Temperatures near freezing will cause gelling in your diesel fuel tank. Small crystals will form in your filter or in your fuel line and will cause your engine to stall or run erratically. The engine may run, but it will stall and be difficult to crank. Additives can prevent this from happening. You can also use the block heater by plugging it in an electrical outlet. This will keep your engine block warm and help prevent fuel gelling.
You can purchase fuel additives at your local parts store. These additives need to be introduced to the system before the weather gets cold. One 12-ounce bottle will treat up to 100 gallons of fuel. It will lower the gel point by at least 20 to 30 degrees. These additives are also good for reducing black smoke, emissions and injector wear. Be sure to ask your parts store or technician about preferred fuel additives. Kerosene is also an age-old remedy for degelling your motor. The properties in the kerosene will remove the gel.
Newer trucks are equipped with block heaters, heated filter housings, and a portion of the diesel fuel is rerouted through the engine back into the fuel tank to help keep the fuel warm. These processes alone are enough to prevent your diesel from gelling up. During the cold-weather months, drivers are encouraged to leave their trucks idling overnight to recirculate the fuel and keep the engine warm. This practice depends on the region, as some regions prefer the driver shut their truck down. These systems work great when your truck is running.
Other additives are available for when the system has gelled. Pour these additives in the fuel tank when the truck is running erratically. This will remove the gel within minutes so you can drive without issue. The only other option is to allow the truck to sit and wait for the system to warm up. Sometimes letting the truck sit in a heated shop will be enough to remove the gel in the motor and allow for smooth operation.
