Keep your diesel from gelling this winter with these simple steps

When temperatures drop, the paraffin in diesel fuel can crystallize and clog filters, leaving a tractor that cranks but will not run. The good news is that gelling is easy to prevent with a little planning.

Many suppliers switch to a winter blend that mixes in kerosene or No. 1 diesel to lower the gel point. If you store fuel on the farm, ask your supplier when they make the switch and plan your fills around it rather than carrying summer fuel into a cold snap.

An anti-gel additive is cheap insurance, but it has to go in before the fuel gets cold. Adding it after crystals have formed will not reverse the damage. Keep a spare fuel filter on hand, since a gelled filter is often the first thing to fail.

Finally, keep tanks topped off to reduce condensation, and drain water separators regularly. Water in fuel freezes and causes many of the same problems as gelling.