# Diesel fuel and cold weather - is gelling still a problem?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diesel-fuel-and-cold-weather-is-gelling-still-a-problem/563244>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 7, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diesel-fuel-and-cold-weather-is-gelling-still-a-problem/563244 "2010-12-07T05:55:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diesel-fuel-and-cold-weather-is-gelling-still-a-problem/563244/1 "2010-12-07T05:55:16Z")

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We are looking at buying a new car, and the VW Golf TDI (diesel) is one of the cars we are looking at. We live in a Minnesota, so the winters can get cold.

Is the gelling of diesel fuel in cold weather still a problem, or do current formulations mostly remove that problem?

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diesel-fuel-and-cold-weather-is-gelling-still-a-problem/563244/2 "2010-12-07T10:54:22Z")

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In the winter, gas stations in those areas will switch to a different blend of diesel to prevent gelling.

You are probably going to need a block heater for those really cold nights.