Cold fuel plugging fuel filter...
 

:argh:

It was -14* here this morning and both trucks started plugging fuel filters, my truck had the yellow-ish wax that I'm used to seeing (paraffin wax I'm assuming), now my dads truck (the 1-ton) had a really dark caramel colored slime on the filter that I've never seen before. I warmed his filter up and collected the gooey stuff and it started setting up in a container in our shop and its around 50* in here... What is this shit?

We did buy fuel at different places, we both use the Power Service additive ( I dont really know if that helps or hurts gelling, we use it to lube the fuel).

Just curious if anyone has seen this caremel colored slimey goo before?

Never seen that. Which Power Service are you using? The white bottle?

Add a triple dose to the tank and wrap the fuel filter with an electric heating pad and plug it in for a couple of hours. Trying to keep these things running in the cold sucks I know all about it.

Yea, the white bottle, (supplement-cetane boost).

We called an oil-fuel sales guy, and he says it could be the fuel supplier's additive fighting with the Power Service, I guess stations around here dont buy actual (blended) fuel, they just add an additive. I could really use some #1 right now!

I've never heard of a northern fuel supplier not buying or supplying blended fuel, thats crazy that they dont and I'd be finding a new station thats does...

run kerosene in your fuel it work great for me.

Some guys even run a little gasoline. Never tried it myself.

gas is good only bout half a gallon a tank and only in a emergency. it will eat you orings in you pumps,but i does work beter than most thing from the store.

If you can find some winterezed schaffers additive which is awesome or run way more of the Power Service than they recommend. I usally run about 16oz to a tank and had great luck when I lived in Iowa

I have never had a problem with filters in my truck plugging up in the winter and I've had if for 3 winters now. It's about -18 here right now and my truck is running fine. I would say that it's gotta be the fuel because the powerservice products usually all help to keep your truck from gelling but i don't remember if the slick diesel does. I think it does.

im wondering if this is some kind of biodiesel. like soy oil waxing up. i know a fuel guy around here that supplies several countys school buses said he had trouble with this. several buses had to be towed a couple years ago. the soy oil separated from the diesel. some countys must of got more soy than they was suppose too. he had a 10 percent mix in his tanks of soy oil. he said it only happened in cold weather. i never saw untreated diesel that power service would not treat but i only saw about -20 weather too.

Diesel Pap has a point if its like a 20% soy blend the soy oil will be thick and gummy and its should be a yellowish color as well

It could be soy diesel I guess, its not posted as bio-fuel or soydiesel but thats not saying there aint some in there. I'm almost positive its the fuel, I've already heard of more trucks having problems today, and that brownish caramel stuff turned into what looked like thick pudding sitting in the shop at 50 or 55 degrees.

I've heard the kerosene and gas trick works, kerosene and #1 are damn near the same thing, I dont know if I like the idea of putting gas in a VP truck, but kerosene should be fine.

They are both running fine now, but I will be keeping a close eye on my fuel pressure.

Sounds like false advertising if they didnt call it bio-diesel. I hope everything gets better for ya. Down in oklahoma nothin like that happens so i feel fortunate for that at least cause that sounds like it could get expensive really quick.

Always keep your fuel receipts. When something like this happens and you can prove it - you might be able to get some money out of the oil company if you yell loud enough.

Well idk about iowa but in minnesota it's mandatory that all diesel has 15% biodiesel in it. We were having problems with filters plugging in the gravel trucks at our construction company. We used to mix #1 and #2 in the winter but apparently now we are running some kinda winter blend fuel that only has to have 5% biodiesel in it

Its gets pretty cold up here and at work in all of our dump, highway and service trucks as well as all of our equipment we use the KLEEN-FLO diesel fuel conditioner. we dont have issues with gelling or with junk fuel that has been sitting for to long in the slip tanks in the pickups. I started using it with my own truck when i bought a diesel and have had no problems. Also i have recently started using 2 stroke in the fuel as well. Anything to keep my high mile VP feelin nice!

About a week ago we had -15 and the next morning when I went to start the truck it started but was running rough like it was going to die. It tried to go into the high idle but it just wasn't there. When the 3 cylinder warm up hit it killed it. Started it again and ran rough for a bit but finally started to smooth out. I also noticed that my fuel pressure was about 12 psi where it is usually 17psi. It has been much colder than that before and I had no issue like the other morning. Then I talked to some other guys who said they had a little colder readings out in the country and their trucks were jelled up. You know it has to be the fuel. And I did have conditioner in it

know this feeling all to well, only when mine does it, it just decides it doesn't wanna smooth itself out, change the airdog filters $50, add more additive than is necessary, and hope eventually it un-gels

Its the bean juice in the fuel that causes the problems.

Gelling
 

-22 this morning and gelled with a double dose of Power Service... Had to use 911 to thaw out the tank and lines, crack the HP lines, the whole nine yards. What is your preferred poison over in Bozeman for treating? Seems everyone has a brand, but not all of them are available around here (Philipsburg)
Thanks!

P.S. Heres hoping it warms up!

Try schaeffers if you can find it!!! Seems to work very well and I have nothing but good luck with it