Pre-heating your diesel fuel dissolves paraffin wax crystals (and ice) that form when diesel fuel is chilled.

Pre-heating your diesel fuel enables filters and water separators to work more efficiently.

Pre-heating your diesel fuel prevents fuel filters from plugging with wax and/or ice crystals.

Examples:

ATG Diesel-Therm - Fuel Preheater for Diesel Engines

Racor Diesel Fuel Heaters

Arctic Fox Hotline Electric In-Line Diesel Fuel Heater

Universal Diesel Fuel Filter Preheater - YouTube

Diesel Fuel Pre-heater

Attached Thumbnails

 

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Does anyone have dealer/retailer info for any of these?

I really like the ATG/Diesel Therm in particular.

I actually have a NOS 12v Bosch diesel preheater, thermostat controlled, packaged as a Renault part but it's a long tube and I would have to cut back part of the metal supply line to install it and that didn't sit right with me....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Thanks for pointing that out.

The newer engines = everything made after the OM617 has a small fuel pre-heater.
Please note:
The factory pre-heater is not adequate for extreme/arctic conditions.

If you live in a far northern state, Canada or Alaska, additional pre-heating may be needed.

Examples:

Bemidji, Minnesota
Stats: Average temperature during winter months are −30 °F (−34 °C) to +10F.
Cold weather testing is big business | Minnesota Public Radio News

Barrow, Alaska
Barrow, Alaska - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ATG Alternative Technology Group - Partners Europe and International

Clean Diesel Conversions
Mr. Cary Menard
P.O. Box 10024
Marina del Rey
California 90295
USA

US toll free telephone: 1-800-399-6151
US toll free telefax: 1-800-499-2416
International telephone: 1-310-993-1683
E-Mail: cary.menard@diesel-therm.com

Thanks whunter, I should have navigated the site a wee bit more before I asked.

Here is their pricelist for ordering direct from the company:
http://www.diesel-therm.com/atg-diesel-therm.pdf

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Why not just use Howe's?

Anti-Gel works excellent in the trucks, and although I had trouble starting my car unless I plugged it in while in Fargo in Jan/Feb, the problem was not with the fuel, which was religiously treated with Howe's anti-gel that I bought at the truckstops, or you can buy Diesel #1.

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1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

The wrapping of 3/8 copper tubing around the upper radiator hose done on a pipe form and slid over the hose. Was an example of pre heating the fuel on a vegatable car I changed back to diesel.

There might even be a slight milage gain by using prewarmed fuel in the winter. It was neatly done on that example. Looked like he used a whole roll of that 3/8 soft copper. Would not be hard to duplicate..

To neaten up this one might take a section of larger hose of some sort and slide it over the coil. This would also tend to trap more heat in between.

From the pics, it looks like a glow plug heater in a banjo fitting with a thermostat. I wonder what wattage is the heating element? I don't like it at all since the heat density must be very high. It'd be a lot cheaper and you'd get more gentle heating of the diesel fuel if you place a 1 foot section of 5/16 aluminum tubing along the upper radiator hose and wrap a towel around it for insulation and re-route the fuel line before the diesel fuel filter to the aluminum tubing.

Edit: It's a 200 watt heater, which is very close to what a glow plug puts out. It's $250!!!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I had a better idea........moved to Florida.

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"Frau Blue Car" 1980 240D think Frau Bluker, cue the horses, formerly known as "China" from JimmyL
"Gunther" 1982 300D.....Turbo!! A/C!! Sunroof!!
"Fraulein" 1975 240D----Donated to NPR