After having cold weather fuel trouble this week I was wondering if anyone has installed a fuel heater on a skidsteer? My Dodge pickup has one at the fuel filter and I believe there are add-on ones available. Maybe newer machines come with them already on. First time for having trouble but if it was not too expensive I'd put one on.
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TriHonu
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- Apr 15, 2007
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Jerry, are you having problems starting or loss of power after you start working it?
If you are losing power after it starts the fuel has probably reached the cloud point where the paraffin begins to crystallize and restricts the fuel flow through the filter.
There are numerous companies that sell 12v heating pads that wrap around the filter. These are designed to keep the paraffin dissolved and flowing through the filter. Many can be purchased for $35-$60. There are also heaters that use the engine coolant to heat the fuel.
My brother had a diesel water pump feeding a snow making gun. He had problems with the diesel on that pump, filter kept plugging. He coiled 10' of copper tube around the radiator hose and then routed the fuel through the coil and into the filter. Never had another issue with it.
I'm in Minnesota, drive a Dodge with a Cummins and have the Bobcat. My 94 Dodge has had the fuel heater removed. I've never had gelling problems in either engine. Stations around here all blend diesel in the winter. I also use Power Service or Howes every time I fuel up.
I have heard about issues with diesel from people south of here (Iowa, Illinois). I have wondered if they blend fuel down there or why they seem to have problems.
One source I read stated that adding #1 does not stop the paraffin from crystallizing. It does effect the size and shape of the crystals keeping them small and pointed where they will better pass through the filter elements. The significant issue with adding #1 is the fact that it does not produce as much power so fuel consumption will increase.
If you are losing power after it starts the fuel has probably reached the cloud point where the paraffin begins to crystallize and restricts the fuel flow through the filter.
There are numerous companies that sell 12v heating pads that wrap around the filter. These are designed to keep the paraffin dissolved and flowing through the filter. Many can be purchased for $35-$60. There are also heaters that use the engine coolant to heat the fuel.
My brother had a diesel water pump feeding a snow making gun. He had problems with the diesel on that pump, filter kept plugging. He coiled 10' of copper tube around the radiator hose and then routed the fuel through the coil and into the filter. Never had another issue with it.
I'm in Minnesota, drive a Dodge with a Cummins and have the Bobcat. My 94 Dodge has had the fuel heater removed. I've never had gelling problems in either engine. Stations around here all blend diesel in the winter. I also use Power Service or Howes every time I fuel up.
I have heard about issues with diesel from people south of here (Iowa, Illinois). I have wondered if they blend fuel down there or why they seem to have problems.
One source I read stated that adding #1 does not stop the paraffin from crystallizing. It does effect the size and shape of the crystals keeping them small and pointed where they will better pass through the filter elements. The significant issue with adding #1 is the fact that it does not produce as much power so fuel consumption will increase.
I never had trouble till the other day, pretty sure it was the fuel . It has a see thru filter and a spin on water separator filter , changed both of them today.
The see thru one was rather hard to blow thru even after emptied out. It did have 100 hours on it so it was due.
Last time I bought fuel I just used the off road pump which they say is treated but I have my doubts now. I always add power service to it as soon as its brought home.
Some people have trouble with water but when ever I drop the fuel from the dodge filter I have never seen water in it. I kept the fuel from the skidsteer filters and will set it outside tonite, supposed to be -30 or so.
If I have any more trouble though I'll could do that and run my heater hose along the fuel line just before the filter for a bit.
Pretty sure the filter change will help though.
Used the loader this morning, no trouble at all but it is warm out , 5 above 0 F so that helps too. Neighbor is ford service manager in Superior wi and he says they have trucks come in from Mn with the filters clogged with butter consistency fuel in the cold weather. They blame it on bio-fuel % being higher in Mn.
