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  #16  
Old 04-18-2009, 12:59 AM
Skid Row Joe's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Douge View Post
Found a decent looking 84 SD (turbo diesel)that I would probably make an offer on with the exception of the fact that is a WVO conversion. I don't know who converted it but judging by the jubilation of the board when lovecraft foundered I am thinking WVO may be more ideology than anything else.

If it turns out to be nice, can I just leave it alone and run diesel or ???
I wouldn't do it. Until it becomes readily the standard of running methanol in our vehicles, I'll stick with good old diesel fuel.

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  #17  
Old 04-18-2009, 02:12 AM
compress ignite's Avatar
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Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
You're F**KED !

IF,They're kind Enough to Admit to Totally Pre-Destroying a fine German Auto...

RUN TF AWAY at a high rate of RPMs!!!

NO WVO!
NO VO!

The chances of your running across the one person in the Northern Hemisphere
,Who processes VO or WVO properly FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S CAR ARE ZERO!!!!!

Commercially Processed Verifiable (SPELLED someone's Lawyer You Can SUE!!!)
BIODIESEL
OR
DIESEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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'84 300SD sold
124.128
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  #18  
Old 04-18-2009, 11:25 AM
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I would only be interested in it if it were cheaper than average or nicer than average for the price. Having VO system would be like having it painted purple or something for me.

My neighbor down the street has a CD that has VO slathered all over the side of it. Got to be the shiddyest looking benz I have ever seen. Me and him are definitely on different paths with our cars.
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81 300SD daily driver/project
86 420SEL (sold)
85 380SE(in the graveyard)
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  #19  
Old 04-18-2009, 04:49 PM
ForcedInduction
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 81300sd View Post
I would only be interested in it if it were cheaper than average or nicer than average for the price. Having VO system would be like having it painted purple or something for me.
Except that the paint color has no impact on how it runs.
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  #20  
Old 04-18-2009, 06:14 PM
1985 190d
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: canadian border vermont
Posts: 518
I bought my 190d for the same reason, and then decided not to run vo for two reasons:

1.) I really like how my car runs on the fuel it was designed to run on.

2.) Handling waste oil sound like a good way to get oil all over yourself, your car, and all the racoons in the neighborhood.

IT seems like those anal enough to do things perfectly have a good experience, and those who dont want to follow the rules have a lot of bad experiences-- theres a lot of posts here relating to fuel problems, air problems and filter problems, and I'll bet most of the diesel fuel burners arent experiencing these kinds of problems.
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  #21  
Old 04-18-2009, 08:11 PM
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Location: Buffalo NY
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So,

If you believe greasing cannot be done properly, your mind is made up. Don't buy it.

If you believe greasing must be done correctly, you don't know if they did or not. A fair amount of research and aquaintance with the process and aquaintance with the greaser is required to make this assessment. If so, proceed.

If you believe that greasing cannot be done incorrectly, you're deluded.
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82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times
It's hard to
more likely to
concentrate on
have an accident
two things
when you're on
at the same time.
a cell phone.


www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?
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  #22  
Old 04-18-2009, 10:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction View Post
Except that the paint color has no impact on how it runs.

You may have missed the point.

For me it would make the car not worth as much. Just the same as a car with hideous paint. A cars value is not only how it runs.

I also bought my SD with the intent of running Veg, but I will not and have not. I collect veg oil and someday will get around to finishing my Bio processor, but I probably won't run it in the SD. It will go in my beater Ford.
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81 300SD daily driver/project
86 420SEL (sold)
85 380SE(in the graveyard)
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  #23  
Old 04-19-2009, 12:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 81300sd View Post
For me it would make the car not worth as much...

I also bought my SD with the intent of running Veg, but I will not and have not.
Same here. I was all gung ho to try it until I began reading about shortened engine life and other maintenance issues. I have a perfectly running 145k example of a 1979 240d, and I don't want to cause harm, or reduce the future value of the car. I do run a mix of Biodiesel though, up to and including B100.
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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!
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  #24  
Old 04-19-2009, 09:21 AM
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Location: NY
Posts: 710
If done right, running WVO will prolong the life of the engine. If done wrong, it will reduce the life of the engine, sometimes drastically. In my experience most of the time either the oil is not properly de-watered and filtered or the conversion is bad or both. Most of the time, buying a WVO vehicle is a bad risk but there are a few exception.
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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY
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  #25  
Old 04-19-2009, 11:32 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Buffalo NY
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Car I didn't need to buy:
83 240D euro needed new clutch, shadetree 2 tank adaptation, Hose in Hose deadheaded loop. Never really clear how long it had been used w/ VO
  • When asked PO vaguely admitted it used "the usual" amount of oil. red flag.
  • Mechanic told her 'OK to start & shutdown on VO above 65F Ambient' RUN AWAY.
  • Mechanic which added conversion talked to me once or twice, said "thats a strong engine", and, ominously, "whatever you do, don't run it low on oil". Dodged all other calls after sale. red flag, oops.
  • Current engine has blowby of about 1 qt /100 miles. Oops.
  • Good compression (360-380 psi), mad oil use, no leaks. Confusing.
  • Intake manifold coated w/ tar inside. Not so confusing.
Car I wouldn't have done badly by, test drove 1 + years later:
Red 82 300D 2 tank tank, hose over hose to a vegtherm pre IP.
  • 5 years on VO. No infant mortality on this one.
  • Asked 5 different ways, no one would say it used much oil.
  • Talked to to current mechanic, converting mechanic & VO supplier, happy w/ methods & maintenance.
  • Owner admitted some starting difficulty in cold. Her climate about 10F colder than mine, NBD.
  • Good start, power & boost, slight flare on shift to third, a pretty common, not big issue.
  • Working power sunroof, farmered klima # mirror, balky windows. Common ailments.
  • All seats shredded. Spares in parts car.
  • Could've had it for $750, wife not down w/ another project. Looking back, could just dropped the 240. Attachment is what it is eh?
Prospective replacement engine for 240D, from 84 euro 5spd 240D. Why have a ring job turn into more?:
  • No flywheel. Checked w/ machinist, mechanic- flywheel seemed neutral, was rebalanced prior to use w/ 300D. Will check crankshaft for alignment mark prior to purchase.
  • Talked w/ guy the owner bought it from, verified treatment, mileage, oil use (no). Got a call back, he wanted to be sure I was getting a good price on the engine.
  • Price includes rear clip & quarter panel.
These aren't too hard to find if you look for a while. If I didn't already have car 1, car 2 would've been an easy buy. Use Crazedlist.org, be prepared to travel. Often said put your money up front on a car in good shape than throw money at a 'cheap' benz that the owner can't afford to keep.
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All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times
It's hard to
more likely to
concentrate on
have an accident
two things
when you're on
at the same time.
a cell phone.


