%%date%% %%sep%% %%sitename%%
The following questions may seem strange, but they’re surprisingly popular. These are a few questions asked about diesel fuel and diesel trucks that stood out to us.
How Much Does a Gallon of Diesel Weigh?
What Temp Does Diesel Freeze?
How to Get Diesel Smell Out of Clothes?
Why do Diesel Trucks Have Two Batteries?
ProSource Diesel is here to answer all these questions and more.
1. How Much Does a Gallon of Diesel Weigh?
One gallon of diesel fuel roughly weighs seven pounds. The exact weight will vary by country: a gallon of diesel in the US is slightly heavier than diesel in Canada. Temperature variations could also cause slight fluctuations in the fuel’s weight.
At 15 degrees Fahrenheit, a gallon of diesel fuel weighs about 7.1 pounds. Under extreme temperatures –for example, 105 degrees or more– that same gallon weighs 6.8 pounds. At average temperatures (70 degrees), one gallon of diesel fuel will weigh 6.9 pounds.
How Much Does a Full Tank of Diesel Fuel Weigh?
The weight of a full tank of diesel will depend on the size of the tank. A semi-truck might carry up to 300 gallons of fuel, so its full tank could weigh over 2,000 pounds.
The fuel tank on a three-quarter-ton diesel Ford Powerstroke is between 34 and 48 gallons, depending on the model year and trim. A full tank could weigh somewhere between 238 and 336 pounds.
Chevy and Dodge diesel trucks of this size will have fuel tanks averaging 32 gallons, so a full tank weighs between 221 and 228 pounds.
What is the Cost of a Gallon of Diesel Fuel?
We checked data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2023, the average price of diesel fuel in the United States was $4.2. In 2022, it was $4.99.
As of November 4, 2024, the average price of diesel in the US is $3.536 per gallon. This is a decrease of 1.04% from the previous week and 20.61% from the previous year.
Diesel fuel cost varies by location, and the most expensive prices are typically found in California, while the cheapest fuel is usually on the Gulf Coast.
2. At What Temp Does Diesel Freeze?
Diesel fuel won’t freeze like a block of ice; instead, the paraffin in the fuel causes it to gel up. This cloudy fuel can cause the fuel lines and tank to clog. This cloudiness happens at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is also the freezing point of water. Gelling starts if it gets 10-15 degrees colder.
Source: Reddit
How to Stop Diesel Fuel from Gelling in Cold Weather
Anyone driving during winter or below zero temps should use an anti-gelling additive. Anti-gel additives are specifically for diesel engines like Powerstroke, Cummins, and Duramax.
These additives reduce the size of crystals that form in cold weather, which stops gelling and lowers the fuel pour point. You can keep fuel flowing, even under subzero temperatures.
Can Additives Be Used When Diesel Fuel Has Already Gelled?
To use an additive on a gelled tank, clear the tank and free the fuel line. Usually, you’ll have to pour an additive into the tank and wait 20 minutes for the gel to break down. To clear the fuel lines further, set the truck idle for a few minutes after starting it up.
Preparing a Diesel Truck for Cold Weather
A block heater is another helpful way to winterproof your diesel truck, especially if you’re parked outside. A block heater can prevent clogging at lower temperatures than additives.
3. How to Get Diesel Smell Out of Clothes
There aren’t many downsides to owning a diesel truck, but, if you work on your truck, or have an overflow at the fuel pump, you might wind up with diesel on your clothes. Sometimes, this smell lingers after a wash. This unpleasant odor could even seep into your washing machine. If this is an issue for you, try some of these steps:
Use baking soda and vinegar to break down the oil and smell before placing your odor-stained clothes in the wash.
Add Listerine mouthwash to the load of laundry. Firefighters use this to get rid of smoke smells.
Add Natural Orange hand cleaner to the washing machine to remove the smell. Adding some baking soda can make it even more effective.
How to Get Diesel Smell Out of a Truck Cab
That diesel smell might even creep into your truck cab. If you somehow get diesel fuel in your truck cab, you can clean it with Natural Orange. If you can’t find the source of the smell, some drivers try air fresheners. Air fresheners are useful if diesel fumes are leaking inside the cab. Stronger smells or large spills require professional cleaning.
Why Does Diesel Smell So Bad?
The foul smell of diesel fuel comes from its high sulfur content, and diesel fuel in the US has more sulfur than diesel in other countries. The sulfur and nickel inside the fuel help lubricate the engine, but their chemical reaction also creates a foul smell.
4. Why Do Diesel Trucks Have Two Batteries?
Trucks with diesel engines have two batteries because starting the engine requires higher cranking amps. Diesel engines have higher resistance loads than gas engines. Compression in a diesel engine is around 17:1 compared to the gas engine rate of around 9:1. For the truck to start, the temperature in the combustion chamber needs to be high enough to combust fuel. Gas engines achieve this with spark plugs. Diesel engines use glow plugs to preheat the combustion chamber, which requires more electricity.
Source: Bring a Trailer
When to Replace Diesel Batteries
Batteries include warranties to show how long they last. Warranties aren’t exact, and other factors contribute to how quickly a battery can wear out. Some of those factors include:
Starting frequency and running time duration
Extreme cold weather or extreme heat
Corroded connections
Overcharging alternator
Dirty battery terminals
The average life of a battery is usually three to five years. Diesel batteries should always be replaced in pairs.
How to Jump-Start with Two Batteries
You don’t need to jump-start both diesel batteries to start your truck or have another two-battery truck assist you. Only one battery needs jump-starting. The alternator will finish the job by sending a charge to both batteries. If you need help jump-starting a diesel engine truck with two batteries, here’s a guide:
Both vehicles should be in park if automatic, or in neutral if one or both vehicles are manual.
Connect one clamp from the red jumper cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal.
Connect the second clamp to the good battery’s positive terminal.
Connect one of the black cable clamps to the negative terminal of the good battery.
Connect the last black cable clamp to a piece of unpainted metal on the dead vehicle, such as the alternator bracket.
Start the engine with the good battery, and let it run to send juice into the dead battery. This might take a few minutes.
Start cranking the engine of the dead vehicle. If it doesn’t fire up, wait a few minutes for more juice, then try again.
Once the engine turns over, the black cable clamps can be removed, but make sure they don’t touch each other, the red cable, or any metal.
Remove the red cables carefully from each vehicle one at a time.
Allow the revived truck to run for at least 20 minutes to let the alternator do its job and charge both batteries. Driving is better than idling.
ProSource Diesel helps you find diesel truck parts for your Ford Powerstroke, Chevy Duramax, or Dodge Cummins. It’s where repair shops shop. We have those reliable and hard-to-find diesel parts and kits.
%%excerpt%%
The post Diesel Questions and Answers appeared first on Prosource Diesel.
%%category%%
%%tag%%
