In diesel fuel, a similar process occurs when the fuel crystallizes during cold weather. Gelling begins to occur when the temperature approaches 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit*, which can block the fuel system (*depending on the supply and quality of fuel, gelling can occur as high as 20 degrees Fahrenheit).
How To Tell When Diesel Fuel Begins To Gel
When diesel fuel begins to gel, Berg says there are a few telling symptoms, the most obvious of which is a loss of power and compression when fuel fails to reach the combustion chamber. If you could see the gasoline, it would have a hazy appearance, indicating that it had already gelled. Other indicators to look for include white smoke coming from the exhaust when trying to accelerate or the engine stopping running when you are sitting idle trying to throttle. Also, if the vehicle starts but does not run continuously, this could indicate that your fuel has gelled. Gelled diesel fuel is almost always the problem, whether it’s a lack of RPMs when an engine is running or a cold winter morning when the truck won’t start at all.
How to Fix Gelled Diesel Fuel?
Many people make the mistake of grabbing a can of ether to start the combustion process when their diesel vehicle won’t start at all. However, there are certain risks with this solution, as there may not be enough fuel to ignite. Spraying too much ether and having ether spray that isn’t confined causes even more issues. The uncontained spray might ignite other hot components, causing engine damage, or too much ether in the fuel line could simply ignite air in the lines rather than gasoline, causing the diesel engine to suffer severe damage. Fortunately, there are alternatives to spraying ether that are far safer. Here are a few preventative measures to consider:
- Heat is the most effective line of defense. Avoiding frigid conditions by storing your vehicle in a climate-controlled garage or warm location. Other strategies include installing a series of heat-emitting light bulbs under the vehicle, enclosing the vehicle in a tarp with a heater blowing heat, and installing a modern-day block heater on the engine to keep the vehicle protected from the freezing temperatures. While building up the electric costs, the utility providers will adore you as well.
- Kerosene: With the issue of staying warm when it’s 20 degrees below zero, people might experiment with different fuel mixtures. Pouring kerosene into the fuel tank to lower the freezing point is the most typical method. To take advantage of kerosene’s lower freezing point, many people mix #1 diesel, which is a combination of kerosene and #2 diesel fuel. This mix is frequently accessible in the northern parts of the country, but in the southern parts of the country, where temperatures are normally warmer, the #1 diesel may not be available. In either instance, kerosene has drawbacks, the most notable of which being reduced fuel mileage and efficiency. If, on the other hand, the truck stops running and kerosene is chosen, it is strongly recommended to leave the engine run long enough to combine the fuels and provide a continuous flow of the mixture. Consider the time it takes for the kerosene to defrost the tank in a semi-truck when operating with hundreds of gallons of fuel in a tank. The kerosene must then melt the frozen fuel lines and clogged fuel filter. The entire line from the gasoline tank to the filter to the injectors may take an hour of idle time to defrost.
- Fuel Additives: There are now fuel additives that can provide a simple, low-cost, and no-hassle method to prevent gelling that any car owner can do themselves. “When considering an addition, Berg advises, “do your homework and analyze all of the products and promises.” “Investing a bit more time and effort to discover the greatest product is sometimes worthwhile. Additives are a means to offer an extra layer of protection to prevent the wax in diesel fuel from becoming thick, similar to wearing layers of clothing in the cold.” Many products contain alcohol, according to Berg, so look for one that provides not just proper temperature coverage but also protection for the entire system, including lubricity, cetane, water dispersion, and a success guarantee. Many preventive options are available, including some top picks being Diesel Winter Anti-Gel, which promotes coverage down to -40F.
How to Prevent Diesel Fuel Gelling?
So, what’s the big deal about taking the effort to prevent diesel fuel from gelling? “If you contact a tow truck, you may still be stuck with a vehicle that won’t start after paying the tow price,” Berg explains. You can save yourself the $80 and the headache in the case of a personal or light-duty car, or the $500 tow bill and missed time on the interstate in the case of a truck. Instead, taking use of the finest scientific additives could safeguard you from getting stuck in the cold for only a few dollars in preventative and an easy pour into the tank.
