Diesel Gelling in Cold Weather

[onavegador]

60 years ago when in our army I was a heavy truck driver. When it was very cold (e.g. 10° F) we mixed 20% of blue burning Kerosene with the Dieseland so far that worked well.
Far from the civilication we took a bundle of newspapers put it on fire and hold the bundle to the air intake. But that I would no recommend on a boat.

[Nord Sal]

Originally Posted by Nord Sal

If the fuel is solely to run your heater, use No. 1 fuel oil instead of No. 2 (diesel). This will eliminate any potential for gelling and your heater will run better.

Originally Posted by Chotu

Agreed, but it’s not available at the fuel pump. It’s an on-road (taxes) diesel pump. Then there is probably a fuel dock as well somewhere nearby that will supply commercial fishermen and water cops and stuff

Check the fuel dock. Most of the fuel docks here (Alaska) also sell No. 1 because a lot of boats have a separate tank to fuel their oil heaters. If it's cold enough in your locale that you're concerned about diesel gelling and there's commercial presence, there very well might be No. 1 available at the dock.

[Tillikum]

What about installing a small wood stove and running a heating coil through the fuel tank?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Tillikum

What about installing a small wood stove and running a heating coil through the fuel tank?

Ha ha ha. You got me!

I saw the email notification for this thing and I was like oh my God these people can be idiots sometimes. Why do they never read the thread? Ha ha ha.

You got me good actually

[Tillikum]

We all need a laugh these days! Have a nice weekend!








I hear you can get a wood conversion kit for Dickinsons; have to cut the wood very small though.

[Tanqueray]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Gasoline would also cut down on the soot factor.

It’s not an engine so the lubricant (soot creating) factors don’t matter.

Chotu, I hear a loud BOOM in your future!

The reason our diesel engines don’t need bilge blowers and are considered safer than gasoline engines is because diesel isn’t nearly as explosive as gasoline vapors.

I am sure you must know that using gasoline in those cheap Chinese diesel heaters is asking for an explosion!


Maybe you were just pulling our leg?


Greg

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Tanqueray

Chotu, I hear a loud BOOM in your future!

The reason our diesel engines don’t need bilge blowers and are considered safer than gasoline engines is because diesel isn’t nearly as explosive as gasoline vapors.

I am sure you must know that using gasoline in those cheap Chinese diesel heaters is asking for an explosion!


Maybe you were just pulling our leg?


Greg

I guess you haven’t really looked into it. Try taking a look at it. Seems like you aren’t familiar with the subject matter.

Hint: there are older YouTube videos where people are doing this.


Gasoline as an anti gel is perfectly fine. As the sole fuel, it burns too quickly creating a WOOOOSH! sound every time a dose is introduced to the combustion chamber. This makes for a poor running heater and a noisy one too. To run on gasoline you’d need a small continuous squirt instead of a big splat of fuel like the diesel heaters do by default as they dose the combustion chamber.

No idea what you are talking about with bilge blowers and whatever. Not applicable. Different topic.

It seems like you might also might not understand how the heater works in general. If you think it can explode.

[Morris Wilson]

Unldss you are going to Greenland this winter you have nothing to worry about. Just put alittle deicer in your tank once in a while to deal with condensation water. You don't need a diesel heater in the continental US.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Morris Wilson

Unldss you are going to Greenland this winter you have nothing to worry about. Just put alittle deicer in your tank once in a while to deal with condensation water. You don't need a diesel heater in the continental US.

Funny. When I was a kid, I can remember many instances where fuel lines gelled up in diesel vehicles. It happened all the time. Home heating oil occasionally too.

It’s a pretty standard problem people have to overcome in the winter. I haven’t done winter in decades so it’s been a while, but has diesel changed that much ?

I should be burning a tank every day or two in the worst cold. Hopefully it’ll be a tank a week if it’s not too cold

I don’t need a diesel heater in the United States? Why not? Countless boats here have them.

[cottonsail]

Back before diesel was "winterized" you added 10% gasoline to the diesel.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

Back before diesel was "winterized" you added 10% gasoline to the diesel.

Exactly. That’s good quite far down in temperature. Better than 10% kerosene.

Easiest option of all considering the gas station has both at the pump.

[gsuescum]

Why don’t you just sail/motor south for a week or so. Then there be need for any heaters! 😃👍

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by gsuescum

Why don’t you just sail/motor south for a week or so. Then there be need for any heaters! ����

Worst idea yet. Unsubscribing to thread since it’s run its course and just turning into nonsense at this point.

[gsuescum]

Meant to type was, “Why don’t you just sail/motor south for a week or so. Then there’ll be no need for any heaters! 😁👍”


What I get for typing first thing in the morning before my coffee and after a week traveling without much sleep. 😂🤪

[RossD]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Diesel fuel from suppliers is generally blended to have a lower gel point during the fall and winter months, so buying diesel closer to winter will help the situation. I don't know which are the currently preferred options, but there are definitely effective anti-gel treatments out there. And even without those, I've known a few people to have diesel cars that sit outside without a block heater connected (which wouldn't heat the tank anyway) and have had no trouble with weather down to 0* or so.

I have several diesel engines and live in a winter climate along Lake Ontario. Since the reformulation of diesel fuels, they will gel and collect water which causes plugged/frozen fuel lines and "bugs" in your fuel (ask me how I know). I use BIOBAR JF which is a biocide, plus, you'll need an anti-jelling additive. Pick a good one and do not count on the fuel as being treated from wherever you purchase it. If it's an older engine, heating oil is the good old fuel. My engines have never been plugged in.