Someone sent this to me. Said it was from Wall Street Journal

Some school districts are blaming a recent federal mandate to switch to a
less-polluting diesel fuel for a spate of school-bus breakdowns that left
thousands of kids stranded and shivering in the extreme cold this week.

On Monday, when temperatures dipped below zero in East Allen County, Ind., 36 of
the county's 155 school buses started up fine but soon conked out because the
new fuel, thickening in the cold, clogged fuel filters. That same day, 30 miles
outside of Pittsburgh, Hempfield area schools had the same problem with 26 of
their 80 buses. Districts in Kansas and New England reported similar problems.

"The problem doesn't lie with the individual schools," says Lynda Kuchler,
transportation director for the East Allen County Schools. "The problem is with
the fuel."

In October, the Bush administration required diesel users, including buses and
trucks, to begin switching to ultralow-sulfur fuel to reduce air pollution. The
new diesel has 15 parts per million of sulfur, compared with about 500 parts per million
for the diesel it's replacing.

The problem comes during the refining process used to attain the ultralow-sulfur
ratio. That affects the naturally occurring wax in diesel in such a way that it
can cause the fuel to turn from liquid to gel more readily in cold temperatures.
Gelled fuel clogs the fuel filters and starves the engine, causing it to stop.

Environmental Protection Agency officials say there is nothing wrong with the
fuel. But it may have to be treated with special additives. Or engine warmers --
equipment that keeps the engine warm, usually using electricity -- may have to
be used, they said.

Margo Oge, director of the EPA's office of transportation and air quality, said
all diesel fuels gel in subzero temperatures. Both refiners and users have been
adding kerosene or other additives to diesel fuel for decades in such weather to
prevent it from thickening. "The only difference is when you add kerosene now,
it must be ultralow-sulfur diesel kerosene," Ms. Oge said.

The ultralow diesel rollout is the biggest change to fuel standards since the
country began removing lead from gasoline in the 1970s. Ms. Oge said that while
the changeover is going smoothly, part of the problem appears to be confusion
over the additives. Some school authorities said they weren't clear that special
additives or ultraclean kerosene had to be added. Ms. Oge also said some of the
refiners may not have used the proper mix of additives or ultraclean kerosene in
fuel provided to the school systems.

Patrick Carnicella, transportation director for Westmoreland County schools just
outside Pittsburgh, said bus problems caused schools to close Monday and
Tuesday, reopening after he figured out the problem. He calculated that the
additives cost about 37 cents a gallon, on top of the $1.93 a gallon the school
system pays for the ultralow diesel.

All diesel fuel gels when it gets that low.. Those losers forgot to cut it with some kero.. Even if it is a winter blend a little kero will lower the gel point

I agree, they just don't know what they are doing. Transportation workers in that type of climate should be well prepared to deal with events like that.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=178850

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

The "treehuggers" just want to use the gelling as an excuse to push them towards natural gas or propane buses.

No, the real treehuggers would be pushing for them to run those buses on all that leftover pizza and french fry grease from the school kitchens! Now you want to talk about cold weather and gelling fuel...... !!!!

__________________
Autos:
1991 350SD 276,000 miles
2001 VW Beetle TDI 115,000 miles

Horns:
1955 Selmer Mark VI Alto (55,xxx)
1958 Selmer Mark VI Tenor (85,xxx)
1964 Selmer Mark VI Tenor (125,xxx)
1967 King Super-20 Tenor (430,xxx)
2002 Selmer Series III Soprano

For Jazz Saxophone enthusiasts - check out my website...
www.RustyBlevins.com

That's why I used "treehuggers" in quotes.

I found this part interesting...:

"Environmental Protection Agency officials say there is nothing wrong with the
fuel. But it may have to be treated with special additives. Or engine warmers -- equipment that keeps the engine warm, usually using electricity --may have to be used, they said." oh no! not engine warmers!!

If ULSD is supposed to reduce emissions, yet you MAY need a block heater, doesn't the emissions savings become canceled out when you plug that block heater in? that power likely comes from a power station that burns COAL.
yeah, we're reducing emissions....

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450

From the last couple of posts, it seems that the real, reality is finally getting through.......

Hydrogen cars will get most of their fuel in a process that requires burning natural gas........

Electric cars get recharged by Electricity generated by steam generators that are mostly coal and natural gas fired.......we'll get to hydro and nuclear later...

Some diesel vehicles require an external source of electricity, that enhances their use in severe climate conditions.....

Gasoline, & Hybrid......dependent upon fuel mileage....but we all know where that argument goes......all still burn gasoline.....

So where does the supposedly "clean" electricity come from???

Hydro.......as clean as it gets.......dependent upon gravity and water.....

Solar.....also as clean as it gets.....just expensive.....

Wind......clean, but noisy and unsightly ...... even Teddy Kennedy didn't want them in his front yard......but OK for New Jersey clearcut a mountain top and build them here in the rural areas......we're just poor 'billies.....don't have no 'pinions.....

Nuclear.....technologically clean......devil in a concrete bottle to some.......but most folks don't want them in their neighborhood either (kinda like them smelly old oil refineries)

So as most of us use as much fuel as we want to afford.....however we get it.....and no-one will work together enough to look up and see the train wreck that's coming sooner or later......

And we are back to the initial problem of efficient usage of what we have, and do our best not to wreck the planet too awful bad.......

SB

__________________

Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Actually, it's chemically clean (IF the waste from construction is prevented from entering the river) but they have a large ecological footprint from the reservoir they create. Some are worse than others. Depends on where it's built and the wildlife of the area.

Only problem with Nuclear is proper long-term disposal of the waste. That can be difficult with so many corrupt disposal people just trying to make a buck instead of doing their jobs.

How does a block heater address fuel gelling in the lines or filters? The only way to prevent gelling is to use winterized fuel and/or additives, just like always. BTW, I was in -5 to -10F temperatures last weekend with pump ULSD, no problem.

Well, the arguement in this thread has clearly shifted to that of a more environmental nature. yeah, ULSD is problematic but easily overcome with common sense.

as i've begun driving diesels, I've actually found myself thinking about alternative fuels and waste and long term sustainability. Ideally I'd live in a rural area, generate my own electricity and hot water, AND I'd have the biggest damn biodiesel production facility in the area. but alas, I currently live in an apartment. the most B100 I could produce is 5 gallons at a time, out on my balcony with plywood on the railings

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450

I will hug a tree.........to see what size chain saw bar I need!!

__________________
If it ain't broke take it apart and find out why.

1983 300SD, 4 speed
1994 C280
1987 300TD wagon
1996 HD Road King

Ride in Peace Eric Peterson, Harley of Macon

dont those busses have fuel heaters like our benzs? if the bus will start on the fuel and has a fuel heater then wont it continue to run? maybe fuel heaters are not standard on all diesels...eh

__________________
MIKE
1987 300D Turbo, 225K
124.133/603.960

I don't have a fuel heater on my SD..although one would be nice..

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450