GreaseDrive

I am now safely residing in a very sweet town in upstate New York.   Unfortunately I had to leave my 300D Behind in favor of driving my Ram 3500 Cummins Diesel truck to haul most of my belongings.  This truck is not yet converted to WVO.  But it needs to be…  It cost me roughly $250 to make the 650 mile trip…  $5.25 for pump diesel is insane when you get 14MPG.  Though 14mpg is fantastic for a 1 ton dually truck hauling a 16′ trailer with 6,000lbs on it.    Gotta love those cummins engines.  I hear its easy to convert but I have not really mapped out the process for this specific truck.

I do know that I need a robust cold-weather system with a extremely large WVO tank.  I am hoping at least 40-50gallons.  This could make hauling/snow plowing etc.  Much easier in the winter time.

I have a great deal of pictures to share I hope to upload them in the next few days since I am trying to slow my life down and smell the flowers.   My trip is now over,  New Jersey to the west coast and back to upstate New York,   and almost everwhere in between.  Over 8,000 miles on the open road almost entirely on dumpster-fill WVO.

Its been a long week. But many projects have been completed. Most importantly a couple days ago we finished converting my uncles 240D 4Spd. It now has a two tank system using his stock tank as the grease tank with a 6 gallon fuel cell in the trunk for diesel. The system cost was fairly low considering time forced us to buy quite a few expensive fittings that we could have found much cheaper if we had the time. Here is brief system overview:

Here is inside the engine bay. You can see the Vormax (heated filter housing) the Pollak switching valve, part of the looped return and Vegtherm 12V inline heater. We choose to keep the sacrificial filter inline because I don’t think you can ever have enough filtration and have caught some gunk with mine. We found a source of harder/thicker walled filters that seem to handle the heat much better. they are also completely transparent.

Here is a brass manifold that we use to send heat to the Vormax (filter housing) and a coolant line that we send to the trunk of the car that serves to pre-heat the incoming oil in a hose-on-hose insulated line.

Here is the insulated coolant out and veggie in lines wrapped in insulation and heat tape, with the coolant return and veggie return ran next to it.   Ideally these lines would be less exposed but this car will never go off-road and there is few animals to hit here in the high-desert.  It is also very hard on these cars to find a better place then this (though they do exist) so we took the easy way out and ran them here.

Keep in mind this car is going to be driven near Las Vegas.  Winters here are fairly mild.  I believe Hose IN Hose is a superior way to do run lines.  But it is more expensive, harder to install and requires some fairly special/custom fittings to make it work properly.   If this car was going to be driven in a place that actually gets below freezing with some kind of regularity I would have done it.  But here I believe this will be good enough 98% of the time.

This is the brass manifold that we use to put the coolant back into the system.  You can see part of the ball valve behind the fittings.  That valve constricts the flow of coolant to the heater core.  When you restrict the coolant flow from the heater core it forces it to go through the lines for the WVO system.  It works extremely well.  The brass fittings on both sides of this system cost I believe $75 total.  If we had access to better hardware stores that sold the correct types of plastic fittings we could have built both brass systems for maybe $20.  Don’t get me wrong I like the brass but it isn’t required.

Here is the 6 gallon marine fuel cell we are using as our start/stop diesel tank.  And we bent some aluminum hose around the stock tank to add a small amount of heat to the veggie oil.  It isn’t much but we had the stuff so why not?  Considering this is not a cold climate I believe this is more than enough to keep the oil hot enough to flow after the car is properly warmed up.  Many people in these areas run single tank kits.

And that is it,  the control panel is in the console and I don’t have a picture of it yet!  I will discuss this car more along with posting more pictures soon.   We have a in-line temp sensor just before the Injection pump the WVO gets up to 170F very quickly,  Just a couple minutes after the system is turned on and stays even at 65mph with very little line insulation.   Later on a better fuel tank(s) scheme may be put into action along with more modifications.  This system was intended to work better thank a single tank for little additional cost.  The diesel fuel cell was only $30 for example.

