-25F Starting

[klintdog]

Went out and started the truck this morning in -25F, before wind chill factor. I cycled the key three times to make sure we had the plugs warm, she didn't like it but she turned over after about 2 seconds. Let the truck run for about half an hour to get her good and warmed up, took off for work and only made it about half a mile before the check engine light came on and the Check Filter message showed.

I flipped it around and put her back in the garage, but I had to grab the wife's car to get to work. What should I do when I get home? This is on an 08, so I don't know what I can put into the tank as far as treatments and stuff. I didn't have the cold front on this morning, but I'm guessing I'll need to put that on as well.

Thanks!!

[cabletech]

I had problems with my LBZ when below -10F. I got around the problem by installing a lift pump. I never had problems before ULSD.

[Kennedy]

Probably fuel beginning to wax or gel. Conditioner like FPPF Total Power and say 10-15% #1 diesel to cut it further. The lift pump suggestion is also a good one if the fuel is OK. Being cold it just takes more effort to get fuel to flow through the filter.

[klintdog]

With the LMM, am I ok to add something like Howe's or 911 to the tank to help it?

[Runaway_Dmax]

Went out and started the truck this morning in -25F, before wind chill factor. I cycled the key three times to make sure we had the plugs warm, she didn't like it but she turned over after about 2 seconds. Let the truck run for about half an hour to get her good and warmed up, took off for work and only made it about half a mile before the check engine light came on and the Check Filter message showed.
I flipped it around and put her back in the garage, but I had to grab the wife's car to get to work. What should I do when I get home? This is on an 08, so I don't know what I can put into the tank as far as treatments and stuff. I didn't have the cold front on this morning, but I'm guessing I'll need to put that on as well.

Thanks!!

Not a good idea to let the LMM run/idle for any length of time as you may plug the particulate filter (aka: DPF).

That brings the next point. What filter did the message say to check. If it was the particulate filter - you would need to drive the truck over 30 mph for about 20 miles and that would of caused the truck to go into regeneration and clean that filter.

Put that winter front on as you have alot of radiator/grill area bringing in cold air. Total Power or Stanadyne are good treatments, but if the truck wasn't cutting out more than likely not a gelled fuel filter.

[klintdog]

It said to check the fuel filter, not the DPF. If the fuel filter is gelled, what needs to be done with it? I'm kind of a newbie when it comes to that kind of stuff.

[More Power]

Summer #2 diesel fuel will gel at approximately +20 degrees F. Fuel distributors are required to blend #1 with #2 to winterize it, so the fuel won't gel down to the lowest expected temperature for a given region of the country. This isn't an exact science, and you could get a tank of fuel that isn't current (a few months old). Most fuel suppliers do a pretty good job. I've not experienced gelled fuel after driving a GM diesel pickup through 22 Montana winters.

Buy some fuel treatment that is advertised to lower the gel point. Add about twice the recommended amount to the fuel in the tank, then top off the tank at a truck stop that sees a lot of traffic. That should do it... :)

Jim

[Mark Rinker]

During cold snaps, if you have the potential for these kind of temps:


Get inside if at all possible
Plug in, always
Pre-treat your fuel as outlined above
Excessive idling is not a good practice, a few minutes is all that is required, then get rolling, keeping RPMS <2500 until you have water temps starting to riseGood luck - where do you live? Fill out your profile so we know more about your truck!

[klintdog]

I'm from SW North Dakota. We got hit with a super cold spell, so all kinds of unexpected things are happening.

The fuel I had in the tank was #2 that was already winter blended. Supposedly good to -20. The -30 blend didn't come in until the 15th (talk about a day late and a dollar short).

This morning I topped the tank off with #1 (about a 1/4 tank). I've got some Howe's at home that I'll have to add to the tank. Got the fuel filter replaced at noon.

My big concern with the new emission standards is what you can actually add to a tank. I've plugged filters in the past after adding treatments, so I'm a little leary of putting something in the tank of a new truck.

[More Power]

Use a fuel treatment that says on the bottle that is compatible with the new ULSD and the new DPF equipped trucks. Power Service, Stanadyne and other fuel treatment additives now have that declaration.

