Does anyone use heet in their fuel tank. Its an additive that prevents fuel line freezing. I live in Michigan and never had a problem with my fuel line freezing and it gets might cold here sometimes. In fact today it was about 1 degree outside at noon and my truck started right up just fine.
Heet
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I have in years past used a couple bottles of heet in the winter. I only had a problem with a 'frozen' fuel line one really cold day when my old 88 Lincoln was sitting outside for a couple days.
Now I use FP60 every tank and it says it does something to the water so I don't worry about it. Plus I'm pretty sure NY gas has 10% ethanol and I've heard the ethanol will help keep the water from freezing up?
-Louis
Now I use FP60 every tank and it says it does something to the water so I don't worry about it. Plus I'm pretty sure NY gas has 10% ethanol and I've heard the ethanol will help keep the water from freezing up?
-Louis
I can't believe they are advertising this stuff on the radio again. With modern fuel systems it is not needed. Sealed tanks, used for 20+ years now, prevent moisture build up in the tank. Returning fuel systems actually heat the fuel, and in some areas like the entire state of MN alcohol is already added to the fuel in a much higher concentration. Freezing fuel lines is no longer a problem for most people.
i can't imagine water being a problem in oxygenated (they add ethanol) winter fuels.
I buy most of my gas from Petro-Canada, and they advertise their winter fuel as already having a quantity of fuel line antifreeze in it, so I've no need to buy fuel line antifreeze. Plus I get Petro points when I buy gas there.
Hi
I doesnt matter if your system is sealed or not.
This is the most likely freezing scenario.
1. Very cold temperatures.. 0F and below...
2. A gas tank with exposed surfaces due to a low level of fuel in it...which may mean frosted walls.
3. Introduction of a fresh fill of gas only which causes frost on walls of tank to melt.
4. During fast operation of car in cold temps such as interstate, the mix of gas and melted frost..i.e. water is drawn through the fuel line under the car and catches..perhaps in the filter..perhaps further upstream.
I' ve seen many cars on the breakdown lane late at night when the temps are below zero. Since I drive the same route day in day out, all four seasons, and only see the carnage in the cold nights, I have concluded that HEET is a cheap insurance.
I have driven over 500,000 miles in the last past decade and have never had an "unscheduled" stop in the winter.
I doesnt matter if your system is sealed or not.
This is the most likely freezing scenario.
1. Very cold temperatures.. 0F and below...
2. A gas tank with exposed surfaces due to a low level of fuel in it...which may mean frosted walls.
3. Introduction of a fresh fill of gas only which causes frost on walls of tank to melt.
4. During fast operation of car in cold temps such as interstate, the mix of gas and melted frost..i.e. water is drawn through the fuel line under the car and catches..perhaps in the filter..perhaps further upstream.
I' ve seen many cars on the breakdown lane late at night when the temps are below zero. Since I drive the same route day in day out, all four seasons, and only see the carnage in the cold nights, I have concluded that HEET is a cheap insurance.
I have driven over 500,000 miles in the last past decade and have never had an "unscheduled" stop in the winter.
Heet is just methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) plus some other ingredients. Iso-Heet is isopropyl alcohol plus other ingredients. They emulsify any water in the tank so it will mix with the gasoline and go through the engine.
You only need one of these products if you have water in the system. I lived in Wyoming for several years, and only needed Heet one time when I got a load of gas with water at one gas station. Heet certainly is not needed in every tankful.
Ken
You only need one of these products if you have water in the system. I lived in Wyoming for several years, and only needed Heet one time when I got a load of gas with water at one gas station. Heet certainly is not needed in every tankful.
Ken
I've been using ethanol since the 80's and even on sub-zero days never had a fuel line freeze up. I wouldn't waste my money on it. We just had a -10 morning less than a week ago. Again, I didn't even see any vehicles on the highway (other than a couple of diesel semi's that had gelled).
Hi
We have those temps and then some. I am on the interstate 5 nights a week, often anywhere from 9 to 11pm and see more enough to decide i dont want to be one of them.
In fact, compared to the same route on warm winter nights, or even other seasons, there is a notable increase in "campers" in the breakdown lane.
I still pony up the dollar extra per tankful when ever the temps are 15F and below each night I top off. Its cheap insurance against joining those poor unfortunates.
But to each, his own..
We have those temps and then some. I am on the interstate 5 nights a week, often anywhere from 9 to 11pm and see more enough to decide i dont want to be one of them.
In fact, compared to the same route on warm winter nights, or even other seasons, there is a notable increase in "campers" in the breakdown lane.
