2006 3500 2WD Duramax LBZ, 51,270 miles.

Coming back off a job, check engine light comes on and engine limited to 2000 RPM.

Took to dealer, called and said due to a fuel filter. Fuel filter was changed at last oil change, 1877 miles ago.

I asked what code, they said P0087

They changed fuel filter.

I asked for the old fuel filter back, picked up truck and wrote a $ 137 dollar check.

Got to shop and we cut open the fuel filter and it looks fine, very little grit and can see thru the membranes with no issues.

Guessing these people threw a part at it, cleared the code and sent this sucker on his way.

Been seeing this quite a bit this year. It is possible that your fuel gelled (don't know your location and temerature) and now that the filter is in a heated environment it has since thawed out and all evidence of the gelling is now gone. What I really think happened is your MAP sensor iced over and was sending a false signal and sent the truck into limp mode. I think there is a TSB or a recall, can't remember for sure about a relocation of the MAP sensor. If it happens again take the sensor out using a 10mm socket and see if it is iced up. If so, clean off with brake clean and reinstall. This should get you on your way again for free.

X 2 fuel gelled.. use conditioner..po0087 is as common as dirt these days..

Mine is in limp mode. I'm buying winterized fuel which is rated to -20 and its only 10ish. Could this still be the issue?

my truck has gelled up a couple times this year, just happend tonight, luckily i was at work where i had filters and additives, then pulled it inside and let it run for awhile in the warmth, this new fuel is really shitty, its about -15 degrees right now here in iowa, and tomarrow is supposed to be a high of -5 and tomarrow night 20-25 below, so hoping i can get to work tomarrow or th next day

Well it happened again this AM to me.... driving up Rt61, 30 miles in to my 45 mile commute.

At the dealer right now getting "fixed"

what kind of filters are you using. i found out that i used a cheep filter it did the samething to me so i went to A/C delco and no problems and im in -8*.

just put in a fuel additive. -40 here no problems . Drive 70 mph still no problem .

IL, IA getting famous for poor quality diesel. You got gelled.

Yeah i am sure I did..... I use only filters from the dealer.... I pay more but it takes out them second guessing

I get my fuel from Flying J, it is a major truck stop in my area..... I figure they go through enough of it, it should be good.

I have been releuctant to use Additives because the dealer told me not too..... as does the manual.

Well today I have turned over a new leaf, it will be additives from now on in the winter months....

I am so fed up I am ready to dump the truck and by a gasser.

There are two possibilities you have not mentioned. Both will not show when you take the filter inside warmer it up then cut it apart and inspect.

Often blamed as gelling is a situation where you have small amounts of water. The water freezes in the filter eliminate and acts like the fuel gelled. Look for moisture even a small amount in the bottom of the filter. Evan better is leave the filter outside and cut it apart there looking for ice crystals on the filter Medea.

The second is the use of bio diesel. It is well documented the problems that occur in cold weather with bio. Yes even a small percentage may cause the filter to plug in cold weather. The blending of bio diesel is often not apparent at the pump. Many states allow a small percentage to be blended with out the seller having to inform the buyer.

You really need to do a proper trouble shoot to determine what is causing the problem. Also you need to use the proper fuel treatment. There are ones specially developed for bio fuel.

my truck has gelled up a couple times this year, just happend tonight, luckily i was at work where i had filters and additives, then pulled it inside and let it run for awhile in the warmth, this new fuel is really shitty, its about -15 degrees right now here in iowa, and tomarrow is supposed to be a high of -5 and tomarrow night 20-25 below, so hoping i can get to work tomarrow or th next day

Mine finally gelled last night also. I changed the fuel filter and cleared the code. Ran fine, plugged her in then waited until morning. So I start it in the morning, starts easy, high idle switches on and it runs fine. I go inside for a few minutes... I hear a sputter, sputter then the rpm lowers so I go outside. Guess what another p0087! Great so I have it towed to a GM Hummer dealer by my work. They already have three duramaxes on the racks for the same problem. I then tow it over to my work "our shop is about 8 times the size of the dealers" Of course I pull it over there with my wifes 08 Honda Pilot. I can't tell you the crap I got for that one. We build design combines so pulling a nice new 3/4 ton chevy with a little Honda didn't look good. So now it's sitting in our shop over night waiting for me to pull the filter again fuel it 1/2 with 911 then start her up and idle it for about 30 minutes.
Wierd thing is, I never had this problem with truck since I got it but now it show's up?? Odd.

Hey 07 sporty, I'm only about 5 miles south of you. Nice to see another max man around here.

I have 3,000 miles on my filter (gets changed every 10k at least). I got the code this morning when the truck thought it as -17*F. Luckily I had my code reader with me and I cleared it because the truck seemed to be running fine otherwise. Cleared it and drove all the way to work (10 more miles) with out any codes. I had let it warm up for 30 minutes before driving it.

