Any diesel mechanics?

[seadoo650]

The diesel in my Mac truck gelled Monday and now I've had it under a tarp with the salamander heater for four hours and it still won't start. I've drained all filters and refilled. Added anti-gell. Now what? Is there a procedure for restarting these pigs? HELP

[brapp]

when you drained the fuel system did it get airlocked? and did you heat your fuel lines to you injectors and injector pump? next tiem it is suposed to get cold add a few gallona of kerosene to the fuel to help prevent this. i run a 25% mix kero inthe colderwether. it sill has enough tolubercate and keeps it from jelling slightly.

[rugabugadouglas]

mabey try a little either to get things moving i know its bad on them but it might work kinda sould like its might be air lock i know there a b***h to get started after there geled or no fuel in the lines

[smokinwrench]

Is it thawed out?

If it has an intake heater DONOT use ether. If it is newer modle I'm sure it does. You can look at the intake area for a big ground wire and an extra relay that has apower wire to the intake. If you decide you have to use ether take the ground wire or the power wire off.

Does it have a hand prime pump? If so I would get soemone to pump it up while you crank and keep pumping until it starts. If it has external injection lines take each line loose and pump until fuel comes out. If it does not have a hand prime pump use an aircompressor and a bunch of towels to seal off the cap and presurize the tank while another person cranks the engien over.

Main thing is after draining all the filters you have to get all the air out of the fuel lines before it will start.

[seadoo650]

Thanks Smokin' I'll give it a try. Ady other ideas just in case?

Plus I allready know not to use ether.

[sandpuppi101]

That sucks for ya,my older brother had a gelling problem in his Freightliner the other day also. I don't know if you have a cat, cummings,international,GMC ,volvo or what but it sounds like you just need to prime the motor and it probably is still froze up somewhere. None the less make sure when you change the filters you have filled them up with fuel , I also don't know if you have a fuel line return on it that goes back into the tank,but check that , that is to keep the fuel warm !! When you have the fuel filter off before adding the diesel ,dump in a small amount of fuel line antifreeze,something with methanol alchol,follow the line from the tank to the injector pump and there should be some sort of a primer located by it.Now I assume you probaly have a eletrical pump and not a mechanical.If you cant find it another way is to crack the line after the injector pump slightly and see if you get anything there..on the international and cummins and cat's that will be on the left side of the block,there will be a check valve there somewheres I am sure ..if and when you get it running it will no doubt be running on only a few cylinders and is gonna ping and pang pretty hard till the system gets warmed up and fuel starts flowing.That alchol is pretty hard on your seal's and stuff and hard on your skin also so don't go overboard on it,if it does have the fuel return its actually best to run a lesser amount of fuel in the tank when it's cold, that way you are circulating warm fuel threw the system..I hope something I jibber jabbed helps you out,and good luck with it !!!

[OldSchoolin86]

If it gelled toss the filters and go with new. Also if you can find it use some 911 from Power Service. Pour it right in the filters and the rest in the tank. Like smokin' said you'll probably need to prime it. Any air in there and you can forget it.

http://powerservice.com/images/products/p91196-32hr.jpg

[seadoo650]

No primer. I've rigged up a valve on the fuel tank and have it pressurized to about 5lbs. I'm afraid to go any higher. Also got the salamander going on it again. Gotta wait for the battery to charge up a little bit.

Check it out. Necessity is the mother if invention.

[seadoo650]

If it gelled toss the filters and go with new. Also if you can find it use some 911 from Power Service. Pour it right in the filters and the rest in the tank. Like smokin' said you'll probably need to prime it. Any air in there and you can forget it.

http://powerservice.com/images/products/p91196-32hr.jpg

Yea, that's the exact stuff I'm using.

[seadoo650]

Well after hearing everone say don't use ether and after talking to a lead mechanic at a school bus garage on my route...... you guessed it ..... I used ether. Gues what ...... it started. I guess if you use it then don't wait for the glow plugs to warm. Just fire it right up. So anyways thanks for all the help guys.

[brapp]

coincider yourself lucky, we used either on a cat 3406 motor once when the glow plugs were hot and it broke a few headbolts but we were also half retarded and use 1/2 can of it lol

[Tri-ZNate]

This stuff or Powerserve are the best anti-gellers i've used. I add some howes to every tank of ULSD I run. Veggie is so much simpler :D


http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/product/112412_front200.jpg


And it sounds like you went light on the either which you should do anyway, a little either wont hurt it if you dont spray half a can in like my Pennsyltucky bretherin did :rolleyes:

[OldSchoolin86]

I used ether year after year when I was drilling with no ill effects. Good to hear it worked out for you.

[Dirtcrasher]

This stuff or Powerserve are the best anti-gellers i've used. I add some howes to every tank of ULSD I run. Veggie is so much simpler :D


http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/product/112412_front200.jpg


And it sounds like you went light on the either which you should do anyway, a little either wont hurt it if you dont spray half a can in like my Pennsyltucky bretherin did :rolleyes:

I always run HOWES in my JD500C MX track builder:naughty:

[phreakboy]

starting fluid is not an absolutly horrible thing if you use in carefully, and spray a little wd40 into the intake in between squirting the ether, that way you dont completly dry down the cylinders. I work on tractor trailers on a daily basis, I also do road service on them and sometimes there is just no other way to get them going especially detroits 60s.