one for 'real men' - freezing diesel old tips

[blazer]

Last winter a local unimog stopped with frozen fuel pipes - took ages to get it going, I assume it was on DERV. I thought 'modern' diesel was less prone to freezing? One old tip I heard of yrs ago was for truck drivers to put a gallon of Paraffin into a full tank - so say 40-1 to stop the fuel freezing.

 

Any truth in that or any other winter fuel tips:thumbup1:

[Sam Thompson]

Last winter a local unimog stopped with frozen fuel pipes - took ages to get it going, I assume it was on DERV. I thought 'modern' diesel was less prone to freezing? One old tip I heard of yrs ago was for truck drivers to put a gallon of Paraffin into a full tank - so say 40-1 to stop the fuel freezing.

 

Any truth in that or any other winter fuel tips:thumbup1:

 

That's true. My old man did it for years with his Landys, it worked as well.

[Tyz05]

Did the fuel turn to a wax like gel?seen it happen the last to years. I've been led to believe it's due to the sulphur being removed from the fuel which affects the moisture absorption. Not sure on what you can put in the fuel. Some of the tractors with snow ploughs have had heater elements fitted in the fuel tanks.

[fen01]

The best (most drastic) I have heard was from a Mongolian guy I worked with who didn't turn off his kamaz between Oct and Mar! I bet he wouldn't do that with UK fuel prices!

[Ian C]

Yep it works, my Grandad used to put a gallon of petrol in the tractors in the 70s to stop it gelling.

[blazer]

Yep it works, my Grandad used to put a gallon of petrol in the tractors in the 70s to stop it gelling.

 

 

I have only heard of adding Paraffin - I guess today some may use veggie oil???

 

I used to work for an old farmer in the 63 winter and he would surround his Major tractor with boards & rugs and place a paraffin stove underneath, then wrap a rope around the pulley and we would 'tug-of -war' start it - worked.

 

I have see film of guys with a burning paper torch working it along the fuel pipes to unfreeze.

 

I'm trying to sort out maintenance/tips before the freeze starts - memories of trying to fix my motorbike in snow with a candle in a jam jar - never again

Edited November 4, 2011 by blazer

[pie eater pete]

Had fun last year thought id save some cash by running the Landy through winter on bio..til one morning was showing-14c on the thermometer-nearly wore the starter out gettin her going! Blazer think the paraffin has a higher combustion so same as adding petrol to the tank. Makes it easier to fire up.

[33bk]

i know a farmer near me parks his tractor on a pile of steaming dung !

[easylife]

Common practice in the armed forces to add paraffin (KeroB). Also wise if possible to drain system of water build up ie tanks & fuel filters.

[Tree Man Tom]

Any petrol, kero, parafin will do the job. Also watch running to fine a fuel filter, as when it gets cold the fuel might thicken slightly and not pass through the filter quick enough. We had this problem last year with our generators.