Kurt, just so others know diesel fuels have paraffins, and at some temperature will gel just like candle wax and become difficult to impossible to pump. It is called cloud point and standardized as part of the on/off highway diesel fuel standards. Typically it is around 8 Deg F for summer fuels. It will plug filters and the engine will reduce power and stop. Some high pressure fuel systems cool with fuel and are inefficient, so return-to-tank temps are elevated and will affect the OAT offset. JP-4 JP8 and Jet A all have quite low cloud points.
So, Kurt, did you do anything special to identify cloud point for cold weather operation? How do you deal with that? Does your RV/Sportsman have a thermocouple in the tank to monitor the temps, or add some additive (like gasoline) to lower the CP?
Thanks for posting, it is good to hear from a person experienced with aero diesels. I was hesitant to mix the non-road fuels here, but the cost effectiveness is excellent at this time.
Bill, you're right about this. I live in the west where I can run diesel most of the year to save a few bucks. But in the cold, you'd have to be careful. I run Jet A mostly, just because I feel safer knowing it comes from a clean source. I would think Mogas users should have the same concern... Jet A doesn't gel until -30C or so, which is never a problem for me. IN colder temps, Prist is added to Jet A to protect it further from gelling. My tanks do have fuel temp sensors, just to make sure the fuel's not too hot or cold (it's mostly the higher temps that Cont is concerned about). The return fuel is pretty warm, but i've never even come close to the hot limits and I'm flying out of Vegas. Just remember you're running the same fuel as the jets and turboprops, and they don't have freezing problems...
I was only making the $$ savings case for non-taxed fuel to provide a valid comparison for the Mogas argument. I still think it's safer to stick with a proven fuel from a proven source.
Kurt