So far it seems to be a very simple and robust system that is easy to understand and follow.  I am very happy with the results!

I am currently in the process of selling on ebay a 240D 4spd that I cannot afford to convert nor have time.   I am at my uncles house near Jean Nevada and we are both absolute Mercedes Diesel nut-cases (as you can tell)  I will be converting his 240D in the next few days.  I plan on documenting the process thoroughly and posting it here.

After having spent a fair amount of time with 300D’s and 240D’s I have some opinions to share.  I feel the 240D is superior in most respects for the reasons why I will go into later.   As you know I am currently driving a 1984 300D.  I have driven around 30k now almost entirely on WVO I know this car very well.  I love my car but I am always on the look out for the next-best thing.

My uncle purchased a 240D a few months ago and has been waiting for me to help him convert it.   They are two VERY different beasts.  Here is a basic run-down comparing both cars.  Assuming we are talking the W123 Chassis Model years.

300D:

-Much more common, Mercedes sold many more 300’s than the other models of the W123 Chassis
-5cyl Turbo charged engine.  124HP roughly stock.
-Power everything (mostly vacuum system).
-99% or more are Automatic Transmission only.
-I personally avg 23-28MPG depending on conditions.
-Heavier by my estimate by 300-500lbs.
-Much more luxurious options packages are common.
-Tight engine bay

240D
-VERY RARE, I generally see 1 240 for sale for every 10 300’s
-4cyl naturally aspirated engine,  77HP?  (can someone verify?)
-Power nothing,  Very simple vacuum system.  manual windows/locks though sunroof is motorized
-Manual transmissions can be found but are even more rare.
-Consider its a lighter car, coupled with a Manual Transmission I frequently hear reports of mid-30’s MPG
-Lighter and all around much simpler car.
-Much more room in engine bay.

Besides these major differences the cars are almost identical.  You can not tell which is which unless you hear them run or see the badges from the outside.  Almost all chassis and body components are the same.  The 240’s are much, MUCH more basic.  Think of it as a base model Honda civic vs the high end model civic.  The 240’s were Mercedes answer to cheaper more economy cars.  As result they are dramatically more simple mechanically speaking.

Being that my primary needs are reliable,affordable transportation.  With ease of repair also topping my list.  I personally feel the 240 has the 300 beat in almost every category.  Granted the 300 is a higher more luxurious class of car and it shows.  But when it comes do it a 240 is the same car with a simpler, more economical engine and much fewer bells and whistles.  They are easier to work on, cheaper to work on and maintain. etc etc.   Just saving me from having to carry 20 gallons of oil on a long trip would be reason enough for me to give up my power windows/locks.

I would like to discuss more differences but I am out of time,  look forward to my futures posts about my uncles 240 conversion and even more thoughts on these cars.

I had to get towed near BakersField CA earlier today.  My veggie filters clogged up pretty bad in a hurry so I was forced to change them at a gas station.   Warning to all,  cheap Supertech ST8A (fram PH8A) filters apparently have a by-pass.   So instead of clogging up tight after they get completely full they start to let particles past.  This is really bad!    Shortly after getting towed off  the high-way I was able to get the car running again after getting a quick jump.   I had worn the battery down a bit trying to start it on the side of the high-way.

I made it to vegas safe and sound.   Vegas is symbolic for me as it is the location my WVO dreams came true and where I bought my beloved 300D.   I am here staying with my uncle in which I am going to do some work on his 240D and do some other work around his place.    I will post more soon!

After leaving my friends in Bend OR,  I drove for 9 hours to Humboldt county California.   What I hear is the countries leading Hive of greaser’s and Bio-diesel burners.   I have heard that this county actually has higher demand for WVO than it actually produces.  A true first for the nation if this is the case.   And its further proof that WVO is not the solution for everyone by any means.

I intend on spending a couple days taking pictures and hugging the Giant redwoods and sequoias.  I just posted a craigslist ad to try to find some WVO.  We will see if it gives me any results.  The car made the trip just fine,  not a single issues even after the small disaster with the air bubbles while I was in bend.

