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Texas freeze, truck will not start!

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dizzy1127

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Hello, first time RAM diesel owner, have a 2020 ram 1500 diesel. Texas froze over, and i tried to start the truck this morning. Turned over a few times, then shut off. Gelled diesel? block is too cold?

What are my possible solutions? I have no built in block heater as far as i can tell on spec sheet, diesel was filled a week ago.

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
Did you read and follow the owners manual for cold weather starts? Are you running Stanadyne or another anti gel additive? When you filled up was it #1 or #2 diesel?
 
My brother is down in Port Isabel (Mexico border) as we type, sitting in a frozen over rv park w/o water or power... definately people feeling your pain!
There maybe additives you can pour in but then again you can’t drive to get them... hard to warm up your truck when you don't have power...
 
www.hotshotsecret.com

What Temp Does Diesel Fuel Gel? | How to Ungel Diesel Fuel

Gelling in diesel fuel is a problem that plagues many around the country during wintertime. Read these 3 easy solutions to prevent diesel fuel gelling!
www.hotshotsecret.com www.hotshotsecret.com

1613405908575.jpeg

This is a partial quote from that 2019 article:
“...We used to own a towing company and unfortunately for our customers, we have seen plenty of gelling causing vehicles to not start in the winter.”

Diesel fuel, especially #2 Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel that is common to all services stations, will ‘gel’ as the paraffin in the diesel fuel starts to crystallize and freeze. With enough cold it will produce a solid wax-like substance that can clog the entire fuel system. It is similar to how a candle once it is lit warms the wax and the wax becomes a free-flowing liquid, then as it cools it becomes solid again. A similar process takes place when diesel fuel begins to crystalize during cold weather. When the weather is close to 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit*, gelling starts to occur and can clog the fuel system (*depending on the source and quality of fuel, gelling can occur as high as 20 degrees.”
(End of copied portion)
 
Gelled fuel for sure. I'm sure Texas doesn't have the additives that we get up north in North.
I've started my truck at -20 with zero issues and no block heater.
 
J-Cooz said:
Gelled fuel for sure. I'm sure Texas doesn't have the additives that we get up north in North.
I've started my truck at -20 with zero issues and no block heater.
Click to expand...
Agree. We do have additives as I always used Stanadyne when driving from Texas to Michigan in the winter but most don’t use them here because we typically don’t see these temps. And most of the local Texas filling stations (truck stops excluded and perhaps Amarillo) don’t typically sell a #1 or winter blended diesel which can cause the problem for those with diesel daily drivers.
 
So is my truck stuck until the freezing temps pass oe is there a rescue additive that will work?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
Manual has no mention of a cold start process that is applicable as it only talks about block heater

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
dizzy1127 said:
So is my truck stuck until the freezing temps pass oe is there a rescue additive that will work?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I've owned five diesels in my life going back to 1986 - in Alaska - and my experience has always been it's easier to get it into a warm garage than to wait for an additive to "thaw" or "melt" the gelling. Even then it will be a good six to eight or even twelve hours depending upon the temp in the garage. Sorry to hear about your troubles as I've been there once when I got a batch of #2 when they were advertising #1. Temps in Houston are supposed to be in the 70s by Sunday but I don't know how your temps in north Texas will be...
 
dizzy1127 said:
Manual has no mention of a cold start process that is applicable as it only talks about block heater

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I owned two of the previous model Ecodiesel and they had grid heaters. I think the new model does too. What I recall is in severe cold weather they recommended cycling the grid heater a couple of times before trying to start it. Press the start button or turn the key and wait for the curly que light to go out but don't start it. Then do the same thing immediately but when the curly que light goes out proceed to start it. But, if your diesel is gelled in the line or the filter, this won't do you any good but worth a try.
 
dizzy1127 said:
Manual has no mention of a cold start process that is applicable as it only talks about block heater

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I'd say try and get it into a warm garage and maybe put a space heater aimed at the fuel tank (from a safe distance obviously). Then get an additive in the tank and start it and let it run
 
It’s 17 degrees here in NW Louisiana, just tried my Gen 3 Ecodiesel to see if it would start. Fortunately, it cranked right up. I let it run for a few minutes and it seemed to be fine. I do use Hot Shots EDT at every fill up, not really an anti-gel additive but maybe it helped. It’s going down to 3 degrees over night, so we shall see.
 
