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tenknots · #1 05-02-2005, 03:08 PM

Or am I?

I'm taking the plunge to WVO but with a twist - I'm not going to use a two-tank system (at least not yet).

Much has been written about the damage that will occur if you run straight WVO through our engines. But not all is bad. Seems lots of guys in Germany do it without ill effects. And I have not seen a credible account of an engine being ruined if some precautions are taken. Guess I'll be the local guinea pig.

Here's my plan. I've found a source for oil at a yuppie grocery store. Seems like 20 gallons a week, though it's only been a week. I gave them a 55-gallon drum to dump it in and got my first score yesterday. I sucked up 15 gallons with my bucket-mounted 12v oil changer pump ( I put it in 3 5-gallon buckets thinking that it will settle and be easier to pump out than standard jerry jugs - I can't get cubies). I'm letting it settle until next weekend at which time I'll cold-filter it through 10 micron filter bags into a drum. From there, it goes through a handpump and Goldenrod filter ala Dana's plans, though not heated. (I put a through-hull fitting in the bottom of a bucket with a 9-inch piece of 3/4" clear vinyl hose that rests inside a bag filter suspended through a hole in a plastic 55-gallon drum. I intend to fill the bucket and slap a lid on it. As the oil flows from the bucket and fills up the filter bag to the bottom of the hose that is sticking in it from the bucket, it should stop draining until the oil has drained out of the bag below the hose, at which time a bubble will be allowed in the bucket via the tube, and the flow will start again. This should make for unattended 5 gallon draining and I have room for a second bucket/filter bag. It should work great. I hope.)

Initially, I will blend 20% wvo to 80% diesel. In a few weeks, I'll gradually increase to 50% (I fill up every 4-5 days, so I can monitor pretty well how certain blends perform). At that point I will install an electric heater before the fliter and use it until the car is warm, or constantly if I think the viscosity is too great. I'm hoping at the mid-summer point to try at least 80% wvo/20% diesel, if not 100% wvo. As the weather cools this fall, I'll install a coolant heat exchanger for the fuel to further warm up the stuff. As it gets cooler yet, I will try different blends to decrease viscosity including RUG (regular unleaded gas). In the winter (assuming no meltdowns have occurred as has been/may be suggested) I may have to go back to a 50/50 mix or a 50% wvo/40% diesel/ 10% RUG. Or something completely different. If I have to, I'll go back to 100 diesel (but I'll keep sneaking some wvo in as an experiment until I've been stuck on the side of a cold highway too many times) I'll also run a diesel fuel cetane booster/conditioner.

I have stocked up on fuel filters and I'm meticulous about filtering and cleanliness. I expect some junk initially from the fuel tank that is released by the wvo, but my tank was completetly cleaned out 5 years ago by the PO, so I may be lucky.

My goal is KISS. No 2nd tank, no return lines, no HOH, HIH, no fuel tank heater, no 6 way valve, no switches, nada. All the mixing and filtering will be done in the comfort of my lab (OK my shed). The only changes in the car are for heating the wvo in the engine compartment.

I recently experimented with acetone to prove or disprove the mileage increase claims (disproved it to my satisfaction) and the more I read, the more I learn that these engines are tough as nails.

With the current price of diesel, I spend $250/month ($3000 a year!) so you can see I have much to gain and not too much to loose - if I'm careful.

I'm really psyched about this. Getting the source was the hardest part for me and now that it looks like a reliable one, I can't wait to start burning veggie.

So far, my total expenditures are:

$20 for two 55 gallon drums. I was given an additional 5, but I had to buy steel for the collection site.

$25 for filters (Mcmaster-carr).

$75 for collection pump (retail is about $150, but I have a source...).

$30 for hand pump (Harbor Freight).

$35 for Goldenrod filter and spare filters (Northern Tool).

$20 for hoses, clamps and fittings.

$30 for 4 new 5 gallon jugs (nothing but clean filtered wvo goes in them).

$0 for 8 5-gallon buckets (new house going up down the street and the drywall guys are nice).

$10 plywood for barrel top (my barrel looks 1000% better than the gross stuff the recyclers use and I want to improve the image of WVOers).

$25 misc stuff I can't remember.

$270 total. The heater will be about $170 and the heat exchanger maybe $60. If I'm able to average 50% wvo, I'll save $1500 a year, not to mention 600 gallons of imported dino.

I want to find out for sure wether or not this idea works. It might save somebody some (besides me) some $$. Lots of companies sell conversion kits now and it is not in their best interest if this works. Lots of contradictory information that I hope to cut through.

I'm certainly willing to listen to more experienced wvo-ers as to the effectiveness of my plan - or anyone else who can see holes it it. If you have any comments, fire away!

V-day is 6 days and counting...