Winter diesel fuel survey

[JK-NY]

For those of us in the north using a diesel tractor in the winter requires some sort of fuel treatment or blend to prevent fuel gelling. Just curious what others here do. I treat fuel with stanadyne additive year round and add kerosene to the tractor if necessary to operate in severe cold. Regular fuel and the additive seems to be fine down to 15-20 degrees. With tractors inside an unheated building.I also have gas tractors to use in winter and only run one diesel tractor when I need the loader. I am in central NY.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I'm in southern Cayuga county, and my fuel comes out of Cato. It has whatever additive makes the difference between fuel oil and diesel fuel. Nothing more. Two diesel loaders have been running fine, but I can't pump fuel from supply tanks when it's real cold!

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 17:55:18 02/03/19) For those of us in the north using a diesel tractor in the winter requires some sort of fuel treatment or blend to prevent fuel gelling.

I hear more problems with diesel gelling from you guys in the South country than I ever do from up here in the frozen North. Basically we don't have to do anything other than make sure we have emptied out most of our summer blend fuel by the time cold weather starts. Fuel suppliers automatically adjust their blend for the cold because it is a yearly ritual. You live up here you know you can't run summer diesel in the winter.
Having said that, I do burn summer diesel in tractors even at temps in the -20s. The secret is to mix in one of the commercially available fuel thinners (Polar Max) or Hawes treatment. And do it before it gets real cold. I've done this for a good many winters successfully.
Just got my service tank filled last week with winter diesel so I have no worries.

 

[tomNE]

number 1 diesel goes in my loader tractor tank in the fall. If it not around 1/4 tank; i siphon out enuff to get it there. always keep 5 gallon of number 1 around. to add as quick as the tractor will hold it.

 

[LonM]

We run 1/2 #1 and 1/2 #2 diesel fuel in the winter months, no other additives. This is in northeast SD/ far western MN. It was -37F air temp one morning last week, and we had no issues with fuel.

 

[muleman51]

I run the same fuel all year around, Just add power plus winter conditioner starting when it gets cold. I had to feed cows the other night after work -22 or so plugged in tractor for 3 hours started right up. I just take it real easy, no hurry, everything went fine. 41 degrees this morning, 80 degree swing in 48 hours, but supposed to get cold again this week in SE MN. Oh well Spring is coming.

 

[rustred]

had the white perkins going today feeding cows and plowing road. was -32 don't even think about diesel gelling till the -40 range. once engine is running and warm the fuel is warmed up by the injectors retuning it to tank. don't know what all the fuss is about gelling.

 

[paul]

Mine gelled this year it was my fault, no big deal. I got in a situation I didn?t get the summer bio blend used up, even with some Power Service that won?t work out in the below zero stuff.

In Minnesota we run 20% soybean oil in summer, 5% in winter. My fall got messed up and I didn?t get things flushed and switched in time and didn?t use the tractors as much as I had planned.

Typically just add enough Power Service to #2 winter fuel and you are got to minus 10 or so for around the farm yard.

If it often gets colder than that or you drive around the neighborhood a lot long distance mixing in some #1 25-50% is a good idea too.

Paul

 

[SVcummins]

I?ve used stanadyne down to 30 below zero with no problems when stanadyne got hard to find started using Schaffer?s or power service no problem with either of those products as well

 

[showcrop]

Since I am buying blended at the pump I am good except for carry-over from the summer. To take care of the summer carry-over I add #1 to a mix of 1:2. I also add Power service at the label recommended amount. I see trucks on the roadside every winter, and mine have been on the roadside as well, but only when the drivers skipped the PS for more than four tanks worth. It appears that it works.

 

[Bob N.Y.]

I live in central N.Y. too, Herkimer Co. north of the Thruway. How close are you? I pump fuel oil out of my furnace tank and add one once of Power Service to one gallon of fuel for my diesel tractor. Haven't had any gelling problems since I have been doing that.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I just pump fuel and go. Non of this treating nonsense. I change filters on heavily used equipment in fall and forget about problems. Been doing this for over 30 years. I even followed this practice in my over the road truck with no problems.
I agree those guys down south have more problems than up in the frozen north. I will though grant the suppliers probably don't really blend for very cold weather. Then when it does come the guys are left out in the cold. Sorry for the problems you guys are having. I do know when I would go to Miami or Laredo in the dead of winter I would buy fuel as I came north to blend south fuel with northern fuel. Prevented problems that way. Tended to buy fuel from the same places during the winter rather than experiment with just anybody out there. Summertime I would be more daring.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

As far as I know, nothing aside what the fuel supplier put in the tank was used, and the tractors didn't gel during those two real super cold days last week. So whatever the fuel supplier is putting in the tank is adequate.

 

[72supr]

Half 1 half 2.My fuel man treats the fuel but it will still gell so I run half and half.Nothing worse than trying to get a tractor restarted out in the wind and cold.

 

[JK-NY]

I am in Onondaga County near Rt 20 not far from Cortland County.

 

[JK-NY]

Thank you for the reply. I never knew I was in the South Country till you pointed it out. (Although I am in
the southern part of my county) It feels pretty good today at 50 degrees but 5 days in a row last week we
were-10 to-20 in the morning. I don't use enough diesel in the winter to buy a load of winter blend fuel so
I add kerosene to the tractors tank as needed. Just thought it would be a good conversation to see what
other folks do and what works best for them.