C-c-cold f-f-fuel and Snow in Atlanta

[TylerDurden]

Drove the '89 back up to Michigan from Florida. Stopped in Kennesaw overnight and the outdoor temperature there dropped to 25F.

Jetta was stumbling, sucking bubbles and stalling. I limped and stalled my way to the FLAPS and got some PowerService... VROOM!

I had no further waxing/jelling symptoms until reaching mid-Ohio when the tank was low (1/4 full). PowerService worked again.


SO,

How far south in the USA do they winterize diesel?

And, has anyone had experience with a dirty fuel filter being more likely to plug in the cold?

[82vdub]

Whether a station purchases winterized diesel is up to each individual station. At least around here, there is no law requiring it's use that I know of at certain times of the year. You could purchase fuel at your local up north station in the dead of winter and it may or may not be winterized. More than likely it is, but you really never know.

[texcl]

25 seems awful warm to gel up, I have run #2 here until it gets below 10 with no issues, must be a different formula, It was -10 the other day and the dasher cranked right up but I was running 2/3 #1 and 1/3 #2 roughly, will switch to straight #1 from here after. I'm still pulling low 40's in mpg's running 65 mph.

[TylerDurden]

I thought that 25F should be fine, too. But, putting the powerservice into the tank got me going.

More info, though:

There were lots and lots of bubbles in the line. Yesterday, I removed the water-separator and most of the bubbles are gone. The check-valve is still there, so I may delete that. (Amazing how much air the pump can tolerate, when the engine is tuned.)

I will clean the tank pickup screen when the fuel level drops below 3/4... there is only 100mi on the trip-odo, so it will take another 100mi before the level is low enough.

The filter looks nasty, so it must be at least a year old. That's gonna go when my FLAPS gets one on stock.

I gotta put an o-ring on the cold-start shaft - bugger is dripping.


The engine started this morning on the first try, 20F.

[DanHoug]

i run #2 all year round in northern MN! but i have an inline fuel heater!

i've notice, prior to the fuel heater, that it was about -15F when i would get gelling problems with the newer recirculation filter style.

i'd say you have a filter just at the end of the service life. you're running high filter vacuum and the somewhat thicker fuel put it over the top. change filters and #2 should be good down to zero or more. the Diesel 911 solvent thinned out your #2 yes, but it isn't normal to gel up at 25F.

-dan

[bscutt]

I agree I have started and run my '82 down as low as zero degrees here in northern VA and never had any issues with fuel gelling. On the other hand, waiting for the engine to get hot enough for heat can make you pretty miserable.

[coke]

I've lived in Maine all my life. Since 2002, I've owned 3 or 4 Diesels, all Jettas, and never once had a gelling problem and we get some hellacious cold winters here.. well below 0. -20, -30F.

[TylerDurden]

I fired it up again this afternoon and the bubbles were back.

I jacked it up and put a section of clear line in place of the plastic elbow and check-valve. The steel crimp on the hose attached to the top of the check valve was pretty rusty and letting in air. It's a struggle, but you can get 1/4" polyethylene hose over the ends of the plastic line.

The clear line let me verify that bubbles were not coming from the tank. The clear line up front ran clear of bubbles too.

Now it seems to light-off and run great at the first crank.


Next-up: the fuel drip at the cold-start lever and the funky old filter.

[bbob203]

to remove the water seprator is it just a matter of disconnecting fuel lines ubbolting it and splicing in new lines?

[TylerDurden]

Pretty much...

Removing the water separator is a bit of a pain if the nuts are rusty. Keep a pan underneath, fuel spills out of the separator and drips from the lines.

I used a screwdriver to spread a couple of the plastic clips holding the rigid lines to the body - freeing the lines allows the separator to be lowered without over-stressing the rigid lines.

I loosened two nuts, and the other two bolts tore from the rusted floorboard under the rear seat. The plastic gets brittle, so you might expect it to crack and leak.

I cut the wires to the sender. If they start making the dashboard indicator blink, I'll terminate them properly.

I clamped the rubber hose closer to the tank and cut both hoses with a knife as close to the separator as possible. Some fuel drained from the line leading to the front.

I used a 1/4" plastic barbed union from Doorman to join the two cut sections - the first union I used snapped when tightening the clamps, so a brass one might be better, but plastic is what I had handy.

I discovered the check valve had to go too, so I ran clear tubing from the union to the rigid line leading to the front.

[DanHoug]

nice blue polyurethane fuel line! good choice.

[Fatmobile]

I like that stuff for clear line too.
3/8" rubber fuel line will slide right over it for hose clamps,.. and I slide a good 2" section or 2 down the line to protect any areas where it rubs
Great picture too.

If there is fuel in the tank; the lines you are messing with can syphen the tank dry, because it's lower.
Some people smash or plug the line, some remove the line from the fuel level sender.

[bbob203]

removed my seperator today used fat mobiles 3/8" over the clear for the hose clamps. no bubbles coming from tank but I still have bubble from filter to I/p. hmmm

[Fatmobile]

What kind of bubbles?

[Quantum TD]

I've noticed that when the water in my filter starts to freeze, I'll start sucking air, even though I have a resealed pump and new hoses all around. It will find a way.