How To Prevent Diesel Gelling And How To Fix It If It Happens To You

Diesel engines are known to be reliable and long-lasting, but they can also present unique maintenance issues that you must understand to avoid, and high up on that list is the gelling of diesel fuel.

In cold temperatures, typically between 32°F and 10°F, the paraffin wax that is naturally found in diesel fuel can start to become viscous, leading to clogged filters and blocked fuel flow to the engine. This can lead to sputtering, fuel starvation and ultimately a dead vehicle that isn’t going to take you anywhere. There are three main bits of data you must understand to talk about gelling diesel: Cloud Point (CP), Cold-Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) and Pour Point (PP).

The CP of the fuel is the temperature at which the wax crystals begin to form, turning the fuel cloudy. The cloud point is different in each batch of diesel fuel, ranging from +30°F and -30°F. The CFPP is the highest temperature at which fuel will stop flowing through the filter thanks to wax crystal build up. When the CFPP is hit, your fuel filter plugs and the engine stops running. Finally, the PP is the lowest temperature at which the diesel fuel will still pour like a liquid. With those in your mind, we can now dive deeper into diesel gelling and how to stop it.

For those of us who live in places where cold winter months are typical, we do get some help from diesel fuel suppliers, as the blend is changed for the colder months with less paraffin to help lower the CP and CFPP temperatures. However, winter diesel is still missing something.

Turning to Power Service diesel additives is a good way to ensure your fuel stays ready to go throughout even the harshest of winters. When you add Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost before the diesel fuel reaches its CP, you don’t stop the wax crystals from forming, but instead the crystals form as small needle-like shapes, which means as they begin to accumulate on the fuel filter, they will still allow the diesel fuel to flow past at much lower temperatures. This will lower the CFPP of your diesel. Because the CFPP is not going to be consistent in your fuel from batch-to-batch (and there’s really no way for drivers to know what it is), it’s important to treat your diesel with an antigel (like Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane) so it’s always ready to perform.

Water is always part of the mix when it comes to diesel fuel as well, with even the cleanest fuels containing up to 60 ppm water. If water droplets form in your fuel tank, this can quickly become an issue in the winter as that ice will create its own problems…though typically at a higher temperature than filter gelling. Adding Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost will also stop any water that is present from freezing to make sure your filter is not also dealing with an ice buildup.

Outside of keeping your fuel from gelling, boosting the cetane in your diesel feels like cheat code as well, resulting in smoother cold starts, better fuel economy and quieter operation overall. It’s also worth noting that this is the only antigel endorsed by Cummins Inc., so you can rest assured that it is safe and effective for any diesel-powered truck.

Preventative maintenance is certainly key to keeping those wheels rolling, but what happens if you forgot to add the supplement and your diesel ends up gelled? The solution is Diesel 911 – the number one emergency-use product for diesels for decades! When this additive comes into contact with gelled diesel, it will immediately begin to reliquefy the fuel, getting the engine running, allowing warm diesel to return to the tank, warming everything up and improving flow.

Additionally, Diesel 911 is able to de-ice frozen fuel filters to help restore the flow of fuel back to the engine.

Generations of diesel owners swear by Diesel 911, as it has proven itself countless times over more than two decades to be the fastest-acting product to reliquefy gelled diesel to get your engine up and running again. Any diesel truck owner would be wise to keep a jug on hand just in case.

When the cold months come, turn to Power Service Diesel Additives to keep things running along smoothly.

NOTE: This is sponsored content produced in partnership with Power Service