Very strange for me as well. My 09 GL bluetec did not gel. My Cayenne Diesel gelled. This Friday will warm up enough with this warm so I will be able to get the cayenne going again. Dumping a lot of power service winter blend to prevent this for rest of the season...

Cold weather fuel issues: The safe answer is still gelling | Fleet Owner

We got down to 6 above F, but all the vehicles are inside, so we were ok.

Jim Freeh
Chesapeake, VA.

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Excellent info!

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Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

I did some research on the Cold Flow fuel additive from MB. It's comprised mostly of kerosene (and at $25 a bottle to treat a single tank not really economical to use). Lucas Anti-Gel was the closest off the shelf additive I could find (both products are safe for diesels equipped with particulate filters e.g. BlueTEC ect.). Kerosene will provide anti-gel protection for extreme cold, but good fuel system maintenance is still important.

Genuine MB Diesel Cold Flow Improver (000-989-28-45)
200ml bottle - Sufficient for approx. 80l of diesel fuel

Composition/information on ingredients
Ingredient name (%) CAS number
Kerosene (petroleum) (60-100) 8008-20-6
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy aromatic (0-<5) 64742-94-5
Ingredients determined not to be hazardous (Balance)

Lucas Anti-Gel Cold Weather Diesel Treatment
4.5oz per 21gal (80l) of diesel fuel (Under -10F use 9oz per 21gal (80l) of diesel fuel)

Composition/information on ingredients
Ingredient name (%) CAS number
Kerosene (petroleum) (60-100) 8008-20-6
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy aromatic (10-30) 64742-94-5
Naphthalene (1-5) 91-20-3

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Thanks dieselmania for the info from Opti-Lube. There's a good discussion of the issues at their site, but I can't find it now (should've bookmarked it when I was there). I looked at it last week and a couple of points seemed relevant.

For anti-gel additive to work the fuel needs to be above the cloud point which is why you are supposed to add the stuff as you fuel, i.e., not just to mix it. Presumably, the fuel coming out of the tank is not at a temp below the cloud point. I also think I discerned that the additive has to be relatively warm, like not below zero or probably below +10°F. I had been keeping mine in the trunk, and it was much colder there. I also did not want to stand out in blowing cold when I fueled, so I waited 'till I got home. Tank was undoubtedly below cloud point by then.

There's been a lot of frozen up diesels around here this winter, so maybe something's going on with the fuel. I have driven MB diesels for 30+ years and they've responded well to anti-gel. I had block heaters on them all. This is my first CDI. I looked to install a block heater right off, but there is no provision for one and I see why, as the motor started in the first couple of revs and ran for 30 secs or so at -20.

Interesting article but I'm curious why it doesn't mention diesel fuel #1 vs. diesel fuel #2.

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1998 E300 turbodiesel

America's Rights and Freedoms Are Not The Enemy!

As I'm sure you know, kerosene = diesel #1. I do wish they had called it diesel #1, but it's there.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap