cold weather diesel

[Anonymous-0]

I have to haul some beans in Jan. with diesel tractor. I am in so. Mn. My loader tractor is gas so I have no exp. running diesel in single digit temps. Tractor is full of straight #2 with no room to add some #1 unless I drain some out. If I have tractor in 50 degree heated shop overnight will it keep running in cold all next day? thanks.

 

[Anonymous-0]

i would run it for a little time just to burn some fuel off the and some anti gel to it

 

[Steve from MO - dangit!]

Drain some fuel and add the #1. Antigel isn"t much help in single digit temperatures. You could get a fuel heater instead but don"t depend on straight #2 when it"s that cold.

 

[phillip d]

Up here in famously cold Canada,we add a cups to a pint of methal hydrate to a full tank of fuel.It absorbs the water in the fuel,don't ask me how it does that,but it keeps them from freezing up.Trust me,a frozen fuel system is WORSE than running out of fuel.Don't add more than a pint per tank full.Also,let the tank run nearly down ,than re fuel and add more.That way you don't end up with too much.Too much is hard on the injection pump.It works well and is cheap to boot.pd

 

[dave guest]

In Mich they can't even tell you #1 or #2 or what. So what do I do?

 

[MN Scott]

If its above 10 degrees run the no.2 and you will be fine. If its below 10 you'd better get some no.1 blended in.

 

[Leland]

go to your local parts store and just buy a couple of gallons of power service or what ever good additiave they sell ,add a gallon or so and start tractor and let run for some time to mix everything and make sure filters have blended fuel in them .and new filters amy not be a bad idea either .

 

[Anonymous-0]

I run my psd throught the winter using Howe's diesel fuel conditioner... gets to minus 40 around here... has never failed to start and run... D

 

[JDemaris]

Most road tractors once running and warm, can keep the fuel from gelling or clouding by warming it and recirculating it back to the tank. The big trouble is when you shutdown somewhere parked outside. Buy some good antigel and it will drop the cloud-point of the #2 diesel by another 30 degrees which sounds like more than what you need.

 

[Anonymous-0]

It's not uncommon for trucks to freeze up in cold climates when coming from warm climates. Even if they aren't shut off. You would be smart to pump some fuel out and get some winter diesel in it. You could save the summer diesel, as diesel is good for about 2 years. Dave

 

[LenND]

Your biggest trouble will be the filters getting full of jelled fuel and you will run out of fuel. I spent a few hours laying under a road semitractor in below zero weather. Usually if the fuel can get thru the filters the engine will keep running maybe not very good but running. And guess what? After the filter is taken out and a new one put in it will run good for a little distance and then you can do it all over again. Best to get it mixed or enough additive to keep it from jelling.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You didn,t say what model tractor,but if the fuel tank is above the engine,like a IH the engine heat will help warm the fuel.I take thin plywood & made side sheeets for the engine so the filters are inside & the heat is blown back under the tank on my 966.Then I fill around the batterys with heavy cardboard.Also cover the radiator with a feed sack to help the engine warm up.By using something like that it isn,t tight so if you get a warm spell it won,t overheat.Put some power service in the tank as reQuired & let run awhile befoe using should be good for about 0.After getting some fuel out put #1 in.If the tank is in front of radiator like a JD pump fuel out & fill with alot of #1.

 

[Don-Wi]

Add some fuel treatment instead then. Surely there has to be enough room in the tank to pour in a small bottle that'll treat 20-40 gallons....

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[jim johnson]

No! And gelling up those fuel filters is not a fun thing to do, because the rest is not far behind. Gettin that cold engine started after the anti-gell finally works is another problem you don't want. Use a good conditioner, there are several, and don't worry no more.

Besides the conditioner is good for the injectors and should be used periodiclly or in small amounts all the time.

Jim

 

[Anonymous-0]

Run it to burn up enough so you can add one quart of Power Service, and then run the tractor around to properly mix it in. Should drive it enough to burn up about one gallon, so the Power Service is all the way through the filters, injectors, etc. Driving the tractor around will mix the tank good. From now on ALWAYS add Power Service when fueling. I use year around. Tom

 

[RickL]

get a quart of they call it 911 diesel additive

 

[trucker40]

I dont know what kind of tractor or how new it is,but I think number 2 would be good down to 20 degrees above zero farenheit if it doesnt have any water in it.They make stuff that takes water out of diesel you should use.I would put it in my truck when I ran over the road starting about September or if I knew it would be cold up north and I was going that way.Then use some every time you fill up as long as its cold,or you know you can trust the fuel,then every other time.Thats how I did it.
Below 20 degrees farenheit,Power Service anti gell.Power Service has other stuff,cetane booster,fuel injector cleaner,and I dont know what all else,but you got to have anti gell.
Thats good as long as you mix it according to directions down to -10 or 10 below zero farenheit.
After that you need to blend it with number 1 about 50/50,if its past about -25 farenheit,you most likely need all number 1,or at least a stronger mixture like 60% number 1.
Not knowing all that much about diesel farm tractors,I could be off a few degrees.Thats the way I mixed it for over the road diesel trucks,mostly Cummins,Detroit series 60,Cat.
If you did get gelled up,but not solid,sometimes you can take your secondary filter off and fill it with power service and get it fired up,but you want to just idle it untill you get that power service out of the filter,or you can pull the filters and fill them with number 1 and try that.Anything you can do to warm the oil helps spin it over.A water heater helps get it fired up if its installed right and warms the water in the top of the motor.They make dipstick oil heaters.
I try to pull up close to a wall or building or something to keep the north wind off of it if I can,or inside is good,especialy if you have a heater to warm it up.
You want to buy you a pair of rubber coated gloves so if you have to pull your fuel filter and pour power service in a new filter you dont freeze your hands.
Allways push the clutch down when you are trying to start in cold weather.
Older stuff you can use a little ether.You have to be carefull cause it can bust head bolts among other things.

 

[gtrace]

Alot of older farmers I know use kerosene. And or an additive. I do not know how low temps can get when using kerosene. But it seems to work in NC.

 

[BobHnwOh]

<a href="www.spallingercombine.com ">here</a>

 

[BobHnwOh]

<a href="www.spallingercombine.com ">here</a>