It was hard to leave my friends,  I had stayed for two weeks and felt like I belonged.  A feeling I have not had in a while.   Hopefully it is good for me.

2 days of fairly dedicated trouble shooting have uncovered many things.

First,  My air leak was caused by several small holes cut into my small vacuum line that runs to my in-car gauge.   Some of the hoses slack must have gotten caught up near/in the hood hinge and it pinched it so much it cut up a large section of the hose badly.  I have spliced in a new section of hose and hope my fairly hasty fix will hold up.

Second,  Temperatures in excess of 180F warp/melt the small sacrificial filter.  You know the clear one just before the injection pump.  It usually only costs a few dollars at the auto-parts store.   Ideally in a good system this filter is almost not needed as nothing harmful should make it that far down the chain.   However I have noticed that on several occasions I have found black/slimy/flaky gunk starting to build up in the filter.   After some experimentation I discovered that this was coming from the diesel side of the system,  SCARY… the only thing I can think of is that the WVO contamination that happens over time with a 1 switch system like mine is clearing out more junk in the diesel loop?   So I have found a solution.  I found a re-usable filter housing with re-usable filters at a auto parts store here in Oregon.  It wasn’t cheap ($10.00) but I suspect it will save its cost in the next 6 months.   I boiled all the plastic components for 10 minutes in a rolling boil (212+ degrees?) and the parts did not even soften so I suspect they will hold up to my WVO temps.  I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Third,   That diesel is thick when its been contaminated to 50% or more with WVO at 40F.   After a severe hot snap of I think a almost record breaking 97F a few days ago last night it got down to 40 degrees here in downtown Bend.   I had only put 5 gallons of #2 Diesel in my tank roughly 5 weeks ago and driven 4,000+ miles.  The gauge was nearing empty but not totally.   Looking at the thickness of what I was pumping out of the diesel side I would say it was 50% or so WVO.    I am curious as to the possible harmful side effects to running so much WVO in the un-heated side of my fuel system.  When I am doing heavy town drivng I suspect half of my driving time is on Diesel not WVO.    Am I coking things up?  and if so how can I reverse the effects.

Fourth,  As soon as possible,  buy the largest bag of GOOD hose clamps I can find.  The cheap ones you get everywhere are just junk.  I have, maybe upwards of 50 of them in my system if you tighten them to much they can actually cause air leaks themselves not to mention they cut-damage the hoses.   Several different types of clamps exist.  I need to do more research.

Fifth,  It is lonely traveling,  alone.   I need some companionship in a dire way.   Having many lovers scattered about the continent is great when I can expect to see them soon,  But when I am not sure where I will be and for how long the distance starts to hurt.

After parking the car yesterday after a hour long drive in the ’searing’ 90+ heatwave that has stricken most of the west I think I have a filter clogged or some type of heat related damage. (maybe the small clear filter warped?)  Ever since looping my return I have been able to sustain final temps of 160F+ about 10 minutes after car has reached full operating temp.  This means that for at least 10 minutes I am driving on cooler WVO than I should be, but it is unclear how much/any damage could be caused by fairly short amounts of time at lower temps.

I am going to work on the car shortly and try to figure out what the issue is.  I will keep you posted.  I suspect it is just the small clear filter getting clogged,  but I did not notice a lack of vacuum or any other signs of flow-loss.   Hmmmm…

*UPDATE*

I have the battery on a charger,  After changing the little filter wich had some gunk in it but was not clogged.  (how is gunk getting that far in the system?!!)  I seemed to have pulled a air-bubble into the IP and of course its air-bomed.   I ran the battery low trying to purge the bubble, but it is barely getting any fuel and I am not sure why.   I’m going to go and give it another go shortly.   I know that my diesel tank is heavily contaminated with WVO simply because I have not added more #2 in over 5,000 miles of driving and the tank is low.  That maybe part of the problem also.

