arU4ic

Anyone have their Q7 TDI not start due to the wrong diesel? Happened to a friend, tow truck driver told him to get keep trying till it started then take to a local gas station that had 'cold weather diesel', took 30 mins but eventually started then we went to get fuel, fixed. He had a Toureg, wondered it ever happened to Q7s.

Never heard of this... never had a diesel...

smith2010Q7

nope

Cold weather diesel at all gas station change over around Oct time frame.

barga

Someone will correct me, but there are generally two types of Diesel available during the year, summer blend and winter blend. Winter blend sold Nov-March ish and it contains additives (who knows what) that help it from gelling in cold weather. So in extreme cold weather, with "summer blend" still in the tank, the diesel can start to gel and so not start in an engine. Same for folks who heat with oil and have their tank outside, sometimes the heating oil (diesel) will gel and so their boiler or furnace will not light, mixing the heating oil with kerosene is often a solution for outside tanks.

Canadian Lurker

Your friend should look at something like these:

http://powerservice.com/find-my-product/#1

If he was carrying a bottle of the red 911 he could have helped himself without having to call the tow guy. I keep a bottle handy just in case.

Also, whether gas or diesel in colder weather, it's a good idea to fill up around the quarter tank mark rather than running closer to empty. Helps avoid the freezing/gelling when there's more fuel in the tank.

uberwgn

Diesel fuel is supposed to be adjusted by region and anticipated low temp during a given season. (There's a map of the USA showing this.)


A typical problem scenario would be someone filling up in San Fran and then traveling out to Tahoe where the night time low temps would be very different. Proper use of a winterizing additive PRIOR to the fuel gelling can help avoid being stuck early in the morning.

arU4ic

lol, exactly what happened. Filled up in SF, let the car sit in Tahoe in sub 10 degree weather for 2 days, then no startie.

lentiman

So yikes. I'm in SF and will be going to Tahoe in a couple months to ski. Do the Bay Area gas stations not stock cold weather diesel? I'm in east bay and it gets down to freezing but we've not had issues yet. Tahoe will be colder though.

uberwgn

Tahoe will be a LOT colder.

iconoclast

fill up closer to tahoe otherwise you will be stuck...

911 Crazy

Cancel the trip, I'll go.