If it wasn't running smooth I would have assumed it gel'd but since it cleared and rev'd fine I figured it was better to keep on going than to freeze on the side of the road. Code did come up again, and if it does I think I'll try to drain the filter.

I just found out about the filter wrench for the sensor at the bottom, that wont be in for a few days. I don't have a wrench that fits it anymore, but I do have a great 'stubby' filter wrench that is perfect for taking the filter off.

UW
Mine went to Kreiger's in Dewitt.
They had 3 in front of me, but since i work up here I left it, got it back yesterday ~4.

Through half a bottle of Power Services in it and drove it home. It is still in the garage......

I dorve the 225,000 Chrysler Cirrus in this AM.

You work at JD in Mt joy?

Alberta has been bad this year with poor quality diesel, not gelliing but most likely water in the fuel. I have been through a limp mode/fuel fliter change scenairo already and now I'm adding additive.

Actually, I work for Case IH across 61 from JD. We rent space out of the out CAT plant across from the airport. Only engineering and prototype are over here. Truck runs good today, after sitting in a 70 degree shop overnight. Big puddle of salt where she sat though...gotta love Iowa. Why can't they use sand??

Since the truck drove to work fine I think I'll have someone take me to a store during lunch to get some Powerservice and pop that in before I attempt to drive one. I just don't want that code to come back or for it to really gel up or ice up in the filter.

EDIT: Maybe not .... the tank is somewhat full and its crazy cold out. (high today is 5). It probably wouldn't mix well at all.

Actually, I work for Case IH across 61 from JD. We rent space out of the out CAT plant across from the airport. Only engineering and prototype are over here. Truck runs good today, after sitting in a 70 degree shop overnight. Big puddle of salt where she sat though...gotta love Iowa. Why can't they use sand??

I left mine in the garage, calling for warmer temps tomorrow.

Do you run an additive? Which one? Where do you get it?
Where do you get your fuel?

I am real close to dumping the diesel, and going back to gas, but i love the way it pulls the toys.

They changed fuel filter.

I asked for the old fuel filter back, picked up truck and wrote a $ 137 dollar check.



Damn-137 bucks! My dealers been chargin me 175...

wow it takes less than 10 mins to change it and you take it to someone. its like an oil filter.

I was driving today and realized when I got the code I was driving up a decent grade hill. I'm happy its 20* warmer than it was last week! Good thing I got the duramax filter wrench now.

If you want to change the filter quick you need 3 or 4 tools and a step ladder.
1 - nut driver for the intake tube
2 - large filter wrench with a stubby handle
3 - wrench for sensor (search ebay for duramax wrench)
4 - nut driver of fat flat head screw driver for bleeder valve

I bought a filter once for less than $30, I was at another dealership and they charged me $50 for it - but I just said 'screw it' and bought it because of the convenience.

yeah there for awhile the ol dmax didnt like the cold temps, but i'd pulling it in at work about 70 degree shop, but my truck gelled up 3 times in a 2 day span, my truck also was at d&d hummer in the middle of that time for the good ol tranny lines, i'm a wrench at peterbilt/GMC dealership right out behind flying j so you guys in the area know that from eldridge to peterbilt that flying j is the only place to get diesel and by far the cheapest, but they really need to use some better winter blend/ more additives....but good to see some guys in the area with duramaxs need to get em together sometime and go mess with some ricers in town



Mine finally gelled last night also. I changed the fuel filter and cleared the code. Ran fine, plugged her in then waited until morning. So I start it in the morning, starts easy, high idle switches on and it runs fine. I go inside for a few minutes... I hear a sputter, sputter then the rpm lowers so I go outside. Guess what another p0087! Great so I have it towed to a GM Hummer dealer by my work. They already have three duramaxes on the racks for the same problem. I then tow it over to my work "our shop is about 8 times the size of the dealers" Of course I pull it over there with my wifes 08 Honda Pilot. I can't tell you the crap I got for that one. We build design combines so pulling a nice new 3/4 ton chevy with a little Honda didn't look good. So now it's sitting in our shop over night waiting for me to pull the filter again fuel it 1/2 with 911 then start her up and idle it for about 30 minutes.
Wierd thing is, I never had this problem with truck since I got it but now it show's up?? Odd.

Hey 07 sporty, I'm only about 5 miles south of you. Nice to see another max man around here.

I left mine in the garage, calling for warmer temps tomorrow.

Do you run an additive? Which one? Where do you get it?
Where do you get your fuel?

I am real close to dumping the diesel, and going back to gas, but i love the way it pulls the toys.

Yes I run additive, I jut didn't have enough of it. I went by the bottle recomendation but that wasn't enough. I fill at flying J religiously but I don't think there was much #1 mixed in this tank.
I love my diesel and dont ever want to get rid of it. Hell, I can pull my old steel trailer with my Buell on it and get the same mileage as my wife's Pilot.