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Mchurch52 said:
It’s 17 degrees here in NW Louisiana, just tried my Ecodiesel to see if it would start. Fortunately, it cranked right up. I let it run for a few minutes and it seemed to be fine. I do use Hot Shots EDT at every fill up, not really an anti-gel additive but maybe it helped.
Click to expand...
Yes sir, it does the job. See attached as it lowers the freeze point of the water in the diesel. Good you were using it...lowering pour point of diesel in winter is how you stay ahead of gelling. Dad drove truck and I remember his old International Transtar gelled up one winter on the highway. I was a kid and had to help dip diesel out of the tanks to fill the fuel filters that we had to replace to get it running again...coldest I've been in my life and never forgot the lesson of using an additive.

HSS-EDT-TDS.pdf (hotshotsecret.com)
 
NorthStar said:
Yes sir, it does the job. See attached as it lowers the freeze point of the water in the diesel. Good you were using it...lowering pour point of diesel in winter is how you stay ahead of gelling. Dad drove truck and I remember his old International Transtar gelled up one winter on the highway. I was a kid and had to help dip diesel out of the tanks to fill the fuel filters that we had to replace to get it running again...coldest I've been in my life and never forgot the lesson of using an additive.

HSS-EDT-TDS.pdf (hotshotsecret.com)
Click to expand...
That’s good to know, thanks! For as little as EDT costs, it seems like a no brainer for all of the supposed benefits.
 
The shame is I recall my Ram Owners manual for my 2nd gen Ecodiesel stating no additives were needed or recommended. That, IMHO, is simply poor advice. Hopefully they changed it in the new 3rd gen Ecodiesel manuals.

And yes, I just checked - what a shame!

Page 507 of the 2021 Ram 1500 Owners Manual
 Commercially available fuel additives are not necessary for the proper operation of your diesel engine.
 Number 1 Ultra Low Sulfur diesel fuel should only be used where extended arctic conditions (-10°F or -23°C) exist.

But when you look at page 156 of the same manual, it states fuel additives below 20 degrees F!
 
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Quite funny listening to Texas having weather issues and NOT A PEEP from the Alaskan folks.
 
Yabodie said:
Quite funny listening to Texas having weather issues and NOT A PEEP from the Alaskan folks.
Click to expand...
Because us Alaskans know the weather we are having currently in Texas is springtime in Alaska! 😃

With that said, my prayers go out for the folks who are suffering with power outages, no water, diesels that won't start as it can be a real hardship on folks.
 
OP mentioned it and I was curious as I will have an EcoDiesel soon. Does the EcoDiesel come standard with the block heater itself? I know you can order the Cold Weather Group with the Grille Cover and the Block Heater (believe it’s just the cord), but it was too late before I could add it. Was wondering if the actual heater was standard or not.

Interesting to see all the Texans have issues now when people who live up North in snow belts like me have no issue. Or even Alaska. Kinda silly.
 
My experience with my 2nd Gen Ecodiesel is it had the block heater installed but no cable. I had to purchase one and got it at Geno’s.

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Engine Block Heater Cable

Don't be left out in the cold! Make sure your Ram 1500 EcoDiesel engine has a block heater cable so you can warm the engine for easy starting.
www.genosgarage.com

As for the Texans having issues that snow country folks typically don’t, please remember this is not a typical winter in Texas. It’s all relative. Heck, when I was transferred to Texas from Alaska I’d never worn shorts in my life...it took a couple good hearted Texans to explain I’m going to die in the heat if I don’t adapt. Kindness and the elements go both ways... 😁
 
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Big Spring/Midland TX area of the panhandle don't have such lovely winters... people forget just how varied Tx is. Darn cold weather often.
 
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