www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?
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  #26  
Old 04-20-2009, 03:06 PM
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Posts: 95
Most important question...

How much will you be offering?

I purchased a 240D with the SOLE purpose of converting it to WVO.

I've made some mistakes (not pre-heating the oil when I first started using it) and I've gone through about 20 pre-filters getting the bugs worked out, but my homeade two tank system works WONDERFULLY now!

I let my oil sit about a month, heat it to 350 degrees for about an hour and a half, filter it through a 10 micron bag, then run it through an old cream separator to be sure everything is out of the oil (not sure the last step is needed though, as I ran it for months without this step).

Last summer and early winter I was EASILY saving $50 a week on fuel by using WVO.

I get REALLY good oil from Hooters...

If you can get the car for a good price, why not experiment with it? Especially if it's already been converted.

My conversion is very clean looking. Other than an extra screen/water separator under the hood everything else looks stock.
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  #27  
Old 04-20-2009, 03:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holtonmusicman View Post
Last summer and early winter I was EASILY saving $50 a week on fuel by using WVO.
How many miles per week do you drive?
How much diesel do you still burn during warm-up or when you are out of WVO?
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Last edited by JonL; 04-20-2009 at 03:35 PM. Reason: Added another question.
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  #28  
Old 04-20-2009, 04:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holtonmusicman View Post
1
I let my oil sit about a month, heat it to 350 degrees for about an hour and a half, filter it through a 10 micron bag, then run it through an old cream separator to be sure everything is out of the oil (not sure the last step is needed though, as I ran it for months without this step).
Try the hot pan test your cream separator may or may not extract the water in your oil. The scintillation or hot pan test is a broadly excepted way of testing for water content in oils.
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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times
It's hard to
more likely to
concentrate on
have an accident
two things
when you're on
at the same time.
a cell phone.


www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?
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  #29  
Old 04-20-2009, 05:09 PM
moon161's Avatar
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Buffalo NY
Posts: 2,057
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonL View Post
How many miles per week do you drive?
How much diesel do you still burn during warm-up or when you are out of WVO?
Warm up is typically accomplished in 3-5 miles of travel, you could use a lower hose heater, or a zerostart to reduces this. I used about 1/2-1/4 of the diesel I would normally use on a 15 mile trip to daycare, then to work. A trip from buffalo to philly on the other hand is practically all grease.

For short commutes especially, you're better off spending another $1500-2500 and get a 190D instead of a 240D or 300D. Double your mileage almost, faster, younger car, with no grease headaches, SRS and ABS are included as well. You'll be riding Daphne instead of Velma, depends on what kind of guy you are. Less capacity for junk in the trunk, but no 2nd tank either. Jinkies!

When you are out depends on availability, travel duration and tank size. 15-20 gal is pretty typical for 2 tank installs.
__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times
It's hard to
more likely to
concentrate on
have an accident
two things
when you're on
at the same time.
a cell phone.


www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?
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  #30  
Old 04-20-2009, 08:48 PM
a2t a2t is offline
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I wouldnt necessarily run away but I would check it thoroughly. Theres alot to installing a good 2 tank WVO kit, so you will need to look it over very well.

Im a WVO nut and would probably not buy a previously converted car for 2 reasons :

1. I have no idea what sort of wvo was run in the car, even the best 2 tank kit will kill an engine if the wvo was poor quality (ie, lots of water in it).

2. It will be too hard to fully understand the installation, so any problems will be an aggrevating ordeal to troubleshoot, not having the background on what all is in there and how it was installed.

I would have to know the guy and kit that was installed very well before I proceeded, thats just me though. Running WVO surely isnt turn key, its a liability that you must be prepared to take on.

IF you arent interested in the hobby, find an non-modified car, theres plenty to choose from.

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