Emergency additions are also available for people who have failed to heed the warning, there has been no prevention, and gelling is still a possibility, or has already occurred! Diesel Winter Rescue, for example, is a formulated substance that requries gelled fuel and de-ices frozen fuel filters to restore diesel fuel flow to the engine, allowing the vehicle to resume normal operation. Diesel Winter Rescue, for example, is a good alternative to keep in your vehicle during the winter months just in case.
When adding anti-gel to diesel fuel, what temperature do you use?
Service of Electricity Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost is a popular anti-gel that works by decreasing both the cloud point and the gelling point, effectively preventing wax production. When the temperature drops below 30F, this product should be added to your fuel.
What is the temperature at which diesel sludge forms?
When the temperature of diesel fuel drops, the paraffin that is normally contained in it begins to harden. The wax in liquid form will solidify at 32 degrees, clouding the fuel tank. It will ultimately start to gel at 10-15 degrees and block the tank and fuel filters.
What is the temperature at which #2 diesel gels?
The cloud point, named after the white haze or “cloud” that emerges as paraffin wax crystalizes, is the temperature at which gelling begins. The cloud point of No. 2 diesel fuel is 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the temperature at which diesel gels?
Water isn’t the only item that freezes when the weather turns cold. In the winter, drivers should be mindful of the possibility of fuel gelling, particularly diesel fuel.
Because diesel fuel contains paraffin wax, which increases fuel viscosity and lubrication in cold conditions, it gels.
When the temperature drops, the paraffin wax thickens and becomes a hazy mixture. This is a symptom of a condition known as “diesel fuel gelling,” in which the paraffin wax clogs fuel filters and solidifies to the point where the fuel will no longer flow, thereby rendering your engine worthless.
When temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, diesel fuel gelling can occur, albeit the specific temperature at which it occurs varies from batch to batch.
What is the best way to keep your diesel fuel from gelling? In these low winter weather, it’s critical to ensure that your diesel engines continue to function properly.
Heated Storage
Controlling the temperature of the facility where the engine is being stored is one of the most effective ways to prevent diesel fuel gelling. When the engine is running, the fuel is constantly moving and flowing, giving it no time to freeze. It’s enough to keep your vehicle or equipment in a heated garage or climate-controlled facility. This approach, however, may not be feasible for many people.
Kerosene
The plug point temperature, or the temperature at which paraffin wax crystals harden and begin to clog fuel filters, is reduced when kerosene is added to diesel fuel.
For user convenience, several cold environment fuel suppliers will supply diesel fuel that has already been pre-mixed with kerosene.
Fuel Treatment
One of the simplest and most popular ways to avoid diesel fuel gelling is to use a winter diesel fuel additive. These additives can prevent paraffin wax from hardening and gelling together. Many fuel additives also aid improve cold engine starts and remove hazardous deposits from your vehicle’s fuel injectors, which are useful in the winter.
During the severe winter months, your vehicle, equipment, and diesel fuel will require extra attention. Failure to take the necessary safeguards, such as adding kerosene, keeping the diesel engine in a temperature-controlled environment, or using a fuel additive, might result in your diesel engine being out of commission.
How can you keep gelled diesel fuel at bay? Don’t overlook this important aspect of your diesel engine’s upkeep.
Will the frozen diesel defrost?
In cold temperatures, use to liquefy frozen or gelled diesel gasoline caused by wax production or ice crystals. When used as directed, Quick-Thaw will thoroughly thaw the whole fuel system in about 20 minutes. Excellent for diesel vehicles operating in colder locations, where wax crystals found in low- and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels can cause filter blockage.
At what temperature should anti-gel be added?
