Cold weather ops?

[Otterav]

Ok,
My question is, what do you Canadian guys with 3Bs do when it gets azz freezing cold? I was up in the Sierras this weekend and was wheeling like a big dog(ok puppy), ran the whole day, no sweat(except chicken sweats). Got to camp and set up and settling in(outside below 32F, 0C). Got the bright idea to go for a night wheel, noticed the fuel gauge would not register and not move for almost a mile, and my fuel tank which normally sloshes like crazy was eeriliy silent. I got nervous and we broke camp(7500MSL) and ran for lower, warmer climes. I have been running biodiesel and had topped the tank with #2 diesel on top of about 1/8th tank of bio just prior to leaving the road. I guess the bio and #2 cloud point was higher than the temp we were experiencing.Comments, theories, solutions? I have not seen #1 diesel for sale in California anywhere I hang out. Which additives work the best? Kerosene? Gasoline, or?
eric
P.S. I was gonna park the cruiser next to the fire, but that was too hillbilly, even for me.
Middle of the day out in the open:

Camp:

Rock hopping:

[gbcruiser]

Most the stations have winter diesel up here, but the manual for my 2H says you can mix up to 30% kerosene with #2 diesel when it gets really cold (which would probably be really cheap, come to think of it). I run 5% bio year round without any problems so far, but I'm in a warm part of Canada (winters maybe a little cooler than Seattle is all).

[jmylie]

First, 32 degrees is not cold.

If you filled up with regular diesel, I doubt that the fuel gelled or had anything to do with either the sloshing or fuel gauge.

If the fuel gelled, you would not have been able to start or run your 3B.

I would suspect a weak ground causing the gauge to misread. Either the morning dew or some other anomaly causing the problem.

You may have some water in your tank, so try some dry gas or additive that will absorbed the water.

I do used an additive in the winter that will lower the gelling point.

I regularly drive to upstate NY in the winter where it does get very cold, like 15 to 20 degrees F below zero and have not had any problems with fuel. If the winter diesel gelled at these temperatures, you would not be able to pump it.

[John Galt]

I run a mix of 20% canola, 10% jetB, 70% ULSD here in Northern Canukland, where it gets below freezing for half the year.
I use plug-in preheating for the engine coolant, fuel filter and injectors.

[freebie]

No need to do anything at those temperatures!!, I would not worry about fuel blends or bio? as lond as your not running straight WVO. The winter grade diesel is probably not available in your area, because you don't need it, you can get winter grade fuel around the Vancouver area but thats for trucks heading up north -20 F and much colder. Fuel actually gelling is probably the least of your porblems, I would be worried about cold starts, get an inline block heater, cheap insurance!, worry about keeping your engine at operating temp with a rad cover or card board, make sure the fan clutch is working and keep the tank topped up to prevent condensation. If your running in really cold weather, a belly tarp is a good idea, but were talking -40 for that kinda gear.

Cheers

[Otterav]

Cool,
I kinda tweaked, I know Bio clouds and then gels at the same temp as the original feed stock. Being veggie, the cloud/gel points are quite a bit higher than regular dino squeezins. My fuel guage has never been anything but totally reliable, what really got me worried was the lack of sloshing of the fuel in the tank, funny thing after driving down slope and heating the truck up the tank was sloshing around like normal and the gauge never fudged again. All my glow plugs are newish, with a fresh fuel filter. I wasn't sure about the cloud/gel points and chickened out, I didn't want a cruiser sickle at 7500MSL and 30 miles from any help.
Thanks guys!
eric

[joshoisasleep]

Originally Posted by jmylie

If the fuel gelled, you would not have been able to start or run your 3B.

What do people define as "gelled"? I have started my 3b no problem with a thick skin covering the fuel in my jerry cans .

Down to nights about -10C I have had no problems... in fact surrounded by 3F and 1FZ (?) powered cruisers at -10C, 15,000+ feet altitude, I have had the easiest starts, with NO additives in non-winter diesel (stupid I know). Gottta love that old inline injector pump!

One trick when it gets cold is to wrap a tarp around your engine compartment at night... just kinda keeps the heat in I guess, but I've seen lots of people do it.

[cruiser_guy]

Yes, 32F is NOT cold. When it gets to -32F then you can begin to talk about cold. I'd take a few gallons of kerosene along and if you have gelling issues (usually noticed by a lack of throttle response) dump a gallon of kerosene in and see if that works, if not dump another gallon in and see what happens. Repeat until to have throttle response.

[crushers]

relax, as l;ong as the glow plug systems is working well and the batteries are up to snuff then starting at -35C is possible without plugging in.

note:
i usually disconnect the ground from the batteries when it is below -10C to prevent any minor draw from draining them...