I hope it is O.K to post this here, but I am in panic mode. My boxer diesel has been parked up for a week in an underground car park in the French Alps, half full of French supermarket diesel. It`s a Legacy, but I am hoping that there is someone on here who has worked with oil burners and can help me. Last night, at -3 , it fired up, but felt like it was only on 3 cylinders, and revved reluctantly. I turned it off after 2 minutes. It did the same thing on the way down here after a cold overnight stop, where I left it running for 15 minutes to warm up, and it was a bit hesitant to pull for for the first few 100 meters, but then fine. I suspect that the French fuel has low levels of de-waxing additive in it, and as night time temperatures have been dropping to -8 in the garage, the fuel lines are waxed. Am I going to cause any lasting damage by letting it warm up ? On the way here I saw a few oil burners broken down, but thought nothing of it. Help! Cheers.

 

i would warm it up as you have done and get some decent fuel in the tank ASAP

 

Thanks; off to garage to buy some anti waxing agent and run it through; then fill up. -15 maximum last night, -24 minimum !! Brass monkeys

 

Good luck! On my way down to the french alps tonight in my diesel espace and was wondering about the same thing. As usual lots of conflicting info on the web - some saying the french diesel near the alps has additives in to cope with this and some saying the French stopped doing it a few years back and now rely on people sticking in anti waxing additives themselves (Anti figeant in french). Will be looking to find some of that at the first pit stop as I haven't noticed it over here.

Someone else was saying to go for the low sulphur variety of diesel as allegedly it resists waxing more than the ordinary diesel.

Who knows

 

Fatboy; it started this morning on the 2nd go, after putting the glow plugs on 3 times, and ran fine; I put in some anti waxing agent ( anti parafin in French) and got down to the local alpine garage and filled up. Went for a half hour drive up the valley, where the temp was -22, and bottled out going any higher. Should all be fine for tomorrow. Try to get tank emptyish when you arrive at first mountains, and brim up with main brand fuel. The additive that I used may not have been necessary but it was Wynns, and said add at above 5C. Try to park underground, and avoid supermarket fuel; money well spent as night time temps are lower than -25 or even -30 at only 1400m. Good luck, and hope it`s not too crowded for you.

 

What year is your vehicle mate ?? then i can narrow it down for you mate, as theres some differences with the diesel varients

 

Slightly OT, but I remember the Winters where they had footage of lorry drivers lighting fires under their fuels tanks to defrost the diesel... now that is scary!

 

Model and year as there are several variants on injection.
Diesel in the Alps region is OK as it is over most of Europe where temperatures are far lower than ours even at low altitude in Holland, Belgium, Nothern France, Rhineland and even Hungary. All well below 300m max. Fuel from around October on is Winter blend, non waxing well down below 25C.
Problem could be an accumulation of water in the system. (Forming ice) Changing the fuel filter will probably help. It could be an injector issue, hopefully not.
I am not familiar with the Subaru diesel but is it common rail electronic or mechanical pump. If electronic check the plug connections as this is a common issue on other common rail systems.

 

Boxer diesel is high pressure common rail system, Never usually an issue with connectors as it would be evident with a DTC straight away if it was. 2 varients euro 4 or euro 5 but without the op's model year I wont be able to assist with your query

 

Thanks for the info Rob.