Winter fuel/blends/additives.

[OldKooT]

OK some asked so I thought I'd type a bit before dinner.

#2 Diesel has a cloud point right around 0F to 30F somewhere. In other words it's "iffy" when cold. Each region of the states has a "blend" formulated for what is considered normal regional low temps. The problem begins when you get extreme changes from those figures. I have seen fuel Gel at 27F personally. These additives you pour in the tank chemically attempt to stop the fuel from "binding" and thus slowing down gelling. They are often limited buy the "mix" or additive package in the fuel your burning. I see a lot of Duramax and Powerstrokes especially, on the side of the road, if temps drop fast. Newer Rams aren't immune either but seem a bit less prone, largely due to fuel system design I am sure.

#1 Diesel extreme cloud point is -40F roughly...like #2 the exact point is dependent on many factors. Actual #1 has Kero in it, mix's again are region dependent but anywhere from 33% to 50% or even 75%-100% in the extreme Northern climates. It lacks much in the way of lube for your pump so you can "hear" the clatter get louder on #1. I buy very little fuel over the road in my junk over winter and run almost exclusively #1 from my farm tanks which has a lube package added. If I do purchase #1 say at a truckstop, I always add outboard oil just as I do with #2. I just ad more. Although most pump fuel will be a blend of additives ya never know what yr getting.

If I know it's dropping well below zero I will run 20gallons of #1 2 gallons of unleaded, and 5 gallons of Kero with 2 quarts of 30weight in my old Dodge. I run a similar mix in my old Case skid steer also, the only two things that have to run when that cold.

I would not recommend this mix, its just what I do. Newer trucks are much more sensitive than my old one and honestly I am unsure whats "safe" or not. In our newer farm equipment I use my #1 mix in the farm tanks and if it's cold I try and avoid running them.

Most around here in newer trucks run 3/4 a tank of #1 and the rest #2

Home heating oil is usually also largely Kero, so it's a great source of a "thinner" if in a pinch. I know ranchers around here that will buy 250gallons of heating oil to mix for their equipment/pickups.

Those with experience with newer trucks should chime in and post what works for them...

[JR]

I tried a few additives but keep going back to 2 stroke oil, 1 quart to 25gal. Saw some tests and except for the high end additives, this was the best bang for the $$$.

I also carry a quart of the yellow "rescue" additive but have never had to use it. I will not I have seen alot of anything near 0 for some time.

[husker77c]

What are your thoughts on power service or 911 diesel treatment?


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[Sammconn]

What are your thoughts on power service or 911 diesel treatment?


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The grey power service bottle is for general daily tank to tank use to aid with the gelling.
The red 911 stuff is only for if you are gelled. (From my fuel man that I trust)
Guys use it all the time up here but it is for emergency.

For me, all our fuel up here is some blended cocktail of goodness.
We don't even get the #2 option. Come October 1st or so, the fuel companies start their Magic.
I have carried the red 911 bottle since 2006 now, and have yet to use it.
Knock on wood.
I use a couple different additives depending where I am, but they are mainly lubricity enhancers. If I'm out and know it's going to be -40 or worse, I'll add some sort of anti gel, again, whatever I can get.

[JR]

Sorry, my bottle is the RED one. I have used the 911 on a regular basis, but notice nothing vs 2cyc oil.

[stlaser]

When it was single digits and below for a few days I always ran the 911 white bottle with red cap. My 7.3l always started w/o plugging it in.

[Farmer Jon]

Using gas is ok in the old diesel engines. My dad was over the road trucker owner operator. He used gas all the time. Now that we have this fancy new fangled low sulfer diesel fuel it's not a good idea. My opinion based on My own research. I use straight no1 and Howes. We got some new stuff this year I forget the name. Put the new stuff in one tractor and howes in the payloader. We will we what happens. I will tell you the name of the new stuff when I get back to the shop. Kenworth in Sioux City had it on sale. Parts guy talked me into it.

[Flyin6]

Using gas is ok in the old diesel engines. My dad was over the road trucker owner operator. He used gas all the time. Now that we have this fancy new fangled low sulfer diesel fuel it's not a good idea. My opinion based on My own research. I use straight no1 and Howes. We got some new stuff this year I forget the name. Put the new stuff in one tractor and howes in the payloader. We will we what happens. I will tell you the name of the new stuff when I get back to the shop. Kenworth in Sioux City had it on sale. Parts guy talked me into it.

Gas in diesel makes the exhaust temp higher than normal, and is really only for cold weather, but you can use it.

In the military we use JP-8 for our aircraft and trucks. JP stands for "Jet Propellant" so just think of it as jet fuel. JP8 is most like diesel #1 or kerosene based fuels. It is blended to stay liquid down to some pretty cold temps.

We used to use JP-4 fuel. It was a blend of 70% Mo-gas (Gasoline) and 30% kerosene. It would stay liquid down to some pretty insanely low temps. That same fuel was an alternate fuel in our diesel trucks. The M35 series "Deuce and a half" trucks had Cummins 6BT's for powerplants in most models and with the mechanical injection pump would digest JP-4 just fine.

The Navy never let us land on their precious ships with JP-4 in the tanks fearing that land lovin' Armee pilots couldn't land on a moving deck, so we had to switch to JP-5, yet another fuel that was all kerosene before we landed. (Boy were they wrong...One right of passage back in my day was to make an approach to a truck on the autobahn and touch down on it while it was motor scootin'...Yea, we armee pilots can land on small things that are moving!")

Anyway I bring all this up to say the mixing of gasoline with diesel, or kerosene with the slightly heavier diesel is an old practice. Anything other than straight diesel will contain fewer BTU's per given unit so you will not get as good mileage with doped fuel and expect to see higher EGT's.

With the Hi-perf program I run in my truck, I would not want to play with higher EGT's so use of lightened fuel would cause me to spend more time addressing that instrument and perhaps pulling lighter loads when using modified fuels.