Get gas line anti freeze for Diesel fuel. Don't mix them up. When you drive the windchill goes up and it can freeze then. Have a good trip

 

Wind chill is a measure of heat loss...once temperature equilibrium is reached, wind chill won't make the thing colder than whatever the temperature is. If it is 25 degrees, it's 25 degrees, whether the wind is blowing or not.
I am neither a physicist not particularly scientific...this is merely my understanding of wind chill, I am open to correction!

 

Depends on where you last fill up and where you plan to stay. In most states the fuel is treated for temps in the area. In MN many places treat to -30. Either add some additive or just fill up at the destination. Search the forum recommended additives. If going closer to the northern border than watch the temps as even the -30 May not be good enough.

 

This is what you want.

Products | Power Service

I've been using it for years in my jetta TDI.

 

MJ has it PS white container. Read and follow directions AND don't worry. This is used by many of the Northern TDI owners.

 

i used this to prime the jetta when i'd do a fuel filter change too.

 

Be cautious when travelling south to north. Fuel in the north is winter diesel, not always the case in the south.

Like others have said use an additive made specifically for diesels, power service is one that I've used in the past.

 

+1 on the use of Power Service.

and +1,000 when traveling South to North. This is so true. Back a few years, we had a tower crew drive up from Florida overnight and park in Green Bay, WI to build a tower the next morning....not! Every vehicle they had gelled up overnight in the -10 degree weather we had. It was unseasonably cold. Turns out they fueled up a few hundred miles South and did not treat the diesel before they shut down for the evening. Cost thousands to fix the 3 trucks, and a lost 2 days of work.

However, anywhere you fuel up in the upper midwest now, will already have the winter diesel in tanks. So you'd probably be safe to simply fuel up and go. But I'd rather not trust anyone else when I can control the outcome....to be extra safe, use Power Service or equivalent product and sleep well.

 

As long as you use quality winter diesel from a reputable distributor, you shouldn't have a problem with wax build up blocking the fuel filters, if you're concerned about the fuel, use a commercial winter additive (added immediately before fuelling to ensure proper mixing), as others have mentioned. As well, if you keep the tank full, you reduce the chance of condensation forming In the airspace above the fuel, and causing at best, ice blockage of the fuel lines, and at worst, a failed HP fuel pump, if it gets carried over.

 

Different areas have different rates of additive. For example I once filled up in southern Ontario on my way to the maritimes, well, way up north in quebec I was on the same tank of fuel and my tank froze solid. I challenged the fuel supplier and they basically said their winter fuel is treated for a particular area and it's our responsibility to top up if we're traveling outside that area. Be safe use a good quality additive in the winter time. I use Opti-lube XPD, great lubricity and anti gel as well.

 

The so called 'freezing point' of diesel is neither a single temperature nor is it freezing. All diesel contains paraffin (yes, a wax). The higher the paraffin content the more energy it contains. As the outside temperature approaches 10deg F the paraffin flakes start to come out of solution and make the fuel thicker (usually referred to a 'gelling'). If the ACTUAL FUEL TEMP, not just the outside temp, gets cold enough the fuel filter will start to plug and become restricted. This is rarely a problem on a running engine because the filter is surrounded by nice warm engine parts (screens in the fuel tank are a different story and are warmed only by the return flow of fuel from the engine).
Winterized fuel is formulated to contain less paraffin - think #1 fuel oil - and has to be a lot colder to thicken significantly.
Wind has little effect EXCEPT that, if your car sits overnight outside in the wind it will lose heat a lot quicker in a brisk wind. But even then it should not be a problem as long as the temp is zero F or above.

 

Diesel fuel often has water in it and tends to freeze in lines, filters, strainers etc. plus starts to gel. My wind chill is not about the human factor but what wind does when
driving down the road at high speeds.

Quote:
Windchill is a human's measurement of what it "Feels Like."


However, wind does have an affect on objects that are warm.

Imagine a pipe with warm water in it.

If that pipe has a 20 mph -20 deg F very cold wind blowing over it will drop temperature faster than if the pipe was just siting with no wind. However, it will never get colder than the ambient true temperature.

 

If you are getting diesel fuel with water in it you are getting VERY poor quality diesel. Water is often detectable in diesel but rarely at percentages over 0.02% in well cared for diesel. At less than 0.2% the water, even if frozen will not significantly thicken the fuel. There just isn't enough there to stop things up.
Now, if there is enough water sitting in the bottom of a tank and it is cold enough, it will freeze. But that would only be a problem if the suction strainer were covered.

 

What I am saying is: All diesel contains some percentage of water when coming from the supplier.
On delivery from supplier: Diesel is relatively clean and dry when it leaves the refinery, yet diesel deliveries will include variable amounts of water. The quantity of water you receive from your supplier depends largely on circumstance and handling practices.

