# Winter diesel temps



## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

Is that recommended or does the pump actually send that through automatically?

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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

These are recommendations or estimated ratings for the fuel blends. This station has a blender pump with 5 different options (#2, 30/70, 50/50, 70/30, or #1), and you select what you deem best for your vehicle and usage. Last night, I filled up with the 70/30, since we're expecting a low of -23F (wind chill of -60F or lower), and I still had a few gallons of -40F "Arctic" in my tank from a previous fill at another station.


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## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

Good to know. I filled up with the 50/50 in north Dakota last month in -20f temps. Less mpg but peace of mind that the car would start easier
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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Excellent information! Such information illustrates *why* there are two different diesel grades and *what *their purpose/uses are.

That'll make a very nifty table to keep in the glove box for _future_ winters.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Very handy chart for diesel owners. Worth a sticky?


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## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

-14 today and mine won't even start... And that's with fuel treatment in the tank as well. No idea what blend is in mine though. 

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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I have never seen a pump that had a blend or #1 advertised. They all just say "diesel" around where I get fuel.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Luigi said:


> -14 today and mine won't even start... And that's with fuel treatment in the tank as well. No idea what blend is in mine though.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


You didn't by any chance make a video of the starting attempt, did you? Also, did it fire at all or just crank?


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## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

diesel said:


> You didn't by any chance make a video of the starting attempt, did you? Also, did it fire at all or just crank?


You guys want a video? All it does it keep cranking, but won't start.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Very handy chart for diesel owners. Worth a sticky?


that chart is good for iowa, everywhere else, not so much

winter diesel is regional, its blended to meet the temps of the area, (10% rule astmd97)...#2 diesel in houston, tx is not equivalent to #2 diesel in duluth, mn.

#1 is good to -40 here, apparently not in iowa


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

diesel said:


> I have never seen a pump that had a blend or #1 advertised. They all just say "diesel" around where I get fuel.


truckstops will have separate pumps

regular filling station will usually have the one pump with the one level of fuel for the area


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

boraz said:


> that chart is good for iowa, everywhere else, not so much
> 
> winter diesel is regional, its blended to meet the temps of the area, (10% rule astmd97)...#2 diesel in houston, tx is not equivalent to #2 diesel in duluth, mn.
> 
> #1 is good to -40 here, apparently not in iowa


I had the same thought. Using that chart, people in Alaska, northern Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, parts of the NE, and Canada would be screwed for using diesel vehicles. I'm fairly certain the oil companies on the north slopes of Alaska use diesel trucks.

My other thought was they are being conservative with those charts for liability reasons.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

when i drive to vancouver, bc i just get enough fuel in vancouver to get back home cuz the fuel there isnt good enough for where i live, and its only 6hrs away, but its silly warm there in comparison.

when i was a highway trucker, i had to make sure i burned off the tejas or cali fuel before i got too far north or there'd be issues


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I know a lot of members mention the difficulty of finding diesel in their area or that they can only find it at truck stops. Diesel is a little different around here, since it is so prevalent in pickups - so prevalent that it can be very difficult to even find a used gas pickup, especially in anything larger than a 1/2 ton. Diesel is available at almost every station, it's just a matter of quality and price. A lot of the chain fuel stations around here will just have pumps labeled "diesel," which usually means a treated #2 or a blend with #1, but it varies from station to station. A few of them will post a sticker that states that it is treated to a certain temp (usually -10F) or they will advertise it as "winter blend" (which typically means 30% #1, and maybe some additional treatment). 

A few stations are now installing pumps that allow you to select #1 or #2 the way you would select octane on gasoline pumps. This station is the only one I visit that has this type of blender pump with 5 options to select. I think this station's philosophy is to offer "untreated" (i.e. whatever comes through the pipeline) fuel, and trust the customer to blend or treat based on their own needs. This pump is on the end of a row of truck lanes. The rest of the truck lanes have normal #1 and #2 pumps, but this end pump has the 5 blend settings and is the one most pickup drivers use. I know one of my local mom-and-pop stations orders in an "arctic blend" that is good to -40F, so I'm sure that a #1 with additional treatment could easily handle temps even lower than that.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

boraz said:


> ...winter diesel is regional, its blended to meet the temps of the area, (10% rule astmd97)...#2 diesel in houston, tx is not equivalent to #2 diesel in duluth, mn...


Does make you wonder what happens when you get these outlier events tho. If they normally blend fuel in your region for 0-5 °F and you get one of those years when it drops to -15, are they ready? My guess is no.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

boraz said:


> ...winter diesel is regional, its blended to meet the temps of the area, (10% rule astmd97)...#2 diesel in houston, tx is not equivalent to #2 diesel in duluth, mn...


Does make you wonder what happens when you get these outlier events tho. If they blend fuel in your region for a normal low of 0°F and you get one of those years when it drops to -15, are they ready? My guess is no.


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## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

Here in illinois, all the pumps sell between b5-b20. it's impossible to get straight diesel here in Illinois, so I drive across the border to WI to get my fuel. I haven't found a place that actually tells the blend though.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Eugene_C said:


> Does make you wonder what happens when you get these outlier events tho. If they blend fuel in your region for a normal low of 0°F and you get one of those years when it drops to -15, are they ready? My guess is no.


this is my guess...the diesel is appropriate for the areas history, but not the coldpocalypse

same with all the ppl i know on the internet through other boards, SO MANY of them are having pipes freezing in their houses, which hasnt happened to them before


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...something of interest worth reading? http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...something of interest worth reading? http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf


I have seen that one before, but interesting to bring it up here. I would hope that the 2007 and later fuel delivery components would be designed to handle the fuel. I do use an additive in any pre-2007 diesels that I drive. Can't remember exactly what it's called but it's made by Lubro MOly.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...something of interest worth reading? http://www.johnfjensen.com/Diesel_fuel_additive_test.pdf


Ahhh the ol spicer report...I personally do not stake my life on the results but one could use it as a piece of the puzzle. I always thought it was goofy that they used pure diesel from the factory and not treated diesel that everyone gets at the pump...I would disqualify the results right there but I guess it could be some circumstancial evidence in the big picture. 

Knowing that all of my fuel has 2% bio by law in PA makes any lubricity concerns I have rest easy! The spicer report isnt the only data showing 2%'bio offers the best lubricity enhancement.


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