Problems with Diesels in cold climate

[Carguy]

Ive been driving and selling diesels for years, Just curious if anyone else is having a lot of no start and geling problems this year?? I 've had several people wanting to trade for gas motors. Sick of getting stuck. I know its been cold up here in the Northeast, but not that much worse than years past. Cant help but think diesel fuel is really chitty now. Any problems??

[Expensive Date]

I gelled up with my International a few years ago.It was not that cold when I filled up and I only had 1/2 a bottle with me so I only put it in one tank.A few days later it was about 6 degree running down the road when it switched tanks it died.I had to put the rescue stuff in it and change the fuel filters.Now from thanksgiving to March I always add anti gel.Have not had a problem since.I even put a little in the GMC not sure if its ok to do that with the particulate filter but I don't think it will hurt.
Did you hear about Gallo GMC where I bought my truck...they are done?

[Bgchuby01]

put a little rubbing achohol in the tank. now all fuel is low sulfur, maybe that has something to do with it. I have not had a problem with the fuel clogging

[cigdaze]

It's the nature of the beast. The new ULS diesel has a slightly higher gel point, so it's not surprising to hear more of these stories. Stanadyne and DieselKleen make good anti-gel cetane booster additives.

[BGIII]

We have had starting issues a couple times this winter on both of our diesels. A 6.0 ford and a 5.9 Cummins. Starting using an additive and they seem to be fine now. Both sit outside and are neither get plugged in and both are around 200,000 miles. We try to buy our diesel only from high volume stations. We have had some really cold spells this winter so far so I don't know if it's fuel or just the unusually cold temps.

[Chris]

I have 6.0's in the Fords and Cats in the mediums. No additives. No problems this or any other year. Even a couple weeks ago when it was 6 below.

It's fuel supply. I only buy diesel from volume dealers. like truck stops. And part of the problem is where you're at geographically.

[Bgchuby01]

Chris you need to stay out of those truck stops with the lot lizards walking around. When I stop at one in Ohio with a boat I am always asked Where is Chris.

[stecz20]

every garbage truck, dump truck, pick up truck ive had to put the additive in... people run their diesels like gas motors and you just cant do that... diesel will freeze up way before gas, this is just the deal with owning a truck and a diesel... you may hear people say they have never had a problem, but in more cases you will hear of the problems.. every truck i have ever owned it was a must to plug them in, or in some cases during the cold winter months we never shut them down.. and thats no lie... trucks would run in a yard all night long... driver would love it cause its nice and toatsy in the morn.. its cheaper than losing the truck for the day cause its iced up....

[Expensive Date]

every garbage truck, dump truck, pick up truck ive had to put the additive in... people run their diesels like gas motors and you just cant do that... diesel will freeze up way before gas, this is just the deal with owning a truck and a diesel... you may hear people say they have never had a problem, but in more cases you will hear of the problems.. every truck i have ever owned it was a must to plug them in, or in some cases during the cold winter months we never shut them down.. and thats no lie... trucks would run in a yard all night long... driver would love it cause its nice and toatsy in the morn.. its cheaper than losing the truck for the day cause its iced up....

Thats cause every garbage truck you own was made when diesel was 11 cents a gallon:26:

[THEJOKER]

Plug em up at night.

[inbetween]

Plug em up at night.

My powerstroke starts hard under 20 or so and a couple days of not driving it if it's not plugged in. It heats up the cab quicker if it's plugged in too :)

[MahopacMarine]

It's fuel supply. I only buy diesel from volume dealers. like truck stops. And part of the problem is where you're at geographically.

I agree Chris.
Last weekend I filled up at a station in Rochester and pumped a full tank of gelled fuel. 2 days of changing filters, adding Diesel 911 and a ton of heat I was back on the road. I stopped at truck stop filled up with treated fuel on the way home and the truck never ran better.

BTW it is a 6.0 PSD

[Carguy]

I had to barrel in to an 06 GMC 17ft box van today just to keep the customer happy. Traded him into a gas truck. No block heater, and 3rd time this year he got stuck.
I had the same thing happen to me in a 2006 Ford 6.0 yesterday, this happened after i added some 911.....Guess an injector went for the third time this year in the same truck under the same conditions. Ford tech line claims bad fuel threw the injector. SUPPOSEDLY this is common in northeast this year. I had a loaded two sled trailer behind. That was a great morning with no cell service, and 4 degrees.

[cpmarine]

My 6.0 was always slow starting when real cold but this 6.4 doesn't seem to mind the cold. Of course my idea of cold is in the teens. When it gets below 15 I head for Flordia for a week or so. Heading back north tomorrow, hope it doesn't get too cold again. The high here is susposed to be around 60 tomorrow. Too cold to boat and too cold to ride the bike, might as well go home.

[540/27fastech]

I use HOWES LUBE in all my trucks. It was below zero here a few weeks ago. Did not have a problem with gelling. Best stuff i have ever used.