I drove again today,  this time 10 miles across town and after the drive before I switched to diesel my temp was only 139F,  Much too low even with my looped return and 12V heater.   I am going to have to dig into this tomorrow.  I wonder what could make a good insulator for all the hoses.  Normal pipe wrap is much to thick.   Any ideas?

Here is a basic layout of my current WVO system designed for Dumpster Fill. Meaning I needed a system robust enough to handle unprocessed/unfiltered/untreated or un-settled WVO. Literally pump/scoop or pour raw WVO into my grease tank and drive.

The Car: 1984 Mercedes Benz 300DT Turbo Diesel @ 103k miles.

The system is a mix between GoGreenEarly.com and PlantDrive.com components with a few custom twists.

Important System Components:
a) Custom ‘20mm Ammo Can’ 8.5 Gallon Grease Tank of GoGreenEarly design (entire top can be taken off)
b) Hose-In-Hose grease input line
c) GoGreenEarly Heated Dual-Filter Housing
d) Off the shelf ford dual-tank switching valve
e) PlantDrive 3-way Valve for Looped-Return
f) PlantDrive VegTherm 12V 3/8″ hose in-line heater

Numerous other small tweaks and modifications.   The whole point is to get the grease in the tank as hot as possible as soon as possible and keep it hot until it gets into the injection pump just like with most WVO systems.   A in-tank large particle filter catches heavy items such as fries and chunks of food.  The dual filters on the heated housing catch everything else.   Using a Hose-in-Hose fuel line allows you to prevent gelling in the fuel lines under the car.  Effectively allowing me to burn even hydrogenated oil in the dead of winter.

Many concerns exist about dumpster-fill.  Such as suspended water, fats, tannins and possible contamination.  A growing number of people issue concern over something called ‘Cativation’.  In short it is the process of tiny droplets of water suspended in the oil boiling explosively in the chaotic zones of positive and negative pressure inside the Injection Pump.  These micro-explosions may have enough power to pit and scar the metal surfaces inside the IP.  Causing wear that will act like Erosion.   A very large number of people still doubt its over-all risk in WVO systems it is something I am keeping a close eye on.

Considering that when I dumpster-fill I am not doing any pre-tank filtering at all.  I do NOT advocate dumpster-fill as the safest way to protect your engine while running WVO.   Infact I feel is much more risky and should only be done when you accept the risks.   I do believe however that the system I am running will allow me to reduce some of the risks.  The heated tank gets up to 160F causing water to evaporate and steam off or sink to the bottom of the tank to be cleaned out later.

So far this system has proven to be very robust,  I have logged over 20,000 miles almost exclusively on dumpster-fill.   Obviously when I am able to I heat and filter before running I will.  But it is nice to have the freedom to just drive.   It remains to be seen if in another 20k I will have to face a Injection Pump rebuild.

I will go into much more detail soon with numerous pictures of the system and how it works.  But its a beautiful day outside and I hope to go take some pictures!

I have just today completed the last major leg in my coast to coast trip entirely on Dumpster-Fill WVO. I have a dozen articles I wanted to write on this blog before I even get to what is happening now. However after 3,300 miles (just highway) I am just excited to say that I made it! Only a couple veggie related issues. Specifically I switched to veg to early after sleeping at a rest stop in northern Colorado and sucked a huge air-bubble into my Injection Pump which took a while to clear. Besides that the only other trouble I experienced had nothing to do with WVO. My rear CV joints started to squeak and chatter. After closer inspection I discovered they have ripped/torn over the 24+ years of use. Most of the oil/grease has leaked out and the joints are dry!

Unable to afford the price of new Axel’s ($1000) I decided to do the worst thing and that is put a band-aid on it. I know the joints will get louder and more prominent before they break apart and shred my car. So I have filled the boots with grease as best I can and will keep a close eye (and ear) on them until I can fix the issue.

For reference I did a calculation today. Fully loaded carry over 500lbs of oil (70 gallons) going 65-70mph maximum. I averaged 26.6 MPG today. This is with a rear-mounted bike rack with bike in tow. Pretty good numbers for a 300D I am told!