WVO kit...buy or diy? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Nerd of nerds · #1 11-10-2006, 07:43 PM

Yo!

At some point around springtime I'd like to get my car running on waste vegetable oil using a 2 tank system like the greasecar.com kit.

Should I just buy their kit since its tried and true or should I wing it and do a custom build?

My uncle works for a metalworking company and could probably have the tank made for me at a decent price. If I were to diy the kit would I end up just spending more than the greasecar.com package? What else will i need to do a 2 tank system myself?

jshadows · #2 11-10-2006, 08:10 PM

Depends on how much your time is worth. If not much you can easily duplicate the GreaseCar design and get the electrical components from them or another supplier.

The problem will be that they do this every day and you might have to go through a bit of trial and error to get the right one.

I personally don't think the parts added up equal the $850 cost of the system, so it can be done for less. Question is, do you want the hassle.

Addicted · #3 11-10-2006, 09:54 PM

Do it yourself. You can get a good quality system put together for 200 bucks + a tank. You can do it exactly like you want and you save a budle of money and it will work just as well.

Half the fun is creating something yourself. I've done a kit and I'm just starting on doing my own. Having way more fun doing it myself and saving about....hmmmmm 1500 dollars.

bobtasco · #4 11-10-2006, 10:17 PM

I think time is really important for me too. If greasecar gives you ALL the hardware and in depth instructions, and all the components necessary, then I guess It isn't so bad. Has anyone bought greasecar's DIY kit?

reyndiesel · #5 11-10-2006, 11:38 PM

I just flipped the switch on my homebuilt WVO 2 tank system. I have lots of hours in it, from mounting the tank in the trunk so I could still get at the spare tire, to building brackets to mount the flat plate heat exchanger and Greasecar solenoids under the hood. I have probably 50+ hours if you count all the trips to the hardware store and stuff. It depends on how handy you are and how much time you want to spend on it. It is fun, though, building it yourself. Also, the guys on this forum are lots of help.
Good luck,
Brad

Nerd of nerds · #6 11-11-2006, 01:35 AM

I think i'm gonna go the diy route for sake of getting thise done cheaper (and probably quicker since i won't be waiting to save up the 800 bucks)

I am quite handy with a welder and can have my car junkie sister help me with this (i'll owe her some favors before this is all said and done)

What all will i need to do a high quality 2-tank wvo system? I know the coolant is rerouted to go through a coil in the veggie tank to heat it up. And I know i'll have to have something to switch the fuel lines.

How risky is this exactly too? Is my precious 300SDL gonna blow up?

networkboy · #7 11-11-2006, 01:35 AM

I have some killer ideas on a two tank system that will only need minimal purge time for changeover, and that exposes the cooling system to minimal failure points (rather than running coolant all the way back to the trunk).
I'm slowly working on a decent write-up, but I think it will be pretty good.
PM me as a reminder to share (though I'm fairly sure I'll be posting lots o notes here).
Cheers,
-nB

#8 11-11-2006, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobtasco

I think time is really important for me too. If greasecar gives you ALL the hardware and in depth instructions, and all the components necessary, then I guess It isn't so bad. Has anyone bought greasecar's DIY kit?

Thats pretty much what I thought. They also have many successful customers on the website, and it is just about the cheapest two-tank kit.
First of all, the kit is not vehicle specific. The in depth instructions consist of a schematic and few words of caution not to run hoses near hot or moving parts. There is no advice given of how to actually route any wires, or hoses under the car. They include a CD with some pictures of under the hood, however it is on a older non-turbo and the A/C hose on my car was right in the way of where they had the filter.
I did not realize there was a mount in the bottom of the spare tire well. I ordered the round tank since it was recommened but this was the wrong choice because it took 45 minutes with an angle grinder to remove the mount
(not the ideal tool but they didn't say anything other than common tools and a 1-1/4 drill bit were required), and then the ports of the tank were lower than with a rectangular tank and the hoses had to go over the axle then back down. This means lots of tight bends and stress on the hose mounts. I had to make my own mounts using spare parts I had because they provided thin pieces of plastic suitable for holding say a pair of small pliers on the wall. If this piece was used to hold the hoses over the axle disaster would be eminant. Because of the way the hoses must bend there is considerably more tension than just the weight of the hose. With a front wheel drive car they may have sufficed, but if the mount broke the hose would be very rapidly rubbed through by the axle at highway speed.
I could not get the filter/tank to heat up. Greasecar suggested my water pump might be faulty. I have no indication of that. The engine temp is fine and I had great heat with no Aux water pump functioning. I bought a electric booster pump and with this pump working it gets hot.
This is where it stands. I had hoped to be done by now but messing around changing locations of hoses, making mounts for the hoses and for the heated filter has taken more time than I have removed and installed engines and transmissions in. Customer service is freindly, and they always respond, but the answer can always be summed up as sorry you are having trouble, there are hundreds of customers out there who did not have trouble, "were rooting for you". The last time I asked to get in writing that this kit is not going to cost me another penny unless I break something. I have already spent over $100 on top of the cost of the kit to get the cooling system working.
No, DO NOT BUY the kit because all the hardware and in depth instructions are included. Buy it because of the individual parts and be prepared to do engineering as if it is your own design, and hope it works.
As far as the parts they sell there is a mark up. The led temp gauge they sell for $65 is made by cyberdyne, I have since seen them on ebay for $35.
If I could do it over again I would certainly build my own system. By the time you install a greasecar kit it becomes obvious that it wouldn't be much harder
to find/make individual components and install them.

Johnt49 · #9 11-11-2006, 11:44 AM

Put me down in the DIY column. Most of these kits are generic enough that you wind up doing a lot of your own engineering anyway. Why pay so much for so little.
Has anybody thought about or fabricated an exhaust heat exchanger to preheat WVO. The pipes are right there giving off plenty of BTUs and no risk of a leaking cooling system damaging your engine or IP.