 

Last I checked - the Stanadyne Performance Formula is the only fuel additive approved by VW for the TDI's .... been using it for years - -42 last winter and no waxing issues - recommended by a diesel mechanic that works on my bigger trucks who had to replace all of the injectors in my Duramax Chevy, along with the owner of an injection pump rebuild shop that had to replace seals in some of my really old pumps after the low sulfur fuel destroyed them - so it addresses other diesel fuel issues, too.

 

X2 for Stanadyne fuel additive

And I use both Performance Formula and Lubricity Formula that I mix together and add to each fill up for my Treg and Passat, both TDI.

The reason why is as mentioned by Bob W, Stanadyne are approved by VW and fuel system designers and manufacturers.

http://www.globaldenso.com/en/topics/files/120730common_position_paper.pdf

Stanadyne products are demulsifier as recommand by Bosch and others. They want the water OUT of the fuel, not mix or in emulsion or ''solubilized'' (Power Service fuel additives) in the fuel.

I'm not an expert but that is enough for me... When there is a doubt, there is no doubt.

Here is the web site of Stanadyne. It is very clear that their additives (Performance, Lubricity and other formula) are demulsifier.


http://stanadyneadditives.com/performance-formula/

Here is a copy of a letter from PS technical dept that I found on the TDI Club forum a while ago. The member wrote to PS and ask them about their fuel additive. I know, PS is very well popular and many, many use it but for myself, I prefered to stay with the additive recommand from VW and Bosch.

Copy of the letter:

