AirDog 150 in cold weather

[Mailboxperry]

With temps above 20*F I have about 15-18 psi. When it gets colder out I have right at 11psi. The other day it to -2*F. The truck started and held at 11psi. About 5 mins later she started dropping psi and soon hit 1psi. The truck started to stall so I turned it off right away. So later that day after the temps got to about 15*F I started the truck and it held 11psi. I took it down the road and about 10 miles later it went up to 17psi and held. When I got home it jumped down to 11psi again. Any ideas? My airdog going bad?

[mopartechnician]

Nope you are gelling. Mine 01 did it too because the filters and pump are exposed to the cold. I was always going to make a heat shield out of a survival blanket and wrap the filters and pump with heat tape

Edited November 16, 2014 by mopartechnician

[Mailboxperry]

My current tank has about 20 gallons of #2 treated with power service, and 10 gallons of #1.

And 30oz of 2 cycle oil.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Mailboxperry

[Mailboxperry]

Nope you are gelling. Mine 01 did it too because the filters and pump are exposed to the cold. I was always going to make a heat shield out of a survival blanket and wrap the filters and pump with heat tape

I have mine located by the transfer case, above the skid plate. Still more in the open verse stock location under the hood

[Ilikeoldfords]

Geez, with the treated fuel and the #1 in there it really shouldnt be gelling. Unfortunatly, I think Mopartech is right though. Those are the exact symptoms of what mine was doing when it gelled last winter too. When it got really cold though, like -25 and colder, I would actually have to turn the pump pressure up just a hair because even with straight #1 the pressure started dropping off. I dont know if the pump was getting physically to cold or what but even if the fuel was not even close to gelled, I would start losing pressure.

[Mopar1973Man]

Like myself I see a little drop in pressure but by the time I get some heat into the fuel tank the pressure starts to rise again. But I kept my stock filter housing to help with heating the fuel in the winter time. 12 years of ownership I never gelled up yet.

[rancherman]

you have very typical symptoms, where after you shut down, then restart, you have a brief moment of 'fair' pressure, then back to nuttin. I've found on a vertical filter, when there is 0 pressure, the plugging crap tends to sink away from the filter media, and allows some passage... but when you repressurize, zam! it's blocked up again.

Change yer filters.(air dog's) If what you have in the tank is truly what 'they' advertised, then You should be good... But the filters are overwhelmed with

1. ice

2 crud

3 gel

Or a combination of all 3.

Before dropping a load on the filters, check the metal screen on the airdog first!!

I have a metal cartridge screen in front of my fass, (inline, looks just like a G2 fram filter) and while it protects the pump, it's a disaster for plugging. Metal screen on the suction side of diesel fuel is a sure fire way to get you walking home.

Edit: you still running the fuel through the factory filter? or using the airdogs only? better check that one too!

Edited November 16, 2014 by rancherman

[Mailboxperry]

you have very typical symptoms, where after you shut down, then restart, you have a brief moment of 'fair' pressure, then back to nuttin. I've found on a vertical filter, when there is 0 pressure, the plugging crap tends to sink away from the filter media, and allows some passage... but when you repressurize, zam! it's blocked up again.

Change yer filters.(air dog's) If what you have in the tank is truly what 'they' advertised, then You should be good... But the filters are overwhelmed with

1. ice

2 crud

3 gel

Or a combination of all 3.

Before dropping a load on the filters, check the metal screen on the airdog first!!

I have a metal cartridge screen in front of my fass, (inline, looks just like a G2 fram filter) and while it protects the pump, it's a disaster for plugging. Metal screen on the suction side of diesel fuel is a sure fire way to get you walking home.

Edit: you still running the fuel through the factory filter? or using the airdogs only? better check that one too!

Sorry, I forgot to say that while waiting for the temp to warm up I did replace the fuel filter with a 10 micron filter. It had a CAT 2 micron filter.

And once I I got it running I let it idle for about 20 mins. Then I only made it 2 blocks before it went to 0 psi again.

[Mopar1973Man]

No matter what micron size you put on for a filter gelled fuel will not pass through the filter. At this point you need to warm the fuel up as much as possible in a enclosed shop and treat your existing fuel.

[volkswagon]

I've always been under the impression that mixing #1 and #2 didn't prevent gelling because it's the wax in the summer fuel that causes the problem. So you dilute it but the wax is still there it just takes longer to become a problem. Right or wrong?

