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Old 02-27-2015, 04:35 PM   #1
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Winterized Diesel

I saw an Exxon sign with "Winterized Diesel"... What is that and is it in for my Interstate? I still have 3/4 of a tank but it'll be time to fill up soon
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Old 02-27-2015, 04:40 PM   #2
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I suspect it is simply a mix of No.1 and No.2 diesel. That is typically what is done further up north. The No.1 is less susceptible to gelling. Folks that run diesel in cold climates will look for No.1 diesel to avoid forming gel. Someone else in this forum may have a better answer, but this is what I have learned from other users out there.
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Old 02-27-2015, 04:41 PM   #3
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It means that the fuel will not gel at lower temps. It's a good thing if you are driving in temps below freezing
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Old 02-27-2015, 05:16 PM   #4
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Diesel fuel, particularly #2 Diesel fuel, can gel if the temperature gets below a certain point (usually below zero degrees F). If the fuel gels in your tank while the vehicle is parked you are out of luck until it warms up. (This won't happen when the engine is running because the fuel that isn't injected is returned to the tank a little warmer than it came out.)

Back when I was driving Diesel truck (70s and 80s) I would pay a few cents a gallon extra for Amoco Diesel Supreme which among other things was guaranteed not to gel above some very low temperature (like -40 degrees F, if I remember correctly).

The other solution to the problem is to dilute #2 Diesel fuel with the lighter molecular weight #1 Diesel fuel. (Or just fill up with #1, if you can get it.)

At times in the past gelling has been avoided by diluting Diesel fuel with gasoline, but this is a Very Bad Idea as it can result in an explosion in the fuel tank. The concentration of vapor in the air space above a tank full of Diesel fuel is below the lower explosive limits. The concentration of vapor in the air space above a tank full of gasoline is above the upper explosive limit. When you mix gasoline with Diesel fuel. . . you can't be sure.
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Old 02-27-2015, 05:19 PM   #5
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I live in the Colorado Mountains in the summer and for years I lived there all year round.
I have a 2000 diesel Excursion purchased new and for years I drove it all winter.
To make a long story short, you don't need number one diesel unless temps are well below zero. I drove my vehicle many times when temps were 10 to 15 below zero with number two diesel without difficulty.
Modern diesels preheat the fuel so it won't gell.
Number one diesel has less energy per gallon and will smoke more, but it won't hurt your engine.
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Old 02-27-2015, 05:33 PM   #6
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All stations switch to winter blend in November and back to summer blend in April in areas prone to cold temps.You get it whether you want it or not.They don't disclose what chemical makeup of the additives is but my mileage increases when using the summer blend by 1-2 mpg.


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Old 02-27-2015, 10:13 PM   #7
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All stations is a dangerous statement... Don't assume... I live on ND and the station I go to (farmers union) does not have a winter blend... You must use an additive...



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Old 02-28-2015, 06:07 AM   #8
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Just a thought with newer Ultra Low Sulfur Diesels there can be issues with diluting the diesel fuel with any other type of mixture of diesel. I put in an additive to prevent gel and to keep the water separation tank from freezing up. Seems to work ok so far, - it's -1 right now and has gone lower and she starts and runs each time.

Ford, not my dealer, told me to only burn Ultra Low Sulfur, no other grade.
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Old 02-28-2015, 07:08 AM   #9
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I agree with Relehnherr. My diesel experience is very dated but I had a diesel car parked off the side of the road for 4 days, once, when I lived in Illinois. It gelled up while I was driving it and wouldn't do anything but idle until the weather warmed up. My diesel station supposedly had winter blend, but obviously did not. From that point on, I always added additives in cold northern weather. Not an issue here in coastal North Carolina.
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Old 02-28-2015, 08:21 AM   #10
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I would hesitate to put anything that was not Ultra low sulfur in it due to the effect it might have on the emissions system.
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Old 02-28-2015, 10:24 AM   #11
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Just a thought with newer Ultra Low Sulfur Diesels there can be issues with diluting the diesel fuel with any other type of mixture of diesel. I put in an additive to prevent gel and to keep the water separation tank from freezing up. Seems to work ok so far, - it's -1 right now and has gone lower and she starts and runs each time.

