Cold weather trip

[acid bath]

I'm looking at driving to the french alps this december/january, round trip of around 2000 miles in my 1998 defender 300tdi CSW. Now i will be carrying all that is required by european law, i.e warning triangle, snow chains etc. My main question is what extra spares would i require for the cold climate, i've fitted an internal diesel heater heater running off an internal tank, that way i can use red diesel legally. I know the temp drops quite low out there that time of year, especially at the altitude we will be at. So any input from anyone would be appreciated.:)

[tony109]

Dont forget diesel waxes below 0'

[acid bath]

Dont forget diesel waxes below 0'

Is there an additive you can put in the british fuel, and i take it that the diesel i buy out there will have the waxed diesel at the garages.

[tony109]

Is there an additive you can put in the british fuel, and i take it that the diesel i buy out there will have the waxed diesel at the garages.


The diesel at their pumps should be winter spec.. But mine wasnt.. I had to add petrol.. winter diesel as standardis a mix of diesel and Keroscene.. But take fuel filters with you in casewaxing starts early and builds up

[acid bath]

The diesel at their pumps should be winter spec.. But mine wasnt.. I had to add petrol.. winter diesel as standardis a mix of diesel and Keroscene.. But take fuel filters with you in casewaxing starts early and builds up

Tony

Thanks for the advice todate, is it worth insulating the fuel tank in some way, if that is possible?

[tony109]

Tony

Thanks for the advice todate, is it worth insulating the fuel tank in some way, if that is possible?

That wouldn't really work even if you could wrap it. Diesels work in sub zero coditions all the time, fully prepared machines may have heat exchangers in tanks and fuel pipes.. Plastic fuel pipes are worth fitting, but the best answer is to use winter grade diesel or like I did, add petrol or Kero. Small amounts of Waxing still took place.. I got down to -40 temperatures.. no bull, but it eventually stopped due to waxing.. I had a cleanable primary fuel filter which had fully blocked.. A clean out of that and the man cartridge filter got me going again.

[acid bath]

That wouldn't really work even if you could wrap it. Diesels work in sub zero coditions all the time, fully prepared machines may have heat exchangers in tanks and fuel pipes.. Plastic fuel pipes are worth fitting, but the best answer is to use winter grade diesel or like I did, add petrol or Kero. Small amounts of Waxing still took place.. I got down to -40 temperatures.. no bull, but it eventually stopped due to waxing.. I had a cleanable primary fuel filter which had fully blocked.. A clean out of that and the man cartridge filter got me going again.



Tony,

How much kero/petrol would you need to add to the diesel

[tony109]

Tony,

How much kero/petrol would you need to add to the diesel

Depends how cold it is.. 10 - 20%.. Im sure theres a formula you'll find somewhere.. I approximated plus 10 %