I still pony up the dollar extra per tankful when ever the temps are 15F and below each night I top off. Its cheap insurance against joining those poor unfortunates.
But to each, his own..
And we know the broken cars on the freeway in cold weather are stopped because of frozen fuel lines because???
Lots of other causes of broken down cars in cold weather that have nothing to do with the fuel delivery system.
Since Minnesota switched to 10% ethanol year around, I've never bothered to use heet and also have not had any problems.
Lots of other causes of broken down cars in cold weather that have nothing to do with the fuel delivery system.
Since Minnesota switched to 10% ethanol year around, I've never bothered to use heet and also have not had any problems.
Hi
Well, it would stand to reason that one would notice the same number of breakdowns ( stalled??) cars in July as in January, and perhaps from a night where temps are 40F as opposed to -15F ?
However, with my averaging 50k mi per year, that simply is not the case.
My brother is a cop, and he also reports the same observations in his area during extreme cold spells.
Its just cheap insurance. Use it or not use it, at your own discretion.
Well, it would stand to reason that one would notice the same number of breakdowns ( stalled??) cars in July as in January, and perhaps from a night where temps are 40F as opposed to -15F ?
However, with my averaging 50k mi per year, that simply is not the case.
My brother is a cop, and he also reports the same observations in his area during extreme cold spells.
Its just cheap insurance. Use it or not use it, at your own discretion.
If your gas dosen't come with alcohol in it and if you live in a cold climate you should use gas deicer.
I had a freeze up in notrhern Japan, I started my car when it was about 15'F out so it could warm up. About a minute later it died and would not start back up. At that time I had owned the car for all most 3yr and it had never done any thing like that.
That was a bit of a cold spell for my part of notthern japan.
Lucky for me it was my day off and I just wanted to go get some soda.
The sun came out and it got up to all most 40'F by the end of the day, so I went on foot to get my soda and a bottel of Iso-heat.
Later that day it started up just fine with even a low battery from trying to crank it earlier.
I had a freeze up in notrhern Japan, I started my car when it was about 15'F out so it could warm up. About a minute later it died and would not start back up. At that time I had owned the car for all most 3yr and it had never done any thing like that.
That was a bit of a cold spell for my part of notthern japan.
Lucky for me it was my day off and I just wanted to go get some soda.
The sun came out and it got up to all most 40'F by the end of the day, so I went on foot to get my soda and a bottel of Iso-heat.
Later that day it started up just fine with even a low battery from trying to crank it earlier.
Is one type of alcohol (methyl vs. isopropyl) better in this application?
Iso is better. Many gas stations already use methanol/mtbe/ethanol and other fillers for the enviroweenies.
Stick with a pure isopropyl/isopropanol drygas. Anything else, IMO, is a waste of money.
There are other sources of moisture, your gas station! I still have to defrost dozen or so frozen lines every winter. Those owners become ISO-heet users from that point on.
I drive enough and my fuel is always fresh. Plus the gas stations I buy from are busy 24/7. I don't have a moisture issue but prior to weather freeze spells, I add a bottle of Iso to the tank.
Stick with a pure isopropyl/isopropanol drygas. Anything else, IMO, is a waste of money.
There are other sources of moisture, your gas station! I still have to defrost dozen or so frozen lines every winter. Those owners become ISO-heet users from that point on.
I drive enough and my fuel is always fresh. Plus the gas stations I buy from are busy 24/7. I don't have a moisture issue but prior to weather freeze spells, I add a bottle of Iso to the tank.
Interesting thread.
I've never used gas-line antifreeze and never had a problem with frozen gas lines. Also, I always let the tank run to empty before putting more gas in it (takes 2 weeks to run empty). How much condensation can collect in 2 weeks?
I've never used gas-line antifreeze and never had a problem with frozen gas lines. Also, I always let the tank run to empty before putting more gas in it (takes 2 weeks to run empty). How much condensation can collect in 2 weeks?
To me the cheaper thing would me to just procure isopropanol and add it directly to your tank, if your gas station has none already in the fuel that is.
My guess is 5% of the current volume in the tank would sufice.
Methanol makes an excellent windshield washer additive.
My guess is 5% of the current volume in the tank would sufice.
Methanol makes an excellent windshield washer additive.
Correct me if im wrong, but doesnt gas freeze at around negative 150 degress F?
Either way we had a few -10 days last year and no problems for me, and in years before that we've had much colder, still no problem
Either way we had a few -10 days last year and no problems for me, and in years before that we've had much colder, still no problem
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