FIRST, ADDITIVE SHOULD BE STORED PROPERLY. Keep your anti-gel somewhere dry and sheltered from the elements until you’re ready to use it. The ideal temperature is room temperature, although anything above 20 F would suffice.
What is the time it takes for diesel to gel?
- Gelling: It’s unusual to have a situation where the fuel practically turns to jelly. Gelling happens when the paraffin wax in diesel solidifies due to a drop in temperature, and the fuel’s temperature must be kept below minus 10 degrees F for extended periods of time, such as 48 to 72 hours. When diesel is cold soaked, the paraffin wax in the fuel hardens, giving it a hazy look. At temperatures as high as 32 degrees F, the fuel will begin to cloud, but it will continue to flow. Before the fuel can gel, it must be kept at a very low temperature for an extended period of time. It’s common to hear drivers complain about their fuel gelling up, but this is almost certainly not the issue they’re having. Ice or solidified paraffin wax in the fuel filter is more likely to be the issue. There’s more on that later.
- Cloud Point: To determine the cloud point of a sample of diesel fuel, which is the temperature at which the naturally present paraffin wax in #2 diesel fuel begins to crystalize, there are recommended methods. The fuel has a hazy look due to the microscopic particles of suspended hardened wax. Cloud point temperatures for diesel fuel typically vary from -18F to +20F, but can reach +40F depending on a variety of factors connected to the base stock and refining operations. The cloud point of so-called winter diesel fuel (#1 diesel or kerosene) is substantially lower since it contains relatively little paraffin. Fuel distributors will test the product and, if required, may include the results in tenders and delivery receipts.
- The temperature at which a liquid loses its flow properties is known as the pour point. The pour point of diesel fuel changes according on the wax content in the fuel, which varies depending on the source of the base stock, the refining process, and the type and quantity of additives added to the fuel during refining or distribution. The difference between the cloud point and the pour point is always there, with the latter often being 2 to 20F lower than the former. To establish the pour point of a fuel sample, certain tests must be performed. Bulk providers, as previously stated, can supply this information.
- When diesel fuel is cooled, the cold filter plugging point is a measurement based on a standardized test that indicates the rate at which it will flow through a standardized filtration equipment in a given amount of time. The CFPP is the point at which the sample fails to pass through the filter in the time allotted.
Is it possible for diesel to gel while driving?
While driving, the fuel tanks can literally gel. When the temperature of diesel fuel drops, the paraffin that is normally contained in it begins to harden. It is critical to always treat your fuel system with a reliable anti-gel additive to assist prevent this from happening.
How can you get a gelled diesel to start?
When the temperature of diesel fuel drops below a certain point, wax naturally present in the fuel begins to crystallize. Depending on the source and quality of the fuel, gelling can occur at temperatures as high as 20F. By clogging fuel lines and filter(s), gelled diesel fuel can stop you in your tracks before you ever get the engine started, wreaking havoc on your fuel system. When your diesel vehicle won’t start or stops running in low weather, you’ll know you have a possible gelling problem. Straight and branched-chain hydrocarbons make up diesel. For #2 Diesel, these hydrocarbons, also known as paraffin waxes, solidify about 17.5 F. The amount of paraffin wax in diesel fuel is determined by the type of crude oil used in its production and the manufacturing process. Gelling is also aided by biodiesel fuel, which is required to be combined with diesel fuel in several states. At greater temperatures than normal diesel, biodiesel gels.
How to Prevent Diesel Gelling
Hot Shot’s Diesel Winter Anti-Gel has a pour point of -65 F when mixed with diesel, providing excellent cold weather protection. The pour point is the temperature at which the paraffin in the fuel has crystallized to the point where it has gelled and is no longer flowable. You don’t have to take our word for it; check out this YouTube video from Project Farm to see for yourself. He tested a number of different diesel fuel treatments and found that Hot Shot’s Diesel Winter Anti-Gel came out on top.
