New Fuel Guy Brought Me Summer Diesel....!@#$!!

[Scott.ID]

I had my fuel company drop off 200 gallons in my tank, but the new driver brought summer blend instead of winterized.I filled the Skidsteer tank 2 weeks ago in preparation for our first good snow, went up today to plow and she won't start.

I called the owner of the fuel depot and he's going to pump out the summer diesel and replace it plus give me an additional 50 gallons, but what problems am I going to run into on my skidsteer? It was 22 degrees today and she'll only cough. Fuel filter only has about 15 hours, cost 65 bucks, and I'd rather not try to replace it where the loader is. It's going to be up in the mid 30's later this week.....

Any ideas? No power anywhere close, and I don't have a salamander heater any more.
 

[willie in mn]

Scott
Power Service 911 fuel treatment. 1/2 gal jug treats 150 gal of #2,or summer, fuel, so you shouldn't need much. Pour it in the tank & let it sit 20-30 minutes. It will work its way through the system. Should fire right up. No damage done.
Willie
 

[NEKS]

Summer diesel won't gell at 22 degrees unless you have soy in it. I am afraid you have other problems like dirty fuel filters.
 

[WGWKy2]

I saw the local town employees with a hose on a city truck (gas)thawing a watermeter. Might work if you can get a hose in the right area.
 

[RodinNS]

Change the filter... mabey see if you can blow some air back into the tank. That would depend on what machine it is. I wouldn't want to try and force air back through a lift pump so be carefull of the plumbing.
Suspect you've got water in there... Also dump a cup or two of methyl hydrate into it.

Rod
 

[tomNE]

22 degrees shouldn't bother at all; look for other problems.
 

[dboll]

good diesel should flow to zero F,I have combined corn and tilled ground many days and nights at less than 22 degrees with #2 fuel, I don't buy into that summer/winter crap, we always have atleast 200 gallons of diesel left in the fall and continue to use it all winter, if it gets cold we blend in some #1, this is in Mn, we know about cold temps and gelled fuel, pump shops tell me power service is good for their business and I will not use it, stanadyne has a good product thats also available at jd, I have also used Howe's
 

[LJD]

I have 1000 gallons of "summer" diesel here and use it all winter. Usually in temps from 0 to 30F in the dead of winter. I add some Power Service anti-gel to it and run at temps to below 0 easily. If it's 20 below (or colder) F I don't want to run any diesels anyway.

Winter diesel is less efficient. Dollar for BTU its more cost effective to buy summer diesel and treat it.
 

[buickanddeere]

As previously stated. There is ice blocking fuel flow. Thaw and add isopropyl alcohol. It's not a wax problem.
 

[jon f mn]

Howes is my anti gel of choice. I can't afford the milage drop I get with blended fuel in my truck so I always use regular #2 if I can get it all winter. Just put a 1/2 gal. of howes for every 200-250 gallons of fuel. Rarely have gel problems. But at 20 deg. I doubt your problem is gelled fuel. I would look elsewhere. I would suspect water in your new fuel.
 

[Dean Olson]

Back in the day we built a charcoal fire in trash can lid. Slide it under the oil pan, after the flames died down, till she warmed up enough to start.
 

[charlie n]

If it's 22 degrees and won't start, summer grade fuel is the least of your problem.Good Luck.
 

[JD Seller]

Your problem is not a gel problem. Even bio-diesel will not gel until it is down to around 10-15 degrees. Hours running mean zero on a fuel filter. I have changed them and only got a few hours on them before they plugged again if there is dirty/water fuel in the tank.

Like one of the other guys said get some charcoal and a piece of tin. (steel garbage can lids or the shallow hog feed pans work well) Build a fire and let it get down to the coals. Then slide it under the skid steer. Put some card board or plywood up around it so the heat stays around the skid steer. I have done that several times over the years to start things that are too far away from any electric.

If your skid steer has electric shut off make sure that you do not have an electric problem. Listen and see if you can hear the solenoid work when you turn the key on and off. Had a customer burn his starter up on a Bobcat skid steer because he had no power to the fuel pump. Argued with me for half a day it had to be fuel since it ran fine when he parked and it got cold. I finally loaded it up and put it in my shop. Let it set in the heat over night still zero fire. Found a bad wire under the seat that had the fuel system shut off. Must have broken when he sit down in the seat on the cold morning.
 

[Lazy WP]

I never worry about using "winterblend". Haven't for 10 years. 22 degrees isn't cold enough to worry about, IF YOU have been maintaining YOUR fuel tank. Dump some Howes or Power Service in it and go.
 

[Lazy WP]

You didn't say what brand it is. My ASV had issues a couple years ago, when the fuel pump relay took a dump.