Fuel Conditioner

[Geoff Weeks]

Most of the sites that aren't forums, in other words, refiners and farm suppliers suggest, icing of fuel becomes evident between 30-20 degF. #2 starts clouding below 15 deg F. Clouding can be combated by mixing with #1, but at a loss of energy per gal.

Pure  #1 starts to cloud below -30F

[Mark T]

I don't think terminals cut fuel anymore. Used to be a winter blend of #2 and #1 . Now the winter blend is treated chemically.  I think the problem with fuel in Pennsylvania is the bio. Basically it's a form of alcohol and it draws water (like in brake fluid) I've never seen much in a filter (or any other place the actual blockage was) other than slushy/discolored goo and a waxy layer on the actual filter media.  I have seen "jelled" fuel after spilling it on really cold ground, never in the truck though.  I've seen guys put fuel in trucks and leave with the cap off. I've seen guys park the truck when it's 2 degrees and dump the Power Service in it after it was shut off.  A little instruction on prevention is often ignored.  

[Joey Mack]

Ok.. well that makes sense to me because of the low temps in Maine.. granted it didnt stay that low for long periods, but it got there.. lot of.  -10+ nights.. 

[Mark T]

I had Superliners fro Canada (eh?)  I had to go back with one of them for warranty work.  Those trucks had the tanks cut down for export. They did it to all of them at that place. When I was there the part that was cut off the tanks had what was basically a coil that was in the tank and the engine coolant plumbed through it. Then the engine had shutters behind the radiator and a full winter front.  Guy told me the one from up Mistissini was used to being in 30 below conditions.  I often wondered if that's why that truck ran so good down here. Like if it was richened up just to run right there.

[Geoff Weeks]

I didn't idle unless the overnight temp was below -25F (ran a combustion heater). Was running in true -35F temps, didn't warm to -25F until about 3pm.

Duel 150 gal tanks have a lot of surface area, if snow and ice are clinging to the tank, it is a sure sign the fuel is below freezing!

My fathers whole family was from Maine, we have roots going way back up there.

That said, it rarely gets as cold as it can in Montana and North Dakota. Nothing stopping the polar winds from plunging south over the high plains of Central US and Canada.

[Geoff Weeks]

Just now, Mark T said:

I had Superliners fro Canada (eh?)  I had to go back with one of them for warranty work.  Those trucks had the tanks cut down for export. They did it to all of them at that place. When I was there the part that was cut off the tanks had what was basically a coil that was in the tank and the engine coolant plumbed through it. Then the engine had shutters behind the radiator and a full winter front.  Guy told me the one from up Mistissini was used to being in 30 below conditions.  I often wondered if that's why that truck ran so good down here. Like if it was richened up just to run right there.

My 9670 have those coolant loops in the tank, but they are too slow to save you if the truck was shut off for any time. IIRC Arctic Fox was the brand name.

I ran Tube and Shell heat exchangers before the filter. Used an air controlled coolant valve on them, so they remained off when the truck engine was running unless needed, opened when engine was shut down and air bled off, so cycled often to prevent sticking.

With the combustion heater and/or electric block heater the exchanger had warm (if not hot) coolant right at engine start.

[Mark T]

When I was at the place, I was overwhelmed take'n it all in.  There was so much on those trucks I would never have had any idea what they were like when in service up there.  It was quite the experience.  That was only a few miles up out of Vermont too.  

[Geoff Weeks]

8 minutes ago, Mark T said:

.  I often wondered if that's why that truck ran so good down here. Like if it was richened up just to run right there.

As long as the fuel is warm, and the engine working under a load, a diesel does great in the cold. Spark ign engines need the mixture matched for the air density, a diesel doesn't. Well, at least not on the increased density end of the scale.

[Mark T]

1 minute ago, Geoff Weeks said:

As long as the fuel is warm, and the engine working under a load, a diesel does great in the cold. Spark ign engines need the mixture matched for the air density, a diesel doesn't. Well, at least not on the increased density end of the scale.

I wondered if it was richened up to compensate for running on a mix with number one in it.   Canadian trucks always seemed to run good down here.  I even cut one back for a guy that had a Cummins in it. Kept burning pistons. That one you literally couldn't stay in the garage with it running.

[Joey Mack]

The returned diesel is also warmed due to flowing through the engine galleries. So that always helps to..

[Mark T]

7 minutes ago, Joey Mack said:

The returned diesel is also warmed due to flowing through the engine galleries. So that always helps to..

Back before all these split draws and returns, I used to run the trucks on one tank. Just shut off the side it didn't draw and return from. Clean it out before opening it up again in the spring. Used to do a lot of Upstate New York.  Might've had to stop more often for fuel, but it avoided a lot of issues.

[Geoff Weeks]

9 minutes ago, Joey Mack said:

The returned diesel is also warmed due to flowing through the engine galleries. So that always helps to..

Mechanical Cat's were the worse, they returned very little fuel, Cummins and Detroit 2strokes returned a lot more.

 

1 minute ago, Mark T said:

Back before all these split draws and returns, I used to run the trucks on one tank. Just shut off the side it didn't draw and return from. Clean it out before opening it up again in the spring. Used to do a lot of Upstate New York.  Might've had to stop more often for fuel, but it avoided a lot of issues.

I had a problem with my non-draw side not transfering fuel to the draw side. At 1st I thought it was a frozen transfer hose, it was low and might collect moisture, but it turned out the tank breather would ice over and hold vacuum on that side. Open the filler to a large sucking sound and it started to equalize.

I never owned anything without the cross-over, so that tells you hold old my equipment was.

[Joey Mack]

Cross overs are a must...