There is a lot of debate and a lot of misinformation going on. Some of our competitors will take shots at us through the chat rooms and this really causes a lot of confusion as they well intend to do.
This is going to be a long answer to your question, however if you do not understand what a emulsifier, demulsifier and a solubilizer are then you will never be able to settle any questions or debates over their use. The short answer is that our Diesel Fuel Supplement and Diesel Kleen contains neither a demulsifier or emulsifier. Please read the following for a complete answer and the reasons.
A Demulsifier, an emulsifier and a water solubilizer are all water dispersants. All diesel fuel has dissolved water in it. The water that is in diesel fuel, in a dissolved form will not hurt or harm the motor, pumps or injectors. Low Sulfur diesel fuel usually has around 50 to 65ppm (parts per million) water in the fuel. When the water content of the fuel gets around 100ppm or higher, the more likely fuel filter icing will occur when the temperatures become severe.
An emulsifier will pull water up into the fuel as small water droplets and often will cause the fuel to be cloudy. In the winter months when the temperature drops below freezing, these water droplets can freeze on the filter face of the water separator causing the flow of fuel to stop, even though the fuel is still liquid. It does not take much water to cause Fuel Filter Icing problems. Also, as the temperatures drop water in the fuel can fall out depending on how much water is in the fuel and how cold it gets, which adds to water problems. Often these water droplets will freeze before they hit the filter and since almost all diesel vehicles have water separators this will also cause Fuel Filter Icing. In the summer months water is not as great of a problem since most filters have a valve so you can drain off any free water on the bottom of the fuel filter, however it should be noted that there is not a perfect filter and all filters will allow some of this emulsified water to pass. As long as only small amounts of this emulsified water get pass the filter this most often doesn't cause a problem. Ford and Chevy are the ones that are having the most problems with emulsified water. It doesn't take much of this emulsified water to cause injector damage in their vehicles and this is why they are very firm that one does not use any product that causes emulsification of the water.
Demulsifiers will cause excess water to fall out of the fuel. This water will fall to the bottom of the fuel tank or fuel system and can cause corrosion, rust, reduced lubricity and in the winter months it can freeze in the fuel lines and prevent fuel flow or also hit the filter and freeze. There are about a dozen demulsifiers or de-hazers on the market. None of them will work on all fuels. You have to test the fuel you are using against the various demulsifiers to see which one will work with that fuel. They are fuel specific and when an additive company says they use demulsifiers in their additives it is for advertisement purposes only. If you talk to any Chemist that knows anything about demulsifiers they will tell you the same thing.
A solubilizer works in a little different way than the other two. It will take the water and solubilize or dissolve it back into the fuel. When this happens you will not have water droplets suspended in the fuel and when you look at the fuel it will be clear and not cloudy. This is the preferred method to get free water out of the system and to keep the water that is in the fuel from falling out. The only problem with a solubilizer is that it works on small amounts of water at a time. This means that if you have a water problem and it is not sever a water solubilizer can work very well, will be effective and will cause no hurt or harm in the system. If you have a sever problem then one treatment will not solve the problem. Solubilizers are meant to work slowly and not to cause the fuel to be overloaded with water. If you know that you have a lot of free water in a fuel system then you should drain or pump the water off and then use a water solubilizer. The good news is that in most cases in motor vehicles water is usually at low levels and a solubilizer usually works very well.
Our Diesel Fuel Supplement (DFS) contains a deicer that is intended to keep the water in the fuel from falling out and to help reduce the likelihood of Filter Icing. Warm fuel will carry more water than cold fuel. When it gets cold some water can fall out of the fuel, or the water separator can squeeze out this water which can freeze on the filter face and cause the fuel to stop flowing through the filter even though the fuel is still liquid. This is Fuel Filter Icing and is often mistaken for fuel gelling. The deicer in DFS can also help to solubilize small amounts of water in the fuel system. If too much water is in the fuel tank it can overpower the deicer in the Diesel Fuel Supplement. So, DFS is neither a demulsifier or an emulsifier.
Diesel Kleen is a non-winter additive and it is intended to give you the very best injector cleaner, cetane, lubricity, fuel stability package and corrosion protection. It will not do much for water and it is not intended to. The injector cleaner is strong enough to clean up a dirty injector to the spray pattern of a new injector. The Cetane Boost will help your engine start quicker, reduce emissions and improve engine performance. The lubricity package will bring the lubricity of the fuel up to the standard recommended by the fuel pump manufacturers. It meets the N14 Standard for corrosion and it will stabilize the fuel. Diesel Kleen does not contain a demulsifier or an emulsifier. I would recommend using Diesel Kleen in the non-winter months because it has more injector cleaner and cetane boost than the Diesel Fuel Supplement. It will help with a water problem and will also solubilize small amounts of water. It is not a quick fix for a lot of free water.
Our Diesel 911 is a solubilizer. It will take free water and combine it with the fuel so when you look at the fuel it is clear. Diesel 911 will combine with the fuel first and it will also keep the water in the fuel from falling out. It then will act upon the free water in the system. If the fuel is dry and is not saturated with water, it will pick up more free water than when the fuel is wet. A fuel solubilizer will not suspend water in the fuel as water droplets. Diesel 911 also contains a lubricity package to help increase the fuels lubricity since water can adversely affect lubricity. It is not a quick fix but it will solubilize a lot more water than DFS or Diesel Kleen.
There is a lot of misinformation about additives and water dispersants. When you use an additive like our Diesel Fuel Supplement or Diesel Kleen these are mixtures of additives in a package. These various chemicals have to be balanced so they will not separate in their container. It doesn't matter if you use our additives or one of our competitors, a good water dispersant takes a lot of room in the additive package. If you add a strong detergent, strong cetane, excellent lubricity, corrosion, top of the line antigel, and stability to the additive package there is not much room left for a water dispersant. A good multiple benefit package will always have a weak water dispersant package. It is a matter of chemistry. The only way to get a strong water dispersant is to get an additive whose top attribute is to control water like our Diesel 911.
If you think you have a water or water related problem then you need to use our Diesel 911 to get the water under control and then use the Diesel Fuel Supplement for the winter months and the Diesel Kleen for non-winter months. Diesel 911 is completely compatible with Diesel Kleen and Diesel Fuel Supplement and they can be used together in the fuel. If you live in areas where the winter temperatures can be severe then you need to use our Diesel Fuel Supplement. Use the Diesel Kleen in the non-winter months. Also, just before winter I would use the Diesel 911 to help take out the water/condensation in your fuel system. One-third of all fuel flow problems in winter is caused by water. Diesel 911 is the perfect product to take care of this problem. It will solubilize the water back into the fuel so the water will act as a component of the fuel. The water will be in solution and not in droplet form in your fuel. As stated earlier, all fuel contains water. When used as directed it will prevent fuel filter icing problems, it will not hurt or harm your pump or injectors and it is the only practical way to rid the system of water in a vehicle. Again, use the Diesel 911 when you think you have a water problem.
Diesel 911 does not contain any methyl or ethyl alcohols. It is a proprietary mixture containing Hydroxyl Compounds. These de-icers are used in many diesel fuel additives that are currently on the market. You should use the Diesel 911 only when you have a water problem. Some engine manufacturers do not recommend the use of deicers on a regular basis but only when you have a water problem.
As for you last question about DFS, there are no negative impacts on a diesel engine where the temperatures never go below 60 degrees F. In this situation I would suggest using Diesel Kleen, not because DFS may cause any harm but because Diesel Kleen has more detergents and Cetane Boost which will benefit the motor more by cleaning the injectors better, give better engine performance and better fuel economy. Diesel Kleen also will do a better job on reducing emissions and has a better stability package. When you use Diesel Kleen in the non-winter months you will simply get more benefits for your money.
This is a lot of information to cover so if you want to go over any points in more detail please give me a call or email me and Thanks for giving us the opportunity answer these important questions.
Best regards,
Brian Wilson
Technical Advisor
Compliance Coordinator
(800)643-9089
bwilson@powerservice.com
Power Service Products, Inc.

 

I've been using PS in the jetta for over 300K km, and since we got the tourage, i've been using it too.

I use it mainly in the winter for the cetane boost, since we drop with winter fuel.