18- deg and it statred great. But did not make it to work

Diesel Dean · Post by **Diesel Dean** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:48 am

It was 18- deg last night and my car started great. I had it pluged in but only made it half way to work. I used diesel anti gel supplement in the tank but I assume I should have used more. I had to call my wife to come pull me home with the Taurus almost froze my ass off messing with the chain to tow the car home. Well I have the car in the garage with the heat on to see if it will thaw out. Is it posable the fuel lines froze up or gelled up. I thought the supplement would have taken care of that. Just thought I would share my very cold start to the day with you all. Any body else have problem today?
Dean

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:03 am

I've never had any gelling problems down to single digits without using any anti-gel. At 18Â°F I seriously doubt gelling is your problem.

Andrew

rcw7585 · Post by **rcw7585** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:37 am

Monday morning it was -9 degrees F where I am. Couldn't start the car and wound up taking the gasser company truck home. Last night got to work and towed the car inside to warm up and get a charge. Checked glowplugs with a clamp on ammeter and verified 4 good glow plugs (Changed them 10 months ago and I do not EVER want to change glowplugs again... if you've done this, then you KNOW what I mean

).

Got it fired up this morning.

I've had no real problems in -5 degree F weather... I think the short drive to work (at night with lights & defroster on) left my battery in a less than full state of charge. Sorta set myself up.

I should have retarded the advance to normal while cranking I think... In extreme cold shouldn't we be using the "first detent"? I read on here others saying leave it fully retarded til it hits and then yank it out. Can't remember, I think the owner's manual says something about the positions of the IP timing advance knob.

I had been driving around with the IP fully advanced as "vibration control".

Rod

Diesel Dean · Post by **Diesel Dean** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:46 am

Sorry for the confusion libbybapa that was -18 below 0 That is what the temp was here in Hersey Michigan last night. The car kept running slower and slower then it would only idle. If I put it in gear and try to drive it would quit runnung. Buy the time I had it towed home it would not run at all. I still have it under heat in the garage it's been about two hours I think I will go out and try to start now.
Thanks Dean

Vincent Waldon · Post by **Vincent Waldon** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:17 pm

Well that certainly sounds like an evolving fuel restriction-type problem... if not gelling then perhaps water freezing.

Might be a good idea to drain your fuel filter, and drain your water accumulator (if equiped). You could also add a quality diesel additive with water removal properties... Stanadyne or the like... for a tank or two in case something is lingering.

I'm with Andrew: I've run -40C with no gelling or other issues, so it's not a given. You are at the mercy of the local garage to blend the right fuel... given how many people are having issues this cold snap I wonder if some retailers might have been caught off guard a bit.

Vince

Diesel Dean · Post by **Diesel Dean** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:53 pm

Well I used Diesel Power service 911 fuel supplement it's made to de-ice frozen fuel and reliquefie gelled fuel. After about two hours of heat in the garage it's running again with no problems. I think you may be right about water in the system. The temp is going down in the - deg's again tonight I think I will keep it in the garage.
Thanks Dean

cornjuggler · Post by **cornjuggler** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:17 pm

Just wanted to add my agreement that cold weather never presented a problem for my 1990 Jetta with no fuel additives. Though in temperatures of minus -25 F and lower, the spedometer makes a horrible high pithced screetching sound that can only be cured with hard bashing to the dasboard with cold hands. No fun.

stopping · Post by **stopping** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:05 am

I word of advice for use in cold weather.... really anything colder than dew point and with the risk of water freezing in your lines.

Keep your tank full and you will have less air and less condensation of it's walls and less water. Water in our tanks does not come from vendors (unless by some unlucky chance you get the bottom of an unmaintained tank).... it comes from our own tank's condensation. Perhaps storing it in a garage would exacerbate the problem buy giving the tank some warm (high humidity air) to take outside.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:39 am

A vacuum gauge on the fuel line will let you know your fuel is gelling before it becomes a problem.
That hose going from the radiator to the coolant resevoir can be wrapped around the fuel filter and run next to some fuel lines to heat things up.

viperkepr · Post by **viperkepr** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:10 am

I had the EXACT same problem on Monday. It was -15 F, drove the wife to work. About 2/3 of the way back home, started to sputter, and act like it was "missing". I limp it home, and look at my clear fuel line going from the filter to the IP, and it looked like that Great Stuff foam you can put between your windows and walls. It was still idling, but put any amount of throttle on it, and it was sputtering. I used Diesel 911, ATF, and had about 9 gallons of diesel in it. It looked like there was ice crystals inside the line. I kept the hood open, and let the sun shine in, and later it looked like the line was diesel again.
I use B5, that shouldn't make that much difference right?

dieselsnowmobile · Post by **dieselsnowmobile** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:06 am

cornjuggler - My Jetta did the same thing, only it was about 10Â°F out. I was driving about 60 mph and all of the sudden, this loud screeching noise came from the dash. I could only imagine that it had to do with the speedo cable. When I slowed down, it changed pitch. The screeching was intermittent and I tried pushing in on the instrument panel and pounding on the dash, but it would not stop the noise. It only happen when it was really could. I wonder when I take the instrument panel out to replace the bulbs (they are all burned out) if I could put a little grease or oil in the right spot to keep that from happen again. I have never taken an Mk2 panel apart, but I have taken a Mk1 panel out. Guess I will see what happens.

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:47 am

I had the same thing so I put a cable in from the wreckers. Same thing again. Then one from the stealership. It turned to be the instrument cluster.

4BTA 3.9 Cummins Stepvan
86TD Golf
91TD Jetta

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:35 pm

my friends 2001 Dodge gelled up at only 15F last week, I suspect the new ULSD is the main issue as we never had issues with 500ppm fuel in the past. His dodge was running so bad they took it to a mechanic and he charged big $$

Post by **Fatmobile** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 1:41 am

I use B5, that shouldn't make that much difference right?

I was talking to a local guy who works with lubricants and fuel additives for a living. He said there is nothing that can be mixed with biodiesel to keep it from gelling when cold.
Adding heat is the only thing that will melt it.

stopping · Post by **stopping** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:06 pm

your using Bio-diesel? B50 should be 50%veg or animal fat/ 50% dino and is likely the source of your troubles.