Diesel gelled, what's the best way to get running again?

[blue83ranger]

My dad was on his way home Sunday night and his truck quit on him. (1991 dodge with a Cummins) He says the fuel gelled on him. He usually adds an additive but forgot to this time. So, what is the best way to get his truck running again? It's not here and getting it inside where it is isn't possible. He had the block heater plugged in but that doesn't do anything for the tank. He believes he has air in the lines too. Any thoughts? He's going to try to get it home tomorrow around 10 am.

 

[kevinsranger]

diesel 911 degel treatment, or alcohol from a hardware store, i have seen guys take a coffee can full of water and put the can over the water seperator and heat the can with a propane torch too, but i dont personally recommend that even tho it has worked lol

 

[blue83ranger]

He added Howes Lubicator diesel treat, it said you can triple the treatment the first time so he did that.

 

[kevinsranger]

He added Howes Lubicator diesel treat, it said you can triple the treatment the first time so he did that.

I know alot of those cant "cut thru" the gel, but the diesel 911 (red container) can cut thru and clear it up, the alcolol is probably the most effective, its sold in hardware stores or home improvement stores in quarts and most likely gallons, its just alcohol, and it breaks up the gel very quickly

 

[Jason]

Get it in the garage and start buying diesel from a better place. This time of year the stations should be selling winter blended diesel in all cold areas which has the anti-gel additive already in it.

 

[kevinsranger]

Get it in the garage and start buying diesel from a better place. This time of year the stations should be selling winter blended diesel in all cold areas which has the anti-gel additive already in it.

that still never works, anti gel treatments that you add yourself is best, but even the winter blend gets gelled with high wind chills, just a fact of life with diesels

 

[Will]

Does it have a factory fuel heater on it? If that's working, and the truck is running, it shouldn't be stalling out. When it gets to 20, winter fuel or not, the air coming through the grill waxes the fuel. You need a functioning fuel heater. I've never poured anything in the tank. I have had trouble when my heater element was out though.

 

[kevinsranger]

Does it have a factory fuel heater on it? If that's working, and the truck is running, it shouldn't be stalling out. When it gets to 20, winter fuel or not, the air coming through the grill waxes the fuel. You need a functioning fuel heater. I've never poured anything in the tank. I have had trouble when my heater element was out though.

i never heard of a fuel heater, but then again i deal with construction equipment not road trucks so they are probably on road trucks, sounds like a great idea

 

[Jason]

that still never works, anti gel treatments that you add yourself is best, but even the winter blend gets gelled with high wind chills, just a fact of life with diesels

Works for our fleet of Macks and Volvos.

 

[badblue]

i now 7.3 and 6.0 have them in the fuel canister

 

[Ozwynn]

diesel 911...... I would not pour alcohol in the tank... not good for that fuel lubed injector pump.

 

[Will]

i never heard of a fuel heater, but then again i deal with construction equipment not road trucks so they are probably on road trucks, sounds like a great idea

I guess wind chill isn't a factor on something with a top speed of 8mph. My truck came with one of course, but I eventually threw the whole assembly away because of constant problems of it taking in air. I now have a Racor 245 with a built in heater.

For what it's worth, the diesel doesn't really gel. It gets wax flakes forming in it that clog the filter. I had a Bobcat with a Kubota and no heater and it never happened even down to -10F. The windchill is what does it. I've not had a truck not start--it just dies when it starts moving very fast.

 

[blue83ranger]

My dad says it does have a fuel heater. He didn't think about it though till the suggestion, maybe it quit working.

 

[blue83ranger]

he just got back with the truck, he said he changed the fuel filter and bled the lines and it started. Thanks for the help, now i'm going to start another topic with more diesel issues only this time it's for a jeep Liberty.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

seafoam in the tank keeps the diesel from gelling up.