Gelled Fuel in The Fuel Tank:
If the fuel in the tank has gelled, add the entire contents of Diesel Winter Rescue (32 ounces) to every 40 gallons of fuel in the tank (s). Remove the fuel filters and fill them with a 50/50 mixture of Diesel Winter Rescue and diesel fuel. Start your engine after reinstalling the fuel filters. Allow your engine to idle for a few minutes to warm up the fuel system and clear any gelled masses.
Gelled Fuel in Fuel Lines or Fuel Filters:
Remove the engine’s fuel filters and fill with the same 1:1 combination of Diesel Winter Rescue and conventional diesel fuel if your fuel is liquid in the fuel tank(s) but your engine won’t start. Reinstall the fuel filters, start the engine, and let it warm up completely.
How Do Hot Shot’s Diesel Winter Products Work?
Hot Shot’s Diesel Winter Rescue is a fully developed emergency product that contains a military-grade de-icer as well as a lubricity additive for diesel fuel. It’s designed to re-liquefy gelled fuel and de-ice frozen fuel filters, restoring diesel fuel flow to the engine and allowing the vehicle to resume normal operation. Having products like Diesel Winter Rescue in your vehicle during the winter months, when gelling is most likely, is a good idea.
What is the temperature at which winter diesel gels?
What is the temperature at which diesel fuel gels? That’s a tough question to answer because your diesel-powered vehicle won’t drive anywhere in the cold if you don’t prepare properly. Fortunately, the problem can be readily avoided by applying a gasoline additive, which can also stop gelling from happening in the first place. While it’s important to prepare your vehicle before the cold weather arrives, acting quickly can help you avoid a breakdown.
At What Temperature Does Diesel Fuel Gel?
When the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the paraffin in diesel fuel begins to harden, clouding the fuel tank. This modification will not prevent you from driving, but it will serve as a reminder of how colder weather affects gasoline use.
Gelling happens when the temperature falls between 10 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit, blocking the gasoline tank and fuel lines. You may need to have your vehicle towed to a garage at this stage so that your mechanic may repair any damaged fuel lines and thaw the fuel tank.
How Do You Prevent Diesel Fuel From Gelling?
If you utilize a fuel additive, you can drive a diesel car in subzero temperatures. A fuel additive designed for diesel engines decreases the fuel pour point (the temperature at which it freezes) by as much as 40 degrees. It also inhibits gelling by dispersing water.
The crystals that form in diesel fuel during cold weather are altered by a diesel fuel additive. The additive lowers the size of the crystals in diesel fuel, preventing it from waxing or gelling. It alters the fuel’s chemical characteristics, allowing it to flow at temperatures considerably below zero degrees.
If the diesel has already gelled, an additive can help. To begin, empty the tank and disconnect the fuel line. Typically, this entails pouring the additive into the tank and waiting 20 minutes for it to break down the gel before starting the vehicle, but check any directions carefully to ensure you’re following the appropriate steps. Allowing your vehicle to idle for a few minutes will allow the fuel lines to clean.
Cold Weather Preparation
There are a few more things you can do to prepare your vehicle for cold weather besides utilizing a diesel fuel additive. First, make sure your battery is in good working order. When the weather turns cold after a hot summer, the battery is more vulnerable to failure. Replace your battery if the reading is less than 12.45 volts on a multimeter. You don’t want to have to deal with battery issues on top of fuel issues.
Second, if temperatures are really low, an addition may not be sufficient. Keep in mind that an additive can reduce the pour point by up to 40 degrees. It can prevent blockage in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit. We all know that cooler temperatures are feasible, and that the addition may become useless as a result. Even if the temperature does not drop that low, a block heater may be required, especially if you park outside. Make it a practice to turn on the block heater when the temperature drops below freezing.
You may avoid being stranded on even the coldest days if you take excellent care of your diesel vehicle and its gasoline.
NAPA Online has a comprehensive list of fuel additives, or visit one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare facilities for routine maintenance and repairs. Consult a trained specialist at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS shop for more information about diesel fuel.