Mark, GM approves the use of Stanadyne. I've used it all winter without a problem. We had a couple days last week to almost -20. I've never plugged the truck in either. Always fires right up.

I had this problem twice last week. First time I took into the dealer they said the fuel had gelled and it was my fault for buying it at the place I did. They told me to put an additive in and to buy fuel at a different place. I went to the Pilot truck stop and filled up and added Stanadyne. Drove the truck home 20 miles.

Next morning start it up and the same thing happens, goes into limp. Take it to the dealer I bought it from and they say they don't know how to fix it. They were not able to reproduce it. yeah, they had the truck in their shop for a few hours.

OK, maybe we are getting some crummy fuel around here then what we used to get. But all of my buddies with Dodge and Fords are not having these problems. Clearly, something is sensitive on these trucks whether they don't have proper fuel heaters, over aggressive diagnostic strategy, or the fuel filters are more susceptible.

I have lost too much sleep over this the last week.

Chris

I am in Calgary and buy from the Flying J only, I use RedLine additive and have never had the problem so far.

I park inside at night but she is outside all day at work, maybe I am lucky?

It seems to me that my truck's threshold is an overnight stay with temps below 0 F. Anything above zero and it seems OK right now.

Chris

I just had my 06 towed a week ago because it would only do two gears to 2000 rpm and 25 mph.and the result was........ Moisture in the mass airflow sensor that froze. When I parked it inside it worked fine till I got out in the minus weather again and it re-occurred. The dealer installed a new sensor and installed an "updated air filter" (uh, yea, ok?) So far so good but I have had one computer update and two problems since they did the update and I have a massive 11,980 miles on it.

Crazy isn't it?

Proven fact: Two of these in your tank, limp mode is gone for the rest of the day!
;)

Proven fact: Two of these in your tank, limp mode is gone for the rest of the day!
;)
:D:eek::D

I just had my 06 towed a week ago because it would only do two gears to 2000 rpm and 25 mph.and the result was........ Moisture in the mass airflow sensor that froze. When I parked it inside it worked fine till I got out in the minus weather again and it re-occurred. The dealer installed a new sensor and installed an "updated air filter" (uh, yea, ok?) So far so good but I have had one computer update and two problems since they did the update and I have a massive 11,980 miles on it.

Crazy isn't it?

This is the first fix (Modified Air Filter) the new fix(es) is to relocate the MAF sensor closer to the fire wall to prevent icing up or I've also heard they are covering them up.

GM had som TSBs that came out 12/11/08 and 1/13/09 regarding winter blend fuel and what they find as acceptable winter blends (API fuel rating of 35-42) and deeming the use of an anti-gel additive as long as its alcohol free (stanadyne).

Last week I had the issue 3 times and had to have the truck towed twice. Nothing covered under warranty because dealer said I did not have a winter blend fuel.

I have a feeling it is a issue due to a bad winter blend but, damn these trucks' fuel systems sure are "finicky"!

One other thing GM does not want you to use PS 911 (not alcohol free) but, I found a station that was mixing 911 with all loads that came in. Ironic.....huh!

The alcohol additives are an emulsifier that allow the water to be carried through the fuel filter and into your high pressure injector fuel system. This is bad for the injectors.

My big question is.....................Where in the heck am I supposed to get fuel that will keep the truck running in temps at or below 0!

Customer service is a joke! Lady had never heard of a diesel pickup and couldn't understand why I would be putting diesel in the tank!:eek:

Make your own fuel to get past the extreme cold.

Fill your 34 gallon tank with 20 gallons of Diesel (#2 fuel) and then add 14 gallons of kerosene (#1 fuel) (GM approved) and then add some Stanadyne fuel conditioner (GM approved) for extra measure.

Maybe your stations just aren't adding the kerosene or treating the fuel enough for the extreme cold your having, I live in a relatively warmer climate than you guy's and I treat the fuel all winter long no matter what BS the Fuel stations try to preach.

I think the filters are filtering to such a small micron that as soon as the paraffin in the fuel starts to wax up the filter plugs right up, but you need good filtration to keep the pump and injectors alive. The old days of 3,000-4,000 psi fuel systems are gone and the higher 25,000 psi common rail needs an extremely fine fuel filter to survive.

DD

.

I have had alot less problems so far this year with my fuel gelling up. Last year when everyone was switched to ULSD it was pretty bad; and it would gel up alo more. So far this year, only once. But maybe I'm just getting lucky!

This is the first fix (Modified Air Filter) the new fix(es) is to relocate the MAF sensor closer to the fire wall to prevent icing up or I've also heard they are covering them up.

GM had som TSBs that came out 12/11/08 and 1/13/09 regarding winter blend fuel and what they find as acceptable winter blends (API fuel rating of 35-42) and deeming the use of an anti-gel additive as long as its alcohol free (stanadyne).

