freezing Diesel

[karl webster]

I like the idea of tieing the fuel pipes to the heater pipes Hadnt thought of that one

 

[Alix_Higgens]

I recently started using a diesel fuel additive and when doing my research I found that additives can also help to prevent diesel from freezing.

If you are interested here is the company I used - HYDRA DPB-100 Diesel Power Blast Diesel Injector Cleaner Additive for Diesel Fuel - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

 

[Shayne]

Once a year i stick some of this in the boats tanks . Filters will be full of jelly sludge at the next change .

Wynn's Dry Fuel Water Remover - Pack of 2 : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Wynn's Dry Fuel Water Remover - Pack of 2 : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Grimbo]

Reason this is becoming a problem is all pump fuel is now 5-10% bio fuel ....bio fuel is hydroscopic the same as brake fluid so absorbs water....this is what freezes and blocks the filter ....
Mates have Radial engines in Sherman's and many now run them on avgas because the bio ethanol in petrol freezes and causes fuel starvation issues..... unsurprisingly aviation fuels don't contain bio for this very reason....

 

[fbnss]

I had a problem when it got down to minus whatever a couple.of.months ago. The 80 would start fine, I'd pull off fine, drive half a mile, the revs would be bouncing around and at the traffic lights I'd have to whack it in neutral and rev it till they changed, drive the rest of the 5 miles trying not to let it rev too low (auto) come back to it in the afternoon and it was fine all the way home and still is, just puzzled whybinwas having an issue but all the other diesels weren't.

 

[flint]

I think that the problem seems to be when the fuel gets to the filter and the waxy flakes start to block it. I had an old MB diesel that behaved like yours did, just enough getting through to start and run, but not enough heat build up from the engine to warm things up enough to clear it properly. The next MB had a filter heater and never had a problem.
It can be down to having summer diesel in the tank and not enough winter diesel to stop waxing, though I can't remember when the change over happens.

 

[fbnss]

It was fine if I was revving it, it was just after moving say half a mile and then idling it wasn't happy. Which confused me as you'd think it wouldn't be getting enough fuel at higher revs.

 

[flint]

Hmm, not sure but perhaps more draw from the injection pump at higher revs ?

 

[fbnss]

That's all I can think of, but couldn't think of a better word than suck! Which is clearly incorrect

 

[fbnss]

Hey ho, not a problem till next winter...

 

[goodoldboy]

A few L of unleded per tankful can help with this , on older engines that is , not sure how a high pressure common rail would react or a DPF.

 

[Nguruve]

Heard from 5 people today unable to start their diesel cars here in Aberdeenshire due to diesel freezing.
it was -18.7 at our place last night. landcruiser wasn't in garage last night so was worried i wouldnt be able to start it, but it started on 2nd attempt - battery sluggish.
went to a wife's colleagues house to help start izuzi pickup, thinking he had flat battery, but his diesel had frozen.

havent heard of people having frozen fuel for many years,
NB they all seemed to be using Morrisons fuel.... i had Shell Diesel

Huh! Anyone want to talk about global warming?

I drive a 'Cruiser to make the crops grow greener!

 

[Tractionman]

Yep, fuel companies skimping on winter addative in the fuel.
Back in the 70's on general haulage all over the uk, when the winters were cold and snow for days, boss used to double dose holding tanks at base, and we never had a problem.
Many mornings after a night in the services, there would be loads of trucks not starting, and waxed up fuel filters being changed, while I just drove on out.
Seen the bonfire trick too.

 

[Juddian]

this thread has triggered a memory.
Back in the 80's trucks in the UK still suffered with fuel waxing issues, in the 70's when i started driving artics it was a real problem.
My truck in the 80's was fitted with a, ''fuel line heater'' an electrical wire wrapped around the fuel pipe that ran from the fuel tank to the filter, not sure if the short section from filter to pump was heated, but that would have been right beside the engine anyway, it was handy in that you could pre heat the fuel line before starting if seriously cold.

Once started Cummins engine fuel systems constantly returned unused fuel to the tank, so after a while running the fuel tank would get tepid if not acrtually warm, no need for line heater after a few miles, the Gardners we ran in the 70's didn't recirculate fuel so the tank would be ice cold, when i was night trunking then in the depths of winter we sometimes came to a juddering halt after several hours running as the temp dropped, that's when you used to see fires lit under fuel tanks, dodgy game that.

 

[Grimbo]

"Once started Cummins engine fuel systems constantly returned unused fuel to the tank, so after a while running the fuel tank would get tepid if not acrtually warm, no need for line heater after a few miles, "

On a lot of the kit I work on we have fuel coolers because the tanks sit either side and snug against a very warm transmission.....we need to keep the fuel density ...this does mean the tanks when running are warm even on the coldest days

We don't see fuel waxing on modern kit so much because often the cooling fan is "vistronic" and will let the fan idle if not needed so isn't pushing freezing air past the engine ... have been out to a couple of 90's era machines with waxing but that's I suspect as much as anything caused by poor fuel storage and management of places with old machines and often old steel storage tanks without filters .

My 80 has a fuel filter heater from factory and should it get really cold a Kenlow hot start system so instant heater and warm engine (used it twice in the 27 years I've owned it ;-) )