[07DominatorSS]

Ive been driving and selling diesels for years, Just curious if anyone else is having a lot of no start and geling problems this year?? I 've had several people wanting to trade for gas motors. Sick of getting stuck. I know its been cold up here in the Northeast, but not that much worse than years past. Cant help but think diesel fuel is really chitty now. Any problems??

The reason for all the gelling problems is the new diesel fuel. The ULSD fuel tends to have more water in it along with the fact without the sulphur, it does not have the lubricity it used to, therefore gelling much easier. I personally use a product by AMSOIL for my fuel. http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/dfc.aspx I have not had one issue. The advantage of the AMSOIL product over all others is the fact it is NOT alcohol based. Alcohol is extremely rough on fuel injectors, so using a product like Diesel 911, is not the best for your truck.

[smittyseng]

I have had 4 duramaxes,a 02,04,06 and now a 08,my 02 gelled up when it was -2 ONCE,started just fine,ran 15 miles THEN would only idle. I towed it into work that day and had to put a salamander on the fuel tank for 5 hours before it would do anything more than idle. I had filled it at a high volume truck stop the night before at midnight and I went there and filled a 1 gallon container that morning. I let that container sit out in the cold down to -10 and the stuff still looked like gasoline so I never figured it out,the same truck ran fine down to -15 and never acted up again,if I was far from home and it was going to go below -10 I would add some diesel flo to the fuel as insurance. Fast forward to recently,for the first time since then I had a similar thing happen to my 08,I left it sit out overnight and it got down to -18,wasn't plugged in and I didn't have the winter cover on. Started it with no problem with my remote start,let it high idle for 10 minutes,got in it and left for work,the temp gauge was at 200 plus on the motor. I got 5 miles down the road and it lost power and would only go just over a high idle without bogging. Limped it back home and jumped in my van and went to work,that night I put a 1/2 a quart of power service in it and let it idle for 15 minutes at -5. Got in it the next day it was -12 and it drove just fine and has since then,no additive,no cover,not plugged in,nothing. A buddy of mine has a power stroke,a 03 or 04,I called him the day mine gelled up and asked him how his was running,he said he didn't even bother trying to start it when it was that cold from past experience. I never bother plugging mine in since it won't keep the fuel from gelling anyways and starts just fine but it sure does pizz you off to get a few miles down the road abnd have one drop to a idle a barely run. I NOW keep some diesel flo and power service in the truck in case it does it again but I don't put it in since it usually doesn't get much more than -5 around here,Smitty

[Chris]

The Ford 6.0 does have issues with the passenger side glowplug harness. You'll get hard starting and rough running when cold. It's not a great design and deteriorates after a couple years.

[MikeyFIN]

over here we just change the Filters every fall and look what type of diesel we fill up with, theres the summer quality with a gelling point of 15 degree clesius then the Winter to -29 and the Arctic to -34.
No problems if you do the service...

[PatriYacht]

I'm suprised everyone has so much trouble. I've been driving diesels as my daily drivers for 6 years now and I've never put anything in my fuel. This morning it was -11 and the truck started just like normal and drove fine. Have I just been lucky?

[Jassman]

I'm suprised everyone has so much trouble. I've been driving diesels as my daily drivers for 6 years now and I've never put anything in my fuel. This morning it was -11 and the truck started just like normal and drove fine. Have I just been lucky?


no, all of mine have been the same way from all three manufacture's. Granted it might get down to 23-25 degrees, like this morning...but even in WI a few weeks ago when it was 4 below and a bad wind... My 08 Ford 6.4 started 3 days in a row without a problem. It took maybe 5-7 sec's longer for the glow plugs to warm up.

[Carguy]

I have to believe its the fuel in different parts of the country. Had another tow in today. It really hasn't been that cold here. 10 degrees or so at night. I'm going to learn how to cut fuel with kerosene.

[JFM]

Gelled my 02 powerstroke 2 times last year both times when driving. I started to use Amsoil diesel cold flow and no problems yet. Knock on wood

[Clustergear]

I have to believe its the fuel in different parts of the country. Had another tow in today. It really hasn't been that cold here. 10 degrees or so at night. I'm going to learn how to cut fuel with kerosene.

I am sure you know Nicky Cutro give him a call he buys Howell's Lub by the case. I use it in my diesel tractor and he uses it in all his trucks and tractors. No problems in the cold . When we were racing running back and forth from Fla. every time time we stopped for fuel we dumped it in tank in all weather summer and winter and never had fuel problems. Its like 1oz per 5 gals fuel. If you talk to him tell him Big Dick from Big Dick's Sterndrive Service told to you to call.

[rjcardinal]

The Ford 6.0 does have issues with the passenger side glowplug harness. You'll get hard starting and rough running when cold. It's not a great design and deteriorates after a couple years.

Chris,

Can you elaborate on this glowplug harness issue? I have a '05 and a '06 F-250 with the 6.0 in them. The '05 has cold start issues. The '06 does not. It rarely gets colder than the upper 20's here but anything below 40 degrees the '05 starts hard and runs like crap for the first 15 minutes. It has never failed to start. We just let it fast idle for 15 minutes in the morning then its alright. Does this sound like the harness issue? Whats the fix? Replace the harness?

