[Rhodes22-list] Diesel Powered Trucks

[Gardner, Douglas L. (LNG-DAY)]

Thanks for the info, Rik!

  I don't know if I've ever seen No.1 vs No2 pumps in Ohio.  The diesel
pumps in the gas station don't even have it marked, although I think it is
always marked No.2 when I go to the truck stops.
I'll keep a lookout for No.1 when the weather starts to get cold, again.  We
do get the odd 10-15 degree below zero day here, but not very often and not
for very long.  It is unlikely I'll need to drive the truck on those days,
and more unlikely that I'll be able to fill up completely with No.1.  Really
depends on how much warning I get.  In really bad weather, I'd prefer to
drive the Jeep, but Robin will probably get that, leaving me with the truck.

I can't fit the truck in my garage, so my approach to the condensation
problem has been decided FOR me!  



-----Original Message-----
From: Rik Sandberg [mailto:racerrik@rea-alp.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 7:01 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Diesel Powered Trucks


Doug,

You are right, out in Ohio where you are the winters are a ton milder than
here. I don't know where Joe is from though or where he might go, so I
brought the subject up.

Far as your fuel is concerned, #2 for most of the conditions you will get
into in Ohio, will work just fine. If you feel you are going to see temps
under maybe 10 degrees or so, you might think about buying a 50/50 blend of
#1 and #2, or you can blend it yourself by just putting half in from each
respective pump. That's assuming that you buy fuel where they actually have
a pump for both grades. If you are looking at temps lower than 5 or 10 below
0, I would seriously consider not blending at all and going with straight #1
fuel. There is a lot of paraffin in #2 diesel fuel. When it starts getting
pretty cold this paraffin will start to solidify and separate from the
liquid. The paraffin solids will plug your fuel filters in short order once
they start forming. This is called jelling up. It generally had to be pretty
cold for this to happen. Probably below zero if you have pretty good quality
fuel. I have seen it happen at about 25 above though if you get a batch of
crappy fuel. You can probably get into those high cetane winter blend fuels
and stuff too if you want to. We have never messed with that stuff though. I
don't know exactly what the difference is, but I do know it's generally
quite a bit more expensive

OK, that's one way to freeze up, but there is also another way. Water in
your fuel can freeze almost anytime the weather is below freezing and will,
especially if you park your vehicle outside and shut it off for a while. Now
most people think they get water in their fuel from the fuel station. Well,
this is possible, but, most time they actually put the water in the tank
themselves without realizing it.

What one needs to understand is how condensation can put water in your fuel.
Our biggest problem, fuel-wise, in the winter is our heated garage. If a
driver doesn't top off his fuel tank before parking his truck in the warm
garage, there will always be water in his fuel tanks. If he does this very
many times in a row, there will be enough water in the tanks to be picked up
with the fuel and make it to the fuel filters, where it WILL eventually turn
to ice and freeze the filter shut. I know you probably can't look inside the
fuel tank on your pickup, but on my big truck, I can. When these trucks get
backed inside our shop on a cold day with a less than full tank, I can pull
of the fuel cap and see the frost on the inside of the tank. Sooner or later
this frost is going to become water and end up in the bottom of the tank.

So, it is kind of a toss up whether you are better off keeping your truck
inside so you always start with warm fuel, or keep it outside so you don't
get condensation in your tank. Given a choice I would pick inside, being
careful to keep my tanks full as much as possible and also regularly adding
some isopropyl alcohol (or similar fuel treatment, I have also used
methanol) to the tanks to break up the water. Also, in the winter I always
carry at least one set of fuel filters with me, ALL THE TIME. You'll usually
only plug the primary filter, but I've seen both changed before the truck
would run again.

Keep in mind here, I'm am absolutely NOT a chemist!!! Most of these lessons
I have just picked up at the school of hard knocks and frozen toes. Got the
poor circulation in my fingers and toes to prove it. :-)

Rik