to
protect yourself and passengers from the cold in the event of a breakdown.

BTW, been in and around here almost every day for a while, and I must say hands down this forum is the single best resource I have had,
not just for my 6.0 but all my trucks. Thanks y'all!

 

Great reminder. I have to get mine running before I cna take it to fill it up and ag anti-gel though

 

I agree - a very good reminder. Just because it hasn't happened yet does not mean that it wont ever happen. I bet it is not too common, but it does happen to folks.

 

Are the northern states and Canadian fuel stations using winter fuel yet? I use the ford antigel @ 4oz per visit to station. I usually dump in about 10oz for the first two antigel tanks of the season to get the fuel system ready for the cold lol

 

Normally fuel suppliers will treat their fuel down to the temps for the area they service. Sadly, it is more common to gel when the first cold snap hits. Low volume stations don't receive the treated fuel as quickly as high volume ones do. That is why we should try to find the high volume stations to buy our fuel. Plus, if you don't use your truck very often, and you go some time between fill ups, you will have a greater chance of gelling up.

Get anti-gel and plan ahead. And if you live in warmer climes and are planning a trip to cold areas. Get some anti-gel in your tank before you head out. Holiday travel plans are in the works for a lot of us.

Be safe this winter!

 

I jelled up once last winter when the temp dropped to -30F. With my fuel pressure gauge, I watched the fuel pressure slowly drop to nothing before the truck finally came to a stop. Two days in a heated garage and 10 gallons of straight #1 in the tank got it back up and running again.

When I filled up last weekend, I put my first winter's dose of white bottle Power Service in the tank. I put in 15oz, which roughly equates to a mix of 256:1 (1oz per 2 gallons of fuel). The rest of the winter I will typically at 1oz per 3gallons of fuel.

I'll add up to an ounce per gallon if I know the temps are doing to drop to the ridiculously cold range of -25F or lower.

 

I am planning a trip from the San Diego area to northern Idaho over Christmas. I have never run in cold weather before, so I am a complete newby to this running in freezing temps. I have a case of Stanydyne Performance formula coming via UPS this week, and plan to run it from now on. The people at Stanydyne told me that this, along with filling with Diesel #1 as soon as I see it along the way, should be fine in the up to -10 degree temps that I might see. Does this sound reasonable??? Also I will be buying the block heater cord in the next week or so. I'd be grateful for any advice. Thanks for the help, Mike.

 

You don't need #1

Get your self some Power Service in the white bottle and follow the directions on it. Pack enough for the trip up and back. (treat the tank you leave with) You could carry an extra set of fuel filters in case you do happen to gel. But you wont if you add the Power Service white bottle. When you get where you are going, fill with fuel there, at a truck stop is the best. Most truck stops will be treating their fuel down to the temps you will see. (also, try to fuel at truck stops along the way)

Washer fluid, fill your window washer fluid with some fluid that is good down to -20f.(-0f would help also) If you can find it down there. Look for it on your
trip.

Also, some de icer spray into your door locks before you get there, keeps the locks from freezing.

Drive with your lights on in the freezing and snow. Heat will keep them clear.

Have a safe trip!

 

It wouldn't hurt to spray your door gaskets with silicone to keep them from sticking!

 

This Thanksgiving, be thankful you are not flying to Idaho! pat, pat, pat. GROPE!

How old are your batteries? Might want to make sure they test out ok.

How old is your coolant-anti freeze? (probably not an issue)

Ice scraper?

Emergency kit?

And when you leave make sure to turn the water off to the house.

Happy motoring!

 

any use of bio diesel in MN. Thats probally yuor problem since you put enough 911 to treat 250 gallons , so if it still jelled it is not water but soy oil.

 

Thank you for pointing that out, I forgot to mention...

As of May 1, 2009, MN mandated all diesel sold to be a minimum B5 blend. #1 is exempt from being blended from october through march. That exemption is a direct result of countless problems last winter across the state during a cold snap.

So I really have no choice but to use B5 minimum. Haven't used anything more.

Yes, I agree a whole bottle of 911 might have been a bit much, and it didn't help that I added after it already gelled. I wanted to hit it with everything i had, but it was too late anyhow. Its definitely not gelled now.

 

I double treat with Powerservice anti gel at every fill-up.

Why... better safe than sorry.

If the bottle says use "X amount per X gallons"... I use double.... and have done so since my 2003 truck was new... and it is now 2010!!!

I never trust what a service station states or says as far as being winterized... they can always have less than the needed amount of additive put in when the distributor makes the delivery to the satation (not every refiner adds the additive at the refinery holding tank area).

Also, moisture can leak/leach into underground tanks... so fuel can and will accumulate moisture... and it can and will in your tank (this is why you need to keep it full).

Being a former Boy Scout... I am prepared and "better safe than sorry"... I double treat year round and if not for the anti-gel benefits, then for the lubricity benefits of the Powerservice brand additive.

I buy the large jugs of the stuff and refill into two 33oz MSR brand camping fuel bottles. This allows me to always have extra available and the bottles are designed and safe for all fuels and additives. Just google "MSR Camping Fuel Bottles"... or check our Cabela's website.

Good luck,

 

As a note from a former 11 year fuel hauler, Bio-diesel is a broad term. It ia NOT all soy. Much of it is "cellulose" or animal fat(crisco). Most soy based fuels are good to about 10* witout treatment,but cellulose gell at about 38*. Also beware that I have never been covinced that the "additives" out there today are compitable with cellulose based biofuels....

 

well I know that Road Ranger last year paid dearly for mixing bio after Oct. Most stations have a separrate tank for the bio and they turn off the mixer in winter or if taken to court they pay for repairs.