[LiveOak]

With temps above 20*F I have about 15-18 psi. When it gets colder out I have right at 11psi. The other day it to -2*F. The truck started and held at 11psi. About 5 mins later she started dropping psi and soon hit 1psi. The truck started to stall so I turned it off right away. So later that day after the temps got to about 15*F I started the truck and it held 11psi. I took it down the road and about 10 miles later it went up to 17psi and held. When I got home it jumped down to 11psi again. Any ideas? My airdog going bad?

 

Is your fuel pressure guage mechanical or electrical?

 

If your guage is mechanical and you are using a fuel isolator in your fuel pressure indicating system as you should, the diaphragm becomes stiff and less flexible with age.  Mine is.  What I first start up, depending upon temperature, I have between 5 - 12 psi.  After about 10 to 15 minutes of driving down the road, the fuel pressure always gradually increases to the 18 psi I have my Air Dog set at.  This happens each and every time I start my truck after any appreciable amount of time setting.  I just have not felt it was that big of an issue to replace the diaphram or isolator.  I did talk to Eric at Vulcan Performance about this issue and he confirmed my suspicion as well as sent me a new diaphram along with the spare isolator I ordered.   

 

I suspect if you put a fuel pressure test guage on the injector pump you may find that your pressure is just fine & steady and you have an indicating issue and not a pressure issue. 

Edited November 16, 2014 by LiveOak

[Mailboxperry]

Is your fuel pressure guage mechanical or electrical?

It's electrical. It seems to be working right. I can't hear the airdog when I first turn the key on like i can when its warmer out.

I can add more additive but I don't want to add to much. This is the first year I have ever gelled up. It's also the first winter with the airdog. When is the point of to much additive?

[LiveOak]

It's electrical. It seems to be working right. I can't hear the airdog when I first turn the key on like i can when its warmer out.

I can add more additive but I don't want to add to much. This is the first year I have ever gelled up. It's also the first winter with the airdog. When is the point of to much additive?

 

Actually I misspoke/typed.  I should have typed and meant fuel pressure gauge sending unit. 

[Mailboxperry]

Actually I misspoke/typed. I should have typed and meant fuel pressure gauge sending unit.

I assume it is working because when the guage reads zero the engine starts to stall. Soon as it gets below 10 psi I shut the engine off.

[rancherman]

I've always been under the impression that mixing #1 and #2 didn't prevent gelling because it's the wax in the summer fuel that causes the problem. So you dilute it but the wax is still there it just takes longer to become a problem. Right or wrong?

^^^ good question! I've never thought of it from that angle.

[rancherman]

It's electrical. It seems to be working right. I can't hear the airdog when I first turn the key on like i can when its warmer out.

I can add more additive but I don't want to add to much. This is the first year I have ever gelled up. It's also the first winter with the airdog. When is the point of to much additive?

[/quot

I've often run double to triple the recommended rate.. just to help clean up a problem.

You got a problem! The only thing I've had luck with in re liquefying fuel is diesel '911' (power service brand) and/or putting some heat on the tank.. Granted, this is worse case scenario..

I've never had any kind of luck with 'normal' anti gels working to 'fix' a problem. (ya gotta have heat too) or have it in the tank BEFORE it gets cold.

Take the filters off, shake out as much crap as you can, and refill with 911. put the rest in the tank. let it soak for a bit, and start it.

I'm convinced that every 'first cold snap' is problematic. Starting at the terminals, all the way to our tanks..

Not in any order;

Algae, Water from the de sulphurization process, remnants of bio diesel, and last but not least- actual gelling from wax.

First cold snap tends to 'drop' these ^^^^^ out of suspension or break it loose from the sides of the tank... and viola! our filters stop em!

[Mopar1973Man]

Kerosene for years use to be the way to deal with gelling issues now we are looking for a chemical in bottle to do it. Makes you think...

[Mailboxperry]

Well I pulled it in the heated garage all day. I added another dose of Power Service and have been letting it idle outside for about an hour now. The fuel psi is holding. Actually it's running a little higher. Right around 19 psi. I also insulated the pump, filters, and any fuel line that isn't tucked inside the frame rail. Hope that does the trick until I can get more #1 in there.

[rancherman]

Well I pulled it in the heated garage all day. I added another dose of Power Service and have been letting it idle outside for about an hour now. The fuel psi is holding. Actually it's running a little higher. Right around 19 psi. I also insulated the pump, filters, and any fuel line that isn't tucked inside the frame rail. Hope that does the trick until I can get more #1 in there.

Should put ya on the right path!

[Mopar1973Man]

Now you know why I've got my AirDog tucked right behind the transfer case trying to keep the cold wind off the filters.