Gelled for the first time. *Vent/rant*

[ColderWeather86]

I got my first diesel pickup in 2008. That truck went everywhere. cold. Minnesota and North Dakota at 47 below 0. To Alaska and back. Never once did I have an issue with fuel gelling. My daily driver is a Jetta TDI, my Roxor is Diesel. Never once have I had an issue with fuel. Until my 2022 2500. Yesterday it would start and then die. Only -12 out. The grid heater would only cycle once. Then will only cycle after I let the truck sit. Then, the batteries died. This truck has been a problem since the day I got in this past February. Meanwhile, my Jetta tdi, parked right next to my truck, fires up.

I cannot believe the number of issues this truck has had. I poured a bottle of Amsoil Diesel Recovery in the tank, on top of the Power Service winter additive that is already in the fuel.

 

[flan]

Gelling is a fuel problem not a truck problem. The batteries, now that’s just piss poor. Many have reported the need to replace them on a relatively new vehicle.

 

[ColderWeather86]

The passenger side battery was left loose from the purchasing dealer not tightening it down after having disconnected them when they installed the EVTS. So it may very well be a battery issue.

The gelling is a truck problem. Placement of the fuel heater and fuel filters outside of the engine bay is the issue. All 3 of my diesel vehicles get fuel from the same pump. All 3 have the same fuel treatment, measured to the specified amount.

 

[AH64ID]

Sorry but gelling is a fuel problem. The fuel heaters are supplementary to proper fuel. You likely got some bad fuel if it’s not that cold and the fuel was treaded. I’ve had that happen with B20 in winter.

Cycling the grid heaters more than once is a waste of battery power and simply not needed on these Cummins, regardless of how cold it is. Heck I don’t even use my grid heater until it’s well below 0°F. Grid heaters won’t help your fuel gelling either.

 

[Gear box]

If you have a fuel filter that did its job for you on a crappy load of fuel it is compromised you don’t know it. Now you get low temps and a dirty filter = even more restriction and easier to wax up. You do have a fuel problem in that truck. To get it going in a pinch I would use my Milwaukee heat gun on the filter by the tank warm it up to get the wax to dissolve
Your Truck Is Fine
Also no matter how much treatment you put in tank,that filter will most likely stay plugged until changed or warmed up
Good Luck

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Just because you fill at the same pump does not mean the same grade fuel was in the ground each time i am assuming you have not filled the truck for a while and it has some older warm weather fuel in it. the truck is not at fault

 

[flan]

I mentioned it’s a fuel problem not a truck problem and didn’t get into much detail. The fuel does not care what vehicle it’s in, it will wax dependent on ambient temperature. It is most likely to wax in thin fuel lines and exposed fuel filters. Thin fuel lines will suffer first. Wind chill has no effect on waxing. Any vehicle you listed has less than 3/8 fuel lines from tank to pump and would wax similarly with the same fuel. For one not to wax would mean different fuel quality. All diesel vehicles and equipment I own have fuel lines exposed to the elements and given the same conditions and fuel would wax equally. Unless lines are run through a climate controlled envelope you run the same risk of it occurring.

 

[Nick]

Change out the filters as mentioned . I always put an anti gel additive in my tanks. I never trusted the diesel providers to do it . 35 yrs. on the road never had a problem but I have passed many trucks sitting beside the road waiting for a hook because of gelling . Additive is a much cheaper alternative .

 

[ColderWeather86]

After charging the batteries up it started and continued to run. I'll run down to the dealership tomorrow and see about getting them replaced.

 

[ColderWeather86]

Change out the filters as mentioned . I always put an anti gel additive in my tanks. I never trusted the diesel providers to do it . 35 yrs. on the road never had a problem but I have passed many trucks sitting beside the road waiting for a hook because of gelling . Additive is a much cheaper alternative .

You missed the part where I said I use additives.

 

[Nick]

Then you may have gotten a load of bad fuel . Which is rare but can happen . If you haven't try to make sure your additive has water dispersants in it . I hope you have access to electricity where you park and can plug in a block heater or a trickle charge especially in that part of the world . hope the fix was easy .

 

[BigCarl64]

Must have been bad fuel. It was -27F here in Montana and my truck started without any issues. I did not put any additive in the fuel either. Grid heater did run for about 10 to 15 seconds before starting.

 

[ColderWeather86]

Must have been bad fuel. It was -27F here in Montana and my truck started without any issues. I did not put any additive in the fuel either. Grid heater did run for about 10 to 15 seconds before starting.

It was the batteries.