Cold weather question

NorthpoleTDI · Dec 3, 2008

I bought a 1999 Jetta TDI in California and will be moving to Wisconsin in January (I must be nuts). The car currently has 140,000 miles (just warming up) and has to be transported with only 1/4 tank of gas and I'm worried about the small amount of No. 2 diesel and that some of the wax in the fuel may crystallize and affects the fluidity of the fuel, resulting in filter plugging.
One article stated, "Once the temperatures starts dropping to 40 or 30 degrees F, you must begin mixing an additive into your fuel". Once I get to Wisconsin, the diesel will be winterized with No. 1 diesel, but I'm worried about the week long transport from 75 degree California weather to 12 degree Wisconsin weather. I have read about anti-gel additives that can be placed in the tank, but all the information seems to be geared towards "big" trucks and not my "petite" Jetta. Another article mentioned, "Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement Plus Cetane Boost" which apparently is the most powerful available anti-gel additive. Can anyone give me any information regarding what to buy and how much to add or if I have to do anything at all? It would be much appreciated.

Freezing my TDIs off

bf1967 · Dec 3, 2008

Power Service in the white bottle will do the trick. Follow the dosage on the bottle.

What part of WI are you moving to? I'm in the SE part of the state. Any yes, you are probably nuts

.

Bob

NorthpoleTDI said:
I bought a 1999 Jetta TDI in California and will be moving to Wisconsin in January (I must be nuts). The car currently has 140,000 miles (just warming up) and has to be transported with only 1/4 tank of gas and I'm worried about the small amount of No. 2 diesel and that some of the wax in the fuel may crystallize and affects the fluidity of the fuel, resulting in filter plugging.
One article stated, "Once the temperatures starts dropping to 40 or 30 degrees F, you must begin mixing an additive into your fuel". Once I get to Wisconsin, the diesel will be winterized with No. 1 diesel, but I'm worried about the week long transport from 75 degree California weather to 12 degree Wisconsin weather. I have read about anti-gel additives that can be placed in the tank, but all the information seems to be geared towards "big" trucks and not my "petite" Jetta. Another article mentioned, "Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement Plus Cetane Boost" which apparently is the most powerful available anti-gel additive. Can anyone give me any information regarding what to buy and how much to add or if I have to do anything at all? It would be much appreciated.

Freezing my TDIs off

Doug Huffman · Dec 3, 2008

Welcome to Wisconsin. 3 oz. PS per tank is standard. I double for a few tanks early in the winter. A tank lasts about 6 weeks here.

kwgilpin · Dec 3, 2008

Where's the car coming from in CA? If close to the mountains, I'm guessing they winter-ize their D2.

NorthpoleTDI · Dec 3, 2008

Where's my winter coat?

I'm moving to Stratford (between Marshfield and Wausau). I already saw that the temperature is 25 degrees. Anything else I should worry about with my TDI?
Elaine

NorthpoleTDI · Dec 3, 2008

I'm coming from Orange County...but believe me I'm NOT from the OC! One could die from silicon poisioning out here!!! I've been putting No. 2 in my tank all these years.

dieseldorf · Dec 3, 2008

Elaine, the fuel you purchase in your region will be corrected with the appropriate additives. You could add a little PowerService (white bottle) if it gives you peace of mind.

NorthpoleTDI said:
I'm coming from Orange County...but believe me I'm NOT from the OC! One could die from silicon poisioning out here!!!

Did you mean silicon or silicone

Welcome aboard!

bf1967 · Dec 3, 2008

NorthpoleTDI said:
I'm moving to Stratford (between Marshfield and Wausau). I already saw that the temperature is 25 degrees. Anything else I should worry about with my TDI?
Elaine

Will you be parking inside or outside? Some of us have coolant heaters (Frostheater) to warm it up in the morning. Mine sits outside all night and it starts right up and gets toasty warm right away. Of course heated seats are nice too.

Might want to make sure you have a good battery as well.

Bob

TT71 · Dec 4, 2008

Northpole,
Make sure your heated seats work. I put about 6oz of powerservice w(whitebottle) in my tank at fill up time. I haven't had any problems with gelling. Except once and that is when the dealer filled the tank for me when I bought it. So I have no clue where they bought the fuel from.
Btw welcome to Wisconsin.

TT71 · Dec 4, 2008

Patrick I have no knowledge on the 09. However I will side with dieseldorf on this one. Sounds like bs to me. I have an 06 last year made before the 09's came out. Granted it's not a common rail like the 09. But mine started up today when it was a paltry 6 degrees outside and has started in the past when it was well below zero out. Btw welcome aboard.

Curious Chris · Dec 4, 2008

I would put in a new battery and replace all the glow plugs. I moved back to WI from GA and my 6 year old battery started my car this morning at 9 degrees F but not as enthusiastically as it should so I am replacing the battery.

This fall I proactively changed all the glow plugs too just to be on the safe side.

mctdi · Dec 4, 2008

NorthpoleTDI

I think it would be a good idea to use some fuel additive in the one or two tanks before your move. So it is throughout the fuel system. As fuel there may not be blended for sub-zero.

Also be sure that the washer fluid in the car ( and in the lines ) is rated for at lest -25'F.

Rain-X on the windows does make it easier to scrape the ice off.

As bf1967 [ Bob ] said, a "frostheater", or the like, is nice. http://frostheater.com/

And think about SNOW tires.

MJ72 · Dec 4, 2008

checking the washer fluid is a great idea. I moved back to Wisconsin in 1990 from TN and when I hit Northern Illinois my washer fluid turned into the perfect ice cube. It's an easy fix, but a frustrating thing to deal with during a move.

greengeeker · Dec 4, 2008

Maybe consider a skidplate for those large, unavoidable ice chunks? If your area has significant amounts of snow maybe look at a lift kit. In my experience, my jetta with snow tires handles up to 6" of snow very well. Above that and I think the snow becomes somewhat of a drag. (i'm so lame)

lawallac · Dec 4, 2008

Welcome to WI. It was about 2 above here this morning in Mosinee. That is only about 15 miles from Stratford. My only suggestion would be to get a coolant heater installed. Then run a good timer so have your car all warmed up before you go out. 3 hours of heating is good. If you leave the temp dial on heat you run the coolant through the heater core and it loses some of the effectiveness, from my experience. But, if you run it longer and keep it on heat and on defrost it does clear a small patch of snow.
Also, do use the white bottle PS. I've played that game last year. The fuel may say it is winterized but not using it when the temps dropped to below -15 last year left me pulling fuel from the tank, which i then added PS to, using a mighty vac. Not the best way to spend my Saturday.

jettawreck · Dec 5, 2008

Brock_from_WI said:
LOL, last winter in one cold snap -20F or -28C I jump started 3 gassers here at work. One of whom I sort of know and a while ago made a crack about diesels not starting in winter Oh I had to rub it in

That would be priceless!!

Cold weather question

NorthpoleTDI

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bf1967

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Doug Huffman

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kwgilpin

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NorthpoleTDI

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NorthpoleTDI

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dieseldorf

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bf1967

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TT71

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