Taking the first step

[TKKira]

I have been looking for school buses that are in moderate shape in Souther California, and let me tell you, that has been hard enough.

I think I found a winner, but it is throwing my needs of a skokie out the door, just because it meets everything else!

I was told that the trip I had planned, that I should get a bus that is diesel, but I heard something yesterday. Diesel freezes after a 0 degrees?! My trip is going through the Canadian territories, last I checked it gets cold there.

The bus I found is a gas, which supposedly does not freeze.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. Do I get the gas for the sole reason it won't freeze? Or do I get the diesel because it works better long term?

[Mark_In_MA]

Diesel fuel can gel when it gets cold - it literally starts to turn from a liquid into something like jell-o. There are additives that you can buy to prevent this - it will say on the additive how much to add per tank of fuel. Fill fuel tank. Empty can of additive into fuel tank. Replace fuel cap. Done. The additives aren't that expensive, and everyone who lives in cold temperatures (including Canada) that sells fuel will probably have them for sale. (The same way that every gas station somewhere warm with a beach sells sun glasses.)

If you're going to travel into areas that get that cold, no matter what type of fuel your bus uses, you're going to want to get an auxillary block heater of some sort to make sure it starts.

Either fuel will work in the cold, you just need to prepare for it.


Food for thought for the people that know more then I do : Could you add some heat tape to the fuel tank to keep it from freezing/gelling, like you might do to your water tanks?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by TKKira

I have been looking for school buses that are in moderate shape in Souther California, and let me tell you, that has been hard enough.

I think I found a winner, but it is throwing my needs of a skokie out the door, just because it meets everything else!

I was told that the trip I had planned, that I should get a bus that is diesel, but I heard something yesterday. Diesel freezes after a 0 degrees?! My trip is going through the Canadian territories, last I checked it gets cold there.

The bus I found is a gas, which supposedly does not freeze.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. Do I get the gas for the sole reason it won't freeze? Or do I get the diesel because it works better long term?

The nicest buses in the country come from CA.

[ermracing]

In the colder climate and during the winter the diesel fuel you buy is typically switched to a winter blend that contains some of the anti-gelling agents. Unless you get into some really frigid temps using local fuel should be fine.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by ermracing

In the colder climate and during the winter the diesel fuel you buy is typically switched to a winter blend that contains some of the anti-gelling agents. Unless you get into some really frigid temps using local fuel should be fine.

northern provinces, the territories, and Alaska, when it gets COLD!, it's common to see unsheltered diesels left running 24/7 - it's common to see every vehicle in the safeway parking lot that's been left running while mom does her shopping - oil changes on stationary diesels are done with the motor left running - I watched what a logging truck owner had to go through in Ft Nelson one year when he left the truck sitting through a week of 40 below - they erected a tent over the truck so they could warm the differentials, transmission etc up so they could turn without breaking something - if you plan on visiting there during the coldest part of the winter while driving a diesel, I'd suggest contacting a heavy equipment repair facility in the area you plan go to for tips of how to survive with a diesel in the kind of weather they see there