What method of utilizing vegetable based fuel is least liable to create any kind of a problem?

I'm assuming that biodiesel offers little risk to the injector pump,
which seems like the area most likely to result in real expensive work,
as long as an extra inline filter is monitored for what the stronger solvent dislodges.
The hose deterioration issues are mild in comparison.

They don't sell biodiesel near me though
and I'm not quite ready to mess with manufacturing the stuff.
I haven't even strained any WVO yet.
I'm emerging from the research stage, into the experimental stage.

Assuming that you have cold filtered clean WVO down to 5 microns,
what would be the best components to incorporate into a custom made vegetable powered system in your Mercedes Benz?

I know what's out there, I'd like to take it to a higher level.
Let's design a superior conversion.

Or would time and money be better invested in converting to biodiesel
and keep that glycerine out of your engine?

I'm most concerned about jeopardizing my car's performance.

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'87 300SDL

dieselbenz

Biodiesel is the best fuel. It burns cleaner and in cold engines, and has a higher cetane. Veggy oil can gum and coke from cold starts and heat soak. Rubber deterioration due to B100 use can be fixed once and for all with Viton lines.

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

I second that.....Biodiesel is my pick also.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Hmmm...
if you have a poor heating system, yes, veg oil can be quiet detrimental.
A fine system, can be virtually trouble free.
Folks like Frybrid and Neoteric take conversions to the next level.

Cost:

BD= anywhere from $3 to $3.70 a gallon by me.
Much cheaper to make yourself, if you don't mind fiddling with the methonal/lye mixture which can blind you, and is an explosion hazard. Fumes can dissolve human tissues, I am told. (storage and handling issues of methonal are not to be taken lightly). 20% petroleum derived. 80% veg oil derived. Plug and play. A lot of filter changing at first, while BD (a great solvent) cleans your tank and system for you. $30 in rubber need to get changed. Then you just add it forever and go.

Veg= almost free, usually, if you use waste oil. Filtering costs some. Messy. Stinky. Safe to humans. Almost non-flammable (no storage or handling issues). 100% plant derived. High maintenance system.

I do both. If BD was cheaper, I would quit the straight oil. Imho, BD should be manufactured in an industrial setting.

let the flame wars begin...

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

It appears that investing the funds and study time to develop a biodiesel conversion unit
would be a better long term option, than converting individual cars to tolerate straight veg?

Extracting glycerine certainly seems like a worthwhile black art to master.
Probably pretty easy, once you find a nice precise routine.

Even Microsoft started in a garage.

If you could produce it, do you think there would be a demand where you are?

__________________
'87 300SDL

dieselbenz

Still, it involves plain oil, which can mess with your IP, if the system malfunctions at all.


That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
Get to Nirvana, without risking anything crucial, with some basic precautions.


I think raw oil would be great for a generator type situation,
where you got engines out of wrecks.
If you screwed anything up, you just swap another cheap engine...
and there's also no risk of being stranded anywhere, as in a car.

__________________
'87 300SDL

dieselbenz

Ya, using biodiesel is safer for the car, in the long haul. Provided you have top quality BD; ie all glycerine removed and methanol washed out, and properly filtered. I have seen plenty shady stuf...
Manufacturing BD is just too risky for your health, imo.
I have no interest in making it. Too dangerous. But I like to buy it. It is now $1.20 more expensive per gallon than diesel where I live. That sucks.
There is big demand for it here; the backyard brewers have none to spare.
Backyard brewing is worth a conversation about quality control as well.

My veg oil conversion has little chance of leaving me stranded, however. It is a rundandant system; ie two seperate systems, if the veg oil fails I just switch to BD and keep going. Lighted toggle switches on the dash make that an easy manuever.

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)