I have 2 Internationals with the 444e, a Ford F-650 with the Cat motor, three Isuzu cab overs, the two F-250's with the 6.0, and two E-350's with the 7.4 and they all start fine except for the 05 F-250 6.0. I would love to get this one right before it fails to start on the yard.

Thanks,

Ron

[Chris]

Chris,

Can you elaborate on this glowplug harness issue? I have a '05 and a '06 F-250 with the 6.0 in them. The '05 has cold start issues. The '06 does not. It rarely gets colder than the upper 20's here but anything below 40 degrees the '05 starts hard and runs like crap for the first 15 minutes. It has never failed to start. We just let it fast idle for 15 minutes in the morning then its alright. Does this sound like the harness issue? Whats the fix? Replace the harness?

I have 2 Internationals with the 444e, a Ford F-650 with the Cat motor, three Isuzu cab overs, the two F-250's with the 6.0, and two E-350's with the 7.4 and they all start fine except for the 05 F-250 6.0. I would love to get this one right before it fails to start on the yard.

Thanks,

Ron

The passenger side glowplug harness fails from heat exposure related to poor design. But my guess is you have coked injectors. You can try the Ford inductive heat flash. It's a computer upgrade that holds the solenoid coils on the injectors open while preheating the glowplugs. It warms them and helps free them when they're cold. The injector design Ford (International) uses allows oil to get into the injector body and leave a deposit that, when the injector is cold, allows them to hang up and improperly fire. You can also pull the injector and have them ultrasonically cleaned if they have less then 100K on them. beyond that, you're better off sticking rebuilts in it.

[Seafordguy]

I have to believe its the fuel in different parts of the country. Had another tow in today. It really hasn't been that cold here. 10 degrees or so at night. I'm going to learn how to cut fuel with kerosene.

I would have to agree with this too.

We have actually had several days in the last few weeks with weather in the teens and mine starts, and runs great with or without letting the glow plugs warm up.

[BUIZILLA]

most, if not all, aircraft ground equipment runs on jet fuel year round, which is really super clean kerosene,,,, no reason not to use it or blend it with DF2 in the winter... the AGE people use 100% jet A year round, so does the US Air Force... you don't see the de-ice trucks gelling on the runways...

[smittyseng]

I'm suprised everyone has so much trouble. I've been driving diesels as my daily drivers for 6 years now and I've never put anything in my fuel. This morning it was -11 and the truck started just like normal and drove fine. Have I just been lucky?

Ian,do you park inside or outside? Like I said,I have never had a problem getting any of the 4 duramaxes I have had to start,even at -18 and I don't bother plugging them in BUT I have had them gell up driving down the road after being fully warmed up (with no additive in the fuel,just winter blended fuel),it baffles me,Smitty

[Chris]

It's sounding like a Michigan thing. I run straight pump fuel and over the last decade, none of our trucks has ever had a gelling problem. Michigan isn't substantially colder than Northern Ohio.

[smittyseng]

It's sounding like a Michigan thing. I run straight pump fuel and over the last decade, none of our trucks has ever had a gelling problem. Michigan isn't substantially colder than Northern Ohio.

Overall though,the further north you go the colder it is on average during the night,it's 5-10 degrees colder on average here in mid michigan then it is in detroit and another 5-10 degrees colder on average and earlier in the fall/later in the spring when I head 150 more miles north. This winter has been exceptionally cold with temps reaching -18 at night which is close to record low's for around here. I know now if it's going to be -10 or colder to add some anti-gell addittive to my fuel,Smitty
I also find myself leaving for my day job at 5:20 am,by 7:00-8:00 am it has warmed back up to near zero or above on these cold nights.

[Bgchuby01]

You all need to move to california, I can start my engine without a glowplug 365 days a year. Oh and did I tell you we can boat on christmas day.

[smittyseng]

You all need to move to california, I can start my engine without a glowplug 365 days a year. Oh and did I tell you we can boat on christmas day.
I lived in Ca for 2 LONG years,no thanks
Anti-hunting public
crowded
non-stop traffic jams
food and gas was 50% higher
housing cost was insane
every town was just a continuous strip mall and suburb
Mexican gangs roaming the streets
Emission testing on automobiles
AND NUMBER ONE: EARTHQUAKES
2 weeks after I moved a earthquake devastated the area right where I lived and drove

[drpete3]

It's sounding like a Michigan thing. I run straight pump fuel and over the last decade, none of our trucks has ever had a gelling problem. Michigan isn't substantially colder than Northern Ohio.

FUK that! When was your last -30 reading? You must be referring to Detroit.

[drpete3]

I lived in Ca for 2 LONG years,no thanks
Anti-hunting public
crowded
non-stop traffic jams
food and gas was 50% higher
housing cost was insane
every town was just a continuous strip mall and suburb
Mexican gangs roaming the streets
Emission testing on automobiles
AND NUMBER ONE: EARTHQUAKES
2 weeks after I moved a earthquake devastated the area right where I lived and drove

Hell yea!!! If people keep leaving the state (MI) we will soon be here alone:sifone: