Winter Diesel Operability Tips
1 – CK for and remove any free water from tank bottoms if detected. Cole Oil drivers check all tanks every fall with water detection paste. Due to our quality control and the Premium diesel additive we use we rarely find any in the tanks we consistently fill. But if free water enters through an opening such as a bad gauge top, bad plug, vent problem or fill cap left or blown open then pumping water off the tank bottom would need to be done preventing the problem before it occurs.
2 – Change tank and equipment fuel filters. Moisture builds up in the fuel systems of diesels from spring to fall. The high operating temperatures and cooling down after use and changes in ambient temperature cause condensation. The new ultra- low sulfur diesel also carries more suspended moisture due to the hydro-treating process to remove sulfur. Don’t wait until the first cold weather because that is when an issue will occur with old partially restricted filters. Be proactive and eliminate down time and frustration.
3 – Start using a winterized premium diesel early! Cole Oil starts adding the winter package to our fuel October 15th through April 1st. This package includes all the same benefits of our summer additive but includes anti-gel, wax anti settling agents and anti-icing agents. By starting early the winter fuel gets into all the machinery before the first cold weather sets in
4 – Blend with NO.1 diesel in bitter cold weather! Even the best winter additives can only lower the operability about 15-20degrees below the fuels natural cloud point of #2 Diesel which is around +4 degrees at best. So when the temperature drops below -10 to -15 all fuel will be suspect. Every 10% of NO 1 will lower that cloud point by about 2-3 degrees and it helps. Our experience tells us that additives only do so much and there are a lot of claims out there. We keep No 1 Diesel in stock throughout winter to custom blend when needed. By spending a little on No 1 you will eliminate a lot of hassle.
5 – Keep vehicle tanks filled. Keep vehicles parked outside out of the wind. Some people say wind chill does not affect equipment but we think it does. Plug in equipment with block heaters and let them warm up properly before taking off to circulate some of the cold fuel. To help aid in starting consider a light grade oil like Synthetic blend 10w30 or a Synthetic 5w40. We sell the best lubricants for cold flow. Last thing is to trust a fuel company that knows what uptime means to your operation. We do!