Additional Fuel Filters, Water Separators, and Fuel Heaters

[roegs]

First let me say that I

[Kennedy]

If a guy was to put a large filter outboard of the frame and/or expose to wind chill back on the frame, a heater may be worth considering.

[56Nomad]

3. If I install a pre-OEM system such as the Racor that has a water separater, can I run without a heater assuming I treat the fuel all winter. My real question here is will any trapped water in the separator freeze (and possibly crack the bowl) if I don't have a heater running? roegs,

I just help remove a pre-OEM Racor with the
water separater (sp?) with 10,000 miles. It had a couple of microscopic sized water
drops in it. This is with CA fuel and did not
seem to be a problem at all.

[mackin]

With most if not All service stations suppling a Winter blend of diesel ,your exposure is minimal even "exposed" in the Wind chill area ..... Sheeesh .....

Mac :rolleyes:

[a64pilot]

Big Blue,
It can be, who usually get's caught is the OTR guy's that fuel down south, straight #2, don't treat it and head up north. I assume if you live up north (I don't) then the fuel companies have enough sense to pre-treat.
Every so often down south we get a real cold snap. Around the late 80's it got down in the single digits for about a week in Killeen Tx. I had to add cheap gasoline to my VW Diesel to keep it running.
I guess it's kinda like snow, people that live in it think nothing of it, ther'e prepared and know what ther'e doing. Down south it's an emergency procedure, you'd best stay home. You may know what you'r doing , but they don't. :D

[Tsckey]

I don't know how much this helps, but last November, before installing my "Nicktane" CAT fuel filter, my wife and I took a trip to Colorado to visit my folks. In Utah, we spent a night at a rest stop, for the hell of it, sleeping in the back (we have a shell). The next morning at 19 degrees the truck lit off like it was at sea level in the middle of summer. Thing is, being sleepy I didn't wait for the glow plugs to work their magic. I'm sure that I was on Winter blend fuel by then, but the fuel heater could not have had time to raise the temp before I hit the starter. Had a similar experience on the way back, in Ely NV, except that I waited for the plugs to preheat the chambers. I don't know when gelling becomes a problem, but it is somewhere south of 19 degrees.

TC

[GM Smitty]

I was in Vermont last winter with my Racor 660 mounted on the frame rail. I didn't have the heater wired yet. It was around 0 degrees every night for about 3 nights (I didn't drive the truck at all the 4 days I was there). Got in at 7am on the last day to leave, about 0 degrees and windy. Started right up...no problems. I was running additive.

Josh

[Jelisfc]

roegs, where do you live? If you want to look at my Cat setup let me know.

[roegs]

Jelisfc...thanks for the offer. I live in Plymouth. If you don't mind, drop me an email with your phone number.

Scott