Ford, not my dealer, told me to only burn Ultra Low Sulfur, no other grade.
By Federal law all road-use diesel sold in the US is ultra low sulfur diesel. If you want any other kind you'll have to get it at a boat fueling dock or some other source that doesn't serve licensed motor vehicles.
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Old 02-28-2015, 10:41 AM   #12
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In our part of the country, all of the diesel in fuel stations is properly mixed in cold weather.

Doug always carried a bottle of additive during winter trips, the last of which I am still carrying , in case we had to make an emergency run home on diesel purchased in warmer climates.

We had a problem heading south one January, our last tank of diesel having been purchased before the winter blend was out.

We were more careful putting the Interstate to bed for the winter after that.


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Old 02-28-2015, 11:16 AM   #13
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All stations is a dangerous statement... Don't assume... I live on ND and the station I go to (farmers union) does not have a winter blend... You must use an additive...



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My cousin hauls fuel to the stations and transfer holding hubs in your area and its all winterized diesel from the refinery with no choice for the station.They wont sell summer blend in ND,SD or MN in the late fall or winter according to him.He works for Farstad Oil inc based out of Minot ND.
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Old 02-28-2015, 11:59 AM   #14
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Ever since my first diesel truck with a Cummins Power Torq 270 in the early 70s and diesel farm tractors, I have used this fuel additive typically found at large truck stops with no gelling even in the middle of the Midwest winters.
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Old 02-28-2015, 02:40 PM   #15
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We don't worry much about the jelling of fuel any more unless it is below O. This new low sulphur fuel is really clean, and has no or very little paraffin ,which caused the fuel jelling and all our fuel is low sulphur...
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Old 03-01-2015, 07:14 AM   #16
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I agree with Relehnherr. My diesel experience is very dated but I had a diesel car parked off the side of the road for 4 days, once, when I lived in Illinois. It gelled up while I was driving it and wouldn't do anything but idle until the weather warmed up. My diesel station supposedly had winter blend, but obviously did not. From that point on, I always added additives in cold northern weather. Not an issue here in coastal North Carolina.
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Me, 1989, in St. Louis, Volkswagen Rabbit. My episode of automotive death was longer than 4 days. I had put in the additive but I was too late - it didn't mix properly and the gelling happened anyway.
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Old 03-01-2015, 08:45 AM   #17
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One thing to watch for if driving a diesel are two diesel pumps at a number of rural fueling stations. We have come upon these in WV as we live next door, parts of PA and out west. Ultra Low Sulfur for our road trucks and then the "old" diesel for the off road and farm equipment. One such station in Roanoke WV, yes WV not VA, did not even have the pumps clearly labeled.

When we ran into the no low sulfur available for a long while in Canada I actually called Ford and was told if you put in the "old" sulfur you wont get far before the computers shut you down, tank would then have to be drained etc. Not sure of accuracy, but did not test it either.
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Old 03-01-2015, 03:17 PM   #18
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The off-road is diesel sold in a lot of places. There is a station near the 495 Beltway near Washington DC in Maryland that sells it. I've seen it many times in my travels, not just in rural areas. The last time I fueled at one of those station, I was buying the normal taxed ULSD the guy next to me was filling him late model Ford Powerstroke diesel pickup with the non-taxed off-road diesel that was 30 cents per gallon cheaper. His pickup was obviously highly modified and tuned so that cheaper diesel was not going to harm his engine.


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Old 03-01-2015, 04:17 PM   #19
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What about his emission system. I'd think it might damage it.
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Old 03-01-2015, 06:45 PM   #20
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What about his emission system. I'd think it might damage it.

My point was that this pickup probably had all the emission systems removed. You can get diesels tuned to remove the EGR, DPF and other systems. Highly illegal just as it's illegal to use off-road diesel fuel in a highway vehicle. But then who really enforces these things. In Maryland and many other states diesels are exempt from routine emissions testing.


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