Waste vegetable oil MUST BE FILTERED - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

whunter · #1 06-12-2007, 01:38 PM

Please, this is a fact that can not be avoided.

No exceptions.

No way around physical laws.

If the WVO is not filtered before entering your fuel system, the sediment/glop will cause trouble.

Plugged filters and other possible issues.

Have a great day.

probear · #2 06-12-2007, 01:49 PM

I fully agree, but in your opinion, how small should the WVO be filtered?

Just for clarification, let's assume that it's going into a 80s model Benz.
(I'm sure that it might vary with later model vehicles such as PowerStrokes, Cummins, or even later model Benzs.

dwoloz · #3 06-12-2007, 01:55 PM

Not only filtered but DEWATERED as well

I am in the process of building my prefiltering setup in my garage and I will have two 55 gallon drums. The oil I get first settles at the dumpsters I get it from. The oil is then run through 15 micron socks filters and into the first 55 gallon drum. This drum is wrapped in de-icing cable so as to heat the oil. The oil gets heated to around 100F to further the settling process and also to dewater. The good VO is then skimmed off the top and pumped (while still warm) through first a 10 micron cartridge filter and then a 2 micron cartridge filter that also supposedly separates out water (made by Perma-Cool). From there it heads to a storage barrel for later use

NC Benz · #4 06-12-2007, 02:13 PM

Pictures pleeeeeeeease!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwoloz

Not only filtered but DEWATERED as well

I am in the process of building my prefiltering setup in my garage and I will have two 55 gallon drums. The oil I get first settles at the dumpsters I get it from. The oil is then run through 15 micron socks filters and into the first 55 gallon drum. This drum is wrapped in de-icing cable so as to heat the oil. The oil gets heated to around 100F to further the settling process and also to dewater. The good VO is then skimmed off the top and pumped (while still warm) through first a 10 micron cartridge filter and then a 2 micron cartridge filter that also supposedly separates out water (made by Perma-Cool). From there it heads to a storage barrel for later use

TX76513 · #5 06-12-2007, 02:23 PM

Jeeze - you guys trying to put Bosch out of business?

spark3542 · #6 06-12-2007, 02:24 PM

5 micron is the largest mesh allowable.

I was plugging vehicle filters when I tried anything bigger.

BlackSheep5 · #7 06-12-2007, 03:54 PM

here are some pictures from my set up, i filter down to 1 micron ( nominal ) just to be safe

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2092843616

TMAllison · #8 06-12-2007, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

Jeeze - you guys trying to put Bosch out of business?

I think they're trying to keep the bosch service centers IN business rebuilding pumps and injectors.

Shorebilly · #9 06-12-2007, 04:20 PM

Folks,
I am pleased to see that at least some of y'all are concerned about the fuel system of your vehicles. Personally, I use Bio-Diesel and not WVO or SVO, and at the present time I am purchasing mine from a retail pump (so it's also taxed) and it is as clean as Dino-Diesel.

When burning Residual Fuels aboard ship, we used centrifuges to de-water and remove particulate matter.

The De-Watering is way more important than the removal of the particulate matter!! Particulate matter will only plug up your fuel filters, however Water will pass thru the stock MB filters and will ruin your injection pump. Water has no inherent lubricity, and will cause micro seizures on the internal surfaces of the plunger / barrel assembly. This will eventually cause a pump plunger to seize up and cease to function.....and these parts must be renewed, plungers and barrels on units this small cannot be repaired economically. It also can/will cause the needle and guide, located within the injector to seize similarly to the plungers in the Injection Pump. Water is a Fuel Injection KILLER!!!

A good idea is to install a "Racor" type of fuel filter if you have any suspicion that you will be burning ANY fuel that has water contamination. A good competitively priced source of water separating fuel filters is at a Marine Supply house such as Boat US or West Marine.....a commercial fishing supply house may be a bit cheaper.....

Have fun, I hope to be brewing/refining my own Bio-Diesel within the year, and then I will have a bit more concern about filtering my fuel supply.

SB

RNCarl · #10 06-12-2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorebilly

Folks,
I am pleased to see that at least some of y'all are concerned about the fuel system of your vehicles. Personally, I use Bio-Diesel and not WVO or SVO, and at the present time I am purchasing mine from a retail pump (so it's also taxed) and it is as clean as Dino-Diesel.

When burning Residual Fuels aboard ship, we used centrifuges to de-water and remove particulate matter.

