I Experienced Gelled Biodiesel For The First Time!

[Squiggle Dog]

Yesterday I was so happy when my 1980 300SD started immediately in sub-freezing temperatures, running B99 biodiesel. I have run my cars year-round on B99 with no problems. This morning the engine cranked and cranked, but wouldn't start! I looked at my prefilter and saw the problem; my B99 had solidified! It was 19 degrees Fahrenheit this morning. I'm going to have to add diesel when it warms up, but I think I still have almost a full tank.

P.S. The aftermarket hose clamps were installed by a previous owner and I haven't had the time to switch to the correct German ones!

[Biodiesel300TD]

Been there, done that. Thats why I alwasy run blends after about Halloween. It can be quite the inconvience.

You likely have a solid tank and fuel lines as well. When I was working at the diesel shop, we had many rigs get towed in with the same problem. You generally have to change fuel filters, and get as much diesel in as possible to get it started in the near future. If you have the time you can wait until the temps warm up again, but it has to heat up quite a bit before all the gelling will go away.

[scottmcphee]

Get towed to a heated garage, wait a day, start it and add anti-gel.

[Squiggle Dog]

It looks like we might have 40 degree weather in the next few days and I won't be driving anywhere, so I think I'll let it thaw and then take it to the station and add as much diesel as the tank will hold, but I'm sure I've got at least 3/4 of a tank. I wonder if I should just add diesel, or add anti-gel instead.

[scottmcphee]

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

It looks like we might have 40 degree weather in the next few days and I won't be driving anywhere, so I think I'll let it thaw and then take it to the station and add as much diesel as the tank will hold, but I'm sure I've got at least 3/4 of a tank. I wonder if I should just add diesel, or add anti-gel instead.

Both.

[Biodiesel300TD]

I didn't think anti-gels worked on biodiesel. They're made for petro.

[katja]

Wow, that really is gelled solid! I had somewhere between B50 and B75 in my tank last year at 25 degrees and it made me nervous, but I didn't have problems. The station only carried B99 and I usually blend so I end up with roughly B20, but it was warm at the time I filled up....

I just filled up with B20 at Propel last weekend and haven't tested it for cloudyness, but a few years ago my 240D started with no issues or block heater down to 18 degrees. What I have heard, though, is that different suppliers of biodiesel use different formulations or even base oils, so the gel point of a particular blend (say, B50) can vary within even 10 degrees or more.

I have no idea if additives would un-gel the B99...I'd imagine at this point, heating the lines, filters & maybe even the tank would be the only thing that would work. But the good news is the temperature here is going to warm up past freezing within a few days.

[Squiggle Dog]

This is the first year I've had a problem with B99 gelling. I did plan on starting to add regular diesel to the fuel before December but the cold weather came upon me too quickly! I'm hoping it will thaw enough in a couple of days that I can get the vehicle to the fuel station and add regular diesel. I think anti-gel additives for diesel don't work well with biodiesel, but there are biodiesel anti-gel additives available online.

[latitude500]

I’ve had client have the same problem. I normally by pass the fuel filter and install my fuel hose right to the IP lift pump and then I have a fuel filter (CAT 2 micron filter + filter head) that I use to get the car running again on 100 % diesel I have a diesel can that I use as a fuel tank, and once the car is up in running on diesel. Any unburned diesel just gets pushed back to the diesel tank with the biodiesel in it.
Do you know at what temp your Biodiesel starts to gel up? Because if you can wait all you will need to do is add diesel. But if you don’t know you will need to have it towed into a shop that is heated.

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by latitude500

I’ve had client have the same problem. I normally by pass the fuel filter and install my fuel hose right to the IP lift pump and then I have a fuel filter (CAT 2 micron filter + filter head) that I use to get the car running again on 100 % diesel I have a diesel can that I use as a fuel tank, and once the car is up in running on diesel. Any unburned diesel just gets pushed back to the diesel tank with the biodiesel in it.
Do you know at what temp your Biodiesel starts to gel up? Because if you can wait all you will need to do is add diesel. But if you don’t know you will need to have it towed into a shop that is heated.

I'm guessing my biodiesel gels around 20 degrees or so. Yesterday's temperatures were similar and the fuel hadn't yet gelled. It's supposed to be in the 40s tomorrow and the next few days, so the fuel should be liquefied by then and I can top off the tank with diesel.

[bobodaclown]

Take a sample and stick it in your fridge or freezer to check it.

[dieseldan44]

Im sorry for your gel experience. I was very paranoid of this when running Bxx. Always kept a vial of B100, B75 and B50 in my car as my 'is my fuel gelled' indicator (I adjusted the blend depending on the forecast).

Adding kerosene (I can get it at the pump around here) is better than adding winter diesel if you are in a warm climate where they dont add much diesel #2 in the winter.

B80-K20 is good to about 15 deg F in my experience with commercial bio-d.

Homemade bio-d from WVO has different gel-points depending on the feedstock.

All this hassle is why I ultimately switched to WVO completely. Oh yea, and making good bio at home is time consuming, difficult and energy intensive :-)

[nazrat]

You look like the perfect candidate for a magnetic oil pan heater - only stuck to the fuel tank. They are cheap around here at farm stores.

-Tad

[bigblockchev]

Check it for wisps of gelling when the temps are headed down & add reg diesel to lower the freeze point of the fuel. Always leave some room in your tank so you can do this. I only have to do this once or twice a year at most in the Pacific Northwest/

[Squiggle Dog]

Yesterday morning I checked the filter and the fuel looked fluid again. I drove the car to the station and topped off with diesel, so now the tank is 3/4 B99 and 1/4 diesel. I'll add more diesel when I'm able.