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!

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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

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.

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

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

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.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Both.

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

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

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

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92 300D 2.5L OM602 OBK #59

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 :-)

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

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

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

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/

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It's always something simple
91 300D 603.960 (from japan) 194K
92 Toyota Diesel Landcruiser HDJ81-t 116K
02 Golf TDI new head courtesy of PO
87 300D
97 BMW 525 TDS Wagon 5spd
bunch of Onan and other diesel generators

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.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

You might want to consider a block heater, but getting the threaded freeze plug out is a bear. An alternative is the lower radiator hose heater which is way easier to put in yourself. The guy that installed my last block heater had to remove the steering linkage and I thought he was going to get a hernia using a 6 ft. long cheater pipe, but it finally came out. This was on an 84 300CD my 300SD has the lower radiator hose heater. I'm just a little north of you.

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Gary
OBK #37

It wont help starting up...the fuel in the lines, filters will be gelled :-/

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

I agree with dan44. Not sure how a block heater will help with gelling of the fuel. There are long fuel lines that will need to be kept warm. It's not practical.
Some other info and reading on gelling biodiesel: http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_winter.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel#Low_Temperature_Gelling

Hope the info helps.

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92 300D 2.5L OM602 OBK #59