Bulk fuel

[zeefarmer]

That's interesting. I've always wanted to burn "summer" fuel in winter, but never have had the storage. But no matter the climatic conditions in Nov or March, I can watch fuel mileage drop and rise based on the time of year. I've kept records of every fill from 2 different trucks over 12 years.

[helmsdale]

That's interesting. I've always wanted to burn "summer" fuel in winter, but never have had the storage. But no matter the climatic conditions in Nov or March, I can watch fuel mileage drop and rise based on the time of year. I've kept records of every fill from 2 different trucks over 12 years.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it work or not... Diesel fuel was certainly "stiff", as the proheat struggled to pull it on the first couple tries on the real cold days. I thought I was royally screwed with gelled fuel when we hit some near -40 mornings. After a couple unsuccessful attempts it would fire. Fuel filter restriction would run high into the red until the fuel had cycled long enough for the return to warm up the tanks.

Used Diesel Services "Arctic 4+" at about double the recommended dosage to treat it. It works, but I only use it now if I have a Tank of summer diesel I really dont feel like sitting on till summer.

[blackpowder]

Here, at UFA anyway, we're told it's seasonally adjusted. Not sure when you'd get true #2. Only a few months. Some claim efficiency goes down when on summer fuel with the bio adds.

[LEP]

Here, at UFA anyway, we're told it's seasonally adjusted. Not sure when you'd get true #2. Only a few months. Some claim efficiency goes down when on summer fuel with the bio adds.

Fuel dealer get the specific gravity on every load. It is never consistent. Swears the difference between winter and summer is only a few percent max. Just filled for .84. We need to fill 2 1/2 times to get through most seasons. There usually is a dip in price before spring but we decided not to chance it.

[Freightshaker]

I used to be a believer in this... So I took 4000gal of clear summer diesel and treated the ever living shit out of it. Used it the majority of one winter in my truck hauling commercial. Used IFTA reports to compare against all the other trucks in the fleet. All of our trucks were within a few MPG of each other, with some reliably higher and others reliably lower. Other trucks burning winter fuel, mine burning summer fuel, my % difference from where I usually stack up against the other trucks? +0.3%. MPG differerence from previous winters? +0.5%.

Fuel economy decline from summer running to winter running: 10% typically. Running summer fuel in winter? 9.5%.

Those numbers are hardly any more meaningful than rounding errors. Cold components, increased idle time, slushy roads, and possibly more wind are likely the largest contributors.

Now take winter fuel and burn it in July. You’ll see the difference. If you “treated the ever living shit” out of summer fuel you basically got winter fuel anyways?

[helmsdale]

Now take winter fuel and burn it in July. You’ll see the difference. If you “treated the ever living shit” out of summer fuel you basically got winter fuel anyways?

I have 1000gal of winter sitting around. Perhaps I should keep it till July and see what happens.

Perhaps treating summer fuel with DSG 4+ is the same thing as winter? In that case It would truly be a waste of cash as you get all the expense and none of the benefit.

[dalek]

Temps, rolling resistance are a factor. Not just the fuel. Really hard to square.

Tires are the biggest difference I suspect. Similar to smaller vehicles, the one with winter tires is going to see much less fuel efficiency loss in cold weather than the one with all seasons. I wouldn’t be surprised if you would put winter tires on a heavy truck the fuel savings would be huge