The fuel filter is located where it is (above the exhaust manifold - inside the engine compartment) to help reduce the instances of gelled fuel. And, the factory fuel filter assembly contains a fuel heater that automatically energizes whenever the temperature (in the fuel filter) is at or below +20 degrees F. If gelled fuel in your truck is more than a fluke, I'd have the fuel filter heater tested.... :)

Jim

[Runaway_Dmax]

Is ND using any form of a BioDiesel blend? This has a known effect on the LMM engine fuel system in the winter. Anything more than 5% is trouble. Possible if Bio is used that it caused the fuel filter to freeze up.

As Mr Rinker stated, try to get her insided to thaw it out.

I use Total Power in mine (see truck in sig) and have not had any problem with it. I'm not familar with Howes. I beleive if you use the 911 treatment and then get it start you then need to change the filter.

Put your winter front on in the winter and follow the owners manual instructions if you are towing.

[Rabbler]

How many miles on your fuel filter?
anything past 7k and your asking for trouble in real cold weather.
I know the cold you speak of. I just drove through N and S Dakota and probably saw 50 semi trailers pulled over with the cabs flipped.
You could see them changing fuel filters on the side of the road!
Winter officially arrived.
All the ford 6.0L have been idling out side my hotel all night...

[leolkfrm]

I've used power service in all my diesels, even the farm tractors get whole fuel with power service. Around here they don't start treating the fuel untill it stays below 20 degrees, so if you don't use it alot you would end up with untreated fuel. to ungel, fill a new filter with powerservice and add to the tank.

[TheJDMan]

Over the years, I have tried Howes, Stanadyne and others most have gelled in extreme temps. For a number of years now, I have use the John Deere Winter Diesel Conditioner and I have not had a problem since switching. In addition to the gelling protection, it also adds lubrication which is important with ULSD. You can also run 10% to 30% kerosene which is very close to #1 but it about twice the price of diesel.

[93GMCSierra]

Is ND using any form of a BioDiesel blend? This has a known effect on the LMM engine fuel system in the winter. Anything more than 5% is trouble. Possible if Bio is used that it caused the fuel filter to freeze up.

As Mr Rinker stated, try to get her insided to thaw it out.

I use Total Power in mine (see truck in sig) and have not had any problem with it. I'm not familar with Howes. I beleive if you use the 911 treatment and then get it start you then need to change the filter.

Put your winter front on in the winter and follow the owners manual instructions if you are towing.
Last I checked you could only buy 5% blend and that was only in 3 places, and only as a special order on bulk. And from Oct to April They wont sell it.
And to the OP SW near Dickinson it is rarely that cold isn't it. I lived in that area while in High school.

[NeilLB7]

I've been using Stanadyne Performance Formula since 1997 in diesels. Never had a gel issue down to -13F actual temp. I'm in Indiana.

On that particular night...I took a glass jar and filled it with the same diesel I was running in the truck. I let it sit outside overnight and checked it in the morning. Diesel around here is normally a gold-ish color like Honey. Now it was a yellow color like Mountain Dew and looked like a "slush puppy" ice drink like you'd get at the mini-mart.

I put in 1/2 cap full of Stanadyne PF and swirled it around. The wax solids immediately dissolved and the contents returned to all liquid. The color was still yellow. But it was liquid again and this convinced me to use the PF especially during cold snaps.

I use it all year round anyhow.

[MacDR50]

From the Irving Oil Magazine:

The kerosene that should be used to
blend with ULSD for better cold flow
performance in the winter is Ultra Low
Sulfur Kerosene (ULSK). The ULSK,
Like ULSD, has to have a sulfur content
of 15 ppm or less. ULSK is normally
priced higher than K-1 and the
difference between the two has been
over 12 cents per gallon at times this
winter. Winter ULSD can have a
kerosene component of 76% to
achieve a winter ULSD with a minus
16°F or lower cloud point.

I understand that some refiners produce a low wax diesel which also increases its anti-gelling attribute.

[JohnC]

76%? Wow! We never get more than 40% here and it gets below zero pretty regularly...

[arcticat64]

Here in Green Bay we had lot of nights at -20 wind chill at -40.My 05 sits in the parking lot for 12 hour shift with a cold weather cover and Power service in the tank,never a problem in the last 4 years. :)