Last week I had the issue 3 times and had to have the truck towed twice. Nothing covered under warranty because dealer said I did not have a winter blend fuel.

I have a feeling it is a issue due to a bad winter blend but, damn these trucks' fuel systems sure are "finicky"!

One other thing GM does not want you to use PS 911 (not alcohol free) but, I found a station that was mixing 911 with all loads that came in. Ironic.....huh!

The alcohol additives are an emulsifier that allow the water to be carried through the fuel filter and into your high pressure injector fuel system. This is bad for the injectors.

My big question is.....................Where in the heck am I supposed to get fuel that will keep the truck running in temps at or below 0!

Customer service is a joke! Lady had never heard of a diesel pickup and couldn't understand why I would be putting diesel in the tank!:eek:

...of having this same problem, a local dealer came forward with the a presumed fix (presumed if it never happens again). The map sensor was icing up and the fix called for a modification to the map sensor that involved a redisigned air box and extending some tubing further down the manifold to prevent the moisture getting in. (don't quote me on the procedure) This solution was described in a recent service bulliten. The code was P0106. My truck was out of original warranty and with my extended I was to have to pay $100 deductible for the $300 fix. I produced an invoice from the first year when I had the problem and the original dealer had the same code but no clue as to how to fix. With that invoice, the decductible was waived and covered under warranty. After numerous times of this happening (limp mode) and nobody haveing a clue, this is the first time anyone has done anything proactive, and I'm guessing (hoping) that because they were willing to cover under warranty, that this just may be the fix. Before anyone points the finger at "fuel jelling" I'd investigate the MAP sensor situation.

The relocation of the map sensor was the starting point for me. After that was done, it ran great in below zero temps then the filter iced up 2 days in a row.

Are you guys putting your grill covers on? That another thing that has always helped me in extreme cold.

hell yeah it on now anytime when temps are below 40* it should be opn plus fast heat in your truck.

a little late to the party use some #1 in your tank. havent gelled yet this year and live in central iowa use power serv or howes lube also if you dont have access to #1 or find an elevator that sells fuel near you and fill up with #1. a wix filter from napa does fine also if your trucks acting like its wanting to gell dump in a little power serv 9-1-1 and keep it going it will come out of it after a few minutes

My truck went into "reduced power mode" a week and a half ago. Took it to the dealer the next day. Just got it back yesterday due to other warranty work. They said the fuel filter vacuum was low and changed the filter for $89.95. Codes were 0106 and 0101. They said it was caused by snow getting into the airbox and up the intake tube, so they did the MAP sensor mod., which was the extension tube. They also installed a new air cleaner cover. That consists of an air cleaner cover that they drilled 5 holes in so that it could get some heat from under the hood. It seems like that might let more snow in. They are waiting for a new grill, or some sort of grill insert that goes behind the grill to keep snow out, as per a GM service bulletin. They weren't exactly sure which it is, they've never done it before. They told me I could drive the truck if I put the bra on to keep the snow out. They said that they aren't seeing too many LBZ's have this problem, but the newer trucks are having a lot of problems.

Shark

I believe the winter cover would help with 2 of the problems. One it would definetely help with is the MAF. The second fuel gelling it may help with that as well. It was said before but for sure you guys are getting hammered with that fuel in the mid-west. I wonder if they are overmixing the bio in there.

no idea if they are overmixing the bio or not. All of the Kum&Go's here in south central iowa are using 2% biodiesel and have been for over a year. The small station south of us that sells all the offroad diesel and such said they put 2% bio too. We have been having lots of trouble with our semi and skid steers when the temp gets down around 0 F or below. We dont know if it is an icing up problem or gelling or the bio.

BP fuel and BG or howes additive and I have never gelled up. My 06 LBZ has set a p0087 a few times this winter but clear it and go on and when it warms a little more I'm good.

A lot of this is fuel gelling find a diesel station that has good diesel stick with it don't change had same issues not any more. If you gel up and can find a warm garage park it will thaw out. Always keep spear filter with you not that hard to change once you have done it. And yes additive is a good idea

Damn-137 bucks! My dealers been chargin me 175...

WOW! jusy got fuel filter change for $73.00.

I went through this same drill last winter. Dealer replaced 3 filters - one after I had put a new one on 2 hours before taking it in. Turned out to be the rail pressure sensor.

I went through this same drill last winter. Dealer replaced 3 filters - one after I had put a new one on 2 hours before taking it in. Turned out to be the rail pressure sensor.

Do you know how they checked the rail pressure sensor? Dealer is telling me I had a bad blend of fuel.

my mass airflow sensor froze too, what a weird feeling that is when the truck is stuck on limp mode... 2000 rpm max. took the sensor out and clean the ice off, now runs like a charm!