The De-Watering is way more important than the removal of the particulate matter!! Particulate matter will only plug up your fuel filters, however Water will pass thru the stock MB filters and will ruin your injection pump. Water has no inherent lubricity, and will cause micro seizures on the internal surfaces of the plunger / barrel assembly. This will eventually cause a pump plunger to seize up and cease to function.....and these parts must be renewed, plungers and barrels on units this small cannot be repaired economically. It also can/will cause the needle and guide, located within the injector to seize similarly to the plungers in the Injection Pump. Water is a Fuel Injection KILLER!!!

A good idea is to install a "Racor" type of fuel filter if you have any suspicion that you will be burning ANY fuel that has water contamination. A good competitively priced source of water separating fuel filters is at a Marine Supply house such as Boat US or West Marine.....a commercial fishing supply house may be a bit cheaper.....

Have fun, I hope to be brewing/refining my own Bio-Diesel within the year, and then I will have a bit more concern about filtering my fuel supply.

SB

Well said!

I had the jeans filter/settling drum to polishing filter... Now I am considering building this --> http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/159605551/m/2001011761

My goal is to perfect the system to run wvo in the Jeep CRD. Yes, I am using the Benz as a Guinea pig. - The wife says if I kill the IP on the Jeep she gets to buy a Corvette!! Dang that's going to be an expensive IP.

C.

BioPOWER · #11 06-12-2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNCarl

My goal is to perfect the system to run wvo in the Jeep CRD. Yes, I am using the Benz as a Guinea pig. - The wife says if I kill the IP on the Jeep she gets to buy a Corvette!! Dang that's going to be an expensive IP.

FWIW, the injection system in the CRD has no "injection pump" like our IDI diesels do, the CRD is basically the same system as the Mercedes CDI. Fuel is pressurized to 23,000 psi or so in the "common rail" and delivered to injectors at that pressure. Whereas our injectors open when a certain "pop pressure" threshold is reached, CRD/CDI injectors are electronically actuated. Using WVO or poor-quality biodiesel will ruin those injectors!

While I do not believe in running WVO/SVO, I understand that some successfully use it in their older Mercedes diesels. However, it SHOULD NOT be run in a common rail system. The CRD/CDI systems are extremely low tolerance, e.g., three or five injections per power stroke, piezo-crystal injectors, etc, and will be damaged by any fuel other than diesel.

There is enough of a concern with biodiesel forming "coagulations" at the 23,000 psi reached within the common rail system, that WVO/SVO should be avoided in a common rail system. In a similar manner, WVO/SVO is unacceptable for use in Pumpe-Deuse TDI motors (electronic injectors) while it works fine in older TDI's with distribution injection pumps.

Knock yourself out running WVO/SVO in your Mercedes, but avoid it at all costs in a diesel with electronic injectors.

#12 06-13-2007, 02:23 AM

Radical idea- How about using the fuel the engine was designed by MB to burn?

Tirebiter · #13 06-13-2007, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMAllison

I think they're trying to keep the bosch service centers IN business rebuilding pumps and injectors.

Do you have any experience or first hand information about properly dewatered and filtered WVO "ruining" anything???

I am of the opinion that "loose talk" such as yours helps drive people to Lovecrap for a good hosing.

The shop where I work in SoCal has eleven cars running on it without any problems for years now. No "conversion" or dual tank set ups either. We live in nice warm weather most of the year and when it gets down to 40*F in the winter we just fire up the block heater for an hour before we drive them but it really isn't a must, just easier for an instant start up. Less wear on a nice warm engine at start up too.

I keep a 1984 300D in SoCal.
I keep a 1980 300SD in Lahaina with no block heater. It gets all the way down to 60*F in the winter on Maui.

I keep a 1985 300CD in Park City Utah and in the winter it gets to 5*F and the block heater is a must so it stays plugged in 24/7 from October through April.

I pull the injectors when I check valve lash every 20,000 miles. It's easy to check the spray pattern and pop off values at that time too. The coking is not abnormal and is removed with a bit of solvent on a shop towel.

Anyone have any any "real" proof of damage?

toomany MBZ · #14 06-13-2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Radical idea- How about using the fuel the engine was designed by MB to burn?

, haven't stopped yet! Ok, ok, to each they're own. Using a waste product is a good idea, for sure. I will not, don't have time to deal with it. More power to those that do!

Shorebilly · #15 06-13-2007, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNCarl

Well said!

I had the jeans filter/settling drum to polishing filter... Now I am considering building this --> http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/159605551/m/2001011761

My goal is to perfect the system to run wvo in the Jeep CRD. Yes, I am using the Benz as a Guinea pig. - The wife says if I kill the IP on the Jeep she gets to buy a Corvette!! Dang that's going to be an expensive IP.

C.

I like that filtering rig.....especially the use of an old power steering pump, great idea!!! Also the fact that it is mostly solar and wind powered.....if you're gonna do this, might as well do it as renewable as possible.....

SB