adding a boost pump to WVO system? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Benzbeliever · #16 11-10-2011, 09:02 AM

I would suggest adding a second tank to your single tank system if you care about your benz... Even in LA it will only last so ling starting on cold oil.

If you continue single tanking I would suggest adding a booster pump or switching to 1/2 inch fuel lines or both. Pulling thick cold oil threw the stock fuel line is asking too much from the lift pump. Any hydrogenated oil or animal fat in your fuel would stop you dead in your tracks...

Running a block heater and injector line heaters before start up will greatly help the single tank system. Getting an updated glow plug relay with after glow or removing the purple wire from your glow plug relay(making it not turn the glow plugs off when the starter is engaged) would also help.

wilburtual · #17 11-10-2011, 04:02 PM

i currently do have both a 12v fuel line heater right before the lift pump and 12v injection line heaters on all 4 lines. my startup procedure is turn the key to glow and let the heaters preheat for 1.5-2min, which gets them piping hot. then i turn off key and recycle the glow plugs one more time right before ignition. - i just put in new GP and that makes it start and idle real nice.
and based on your suggestions, im gonna try a 12v boost pump as well as adding a FPHE to get even more heat. my plan is also to run a bit of coolant hose along the fuel lines and insulate them together for a little poor man's HOH. my stock lift pump seems fine, but id love to give it a boost and keep things going, since at this time im gonna stick with a single tank system.

i was also considering adding a 12v heater to the outside of the spin on filter to be able to preheat the oil that is in there before startup to cause less strain on the system- and then put it on a switch so i can turn it off once the eng is up to temp and the FPHE is doing its thing.

i've heard a lot about "after glow' for the GP - i saw a couple kits that were like $200,,, is there a cheaper/easier way to get the GP to stay on a bit longer after startup to help things get up to temp? is it just a matter of different relay? this purple line you speak of... what does removing it actually do?

Biodiesel300TD · #18 11-10-2011, 04:16 PM

A heater band for the filter is a great idea. Greaseworks sells one, https://www.greaseworks.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_38&products_id=223 \
It's kind of spendy, but it's just and Arctic Fox pad heater wrapped inside a band clamp that fits over the filter.

I'd think about wrapping your HOH in some of that foil bubble wrap used on water heaters or else you'll loose a lot of heat in the coolant through the hoses under the car.

wilburtual · #19 11-10-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biodiesel300TD

A heater band for the filter is a great idea. Greaseworks sells one, https://www.greaseworks.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_38&products_id=223
It's kind of spendy, but it's just and Arctic Fox pad heater wrapped inside a band clamp that fits over the filter.

I'd think about wrapping your HOH in some of that foil bubble wrap used on water heaters or else you'll loose a lot of heat in the coolant through the hoses under the car.

cool, yeah was thinking i should wrap it in something.. i was gonna get a 12v heating pad from Mcmaster carr - product #7945T45 McMaster-Carr
its a 12v DC 2"x5" heat pad, draws 4.2 amps and is only $26.25, then get a band clamp at the hardware store to keep at attached.

Benzbeliever · #20 11-11-2011, 09:00 AM

Sounds like you have a pretty good startup procedure.

Running HOH back to the tank would greatly reduce the amount of restriction coming from the tank. Once you have coolant back there you could plumb it into a heated tank pickup like Arctic Foxes "hot fox". Or you could make a coil of coolant hose around the fuel pickup on the bottom of the tank for a poor mans heated pickup. Either way heating and insulating the lines is a good idea.

A heat pad on the filter is also a good idea.You could also use a resistor wire like your injector line heaters wrapped around the filter to heat it. Just make sure the filter temp doesn't go over the filters max recommended temp. A hot water heater thermostat strapped to the filter heater will maintain set temps.

The after glow relay will leave the glow plugs on after start up but based on temperature and might not after glow on a warm day in LA.

Search for the "Purple wire mod" and do a little reading.
Your glow plug relay has a wiring harness that has a small purple wire in it. That purple wire comes from the starter and tells the relay that the starter has been engaged and the glow plugs should be turned of. Some people cut the wire, I like to open the plug and remove it so you could unconvert it if you wanted. Once the relay stops getting a signal from the purple wire it will stay on for it's full time(45-60 sec). The after glow relay will leave the glow plugs on after start up but based on temperature and might not after glow on a warm day in LA.This will greatly ease the burden of cold starting on cold oil. Your glow plugs won't last as long, but your engine will last much longer. (HIGHLY SUGGESTED)

wilburtual · #21 11-11-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benzbeliever

A heat pad on the filter is also a good idea.You could also use a resistor wire like your injector line heaters wrapped around the filter to heat it. Just make sure the filter temp doesn't go over the filters max recommended temp. A hot water heater thermostat strapped to the filter heater will maintain set temps.

any idea what the temp limit should be for the filter? the resistor wires get pretty hot, but that would be easy to make a heater since i already have some wire..

wilburtual · #22 11-11-2011, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benzbeliever

Your glow plugs won't last as long, but your engine will last much longer. (HIGHLY SUGGESTED)

im gonna def read up on this, i'll gladly change $40 worth of GP every year to save the engine..!!

yankneck696 · #23 11-11-2011, 04:52 PM

You can do the hose in hose, but easier to do is run new 1/2 aluminum fuel line feed & 3/8 aluminum return. Run 1/2 copper coolant line back & forth to the tank & install the FPHE at the tank. Then, tywrap all of the lines tightly together & use pipe insulation to keep the heat in. I am pretty sure that aluminum shouldn't affect the WVO. Also, Racor filters (FRG500 & up) have a heating element option that may help. You can use that as your pre-filter & it also has an option for a water sensor alarm & a drain petcock. All of the other ideas you have are great, but I am not sure about using the resistance wire on the filter. I would rather see the heating pad & tywrap it on instead of hose clamping it on. Be sure to get quality BLACK tywraps for all of this, as the opaque nylon ones will not last long at all.

I used to just mix with RUG here in Floriduhh, as it rarely got too cold & never had a problem outside of a few minutes of warmup with the heated Racor & coolant loop to the pickup installed as above without a FPHE & an 80's Ford LP electric fuel pump (with a coil of the 1/2 copper tubing on it).

This was on a 240D engine with a Ford probe turbo in a Samurai that had the 722 trans going to the factory divorced case then to a reversed Datsun case to drive front LC40 axle & rear Toy 8" welded (selectable through 2nd case) & rear rear LC40 axle. All were geared 4.88 with Hummer beadlocks & adapters with Hu8mmer military 36" tires.IP was turned up by a Guyannan who just opened it up & knew what to do. It was my daily driver for over a year & now still resides at the salvage yard I worked at at the time.

Ed

bluebird · #24 11-11-2011, 06:01 PM

Wirburtal, have you changed out the Alternator on your 240 for a unit with more wattage. The stock Alternator is like 55 watts not very much for all the electrical items you are planning to use. Also you have hot water that gets up to 185 degrees f and that is a constant after warm up. Make a copper coil wrap for the fuel filter but make sure not to use the heater wrap if your not blending as heated straight diesel is a no no, it has no lubricity left after heating. The best thing is a 2 tank system where you start on diesel and when everything is up to temp you switch over to WVO.

wilburtual · #25 11-11-2011, 06:40 PM

i have not upgraded the alt, its still the stock 55. - my injection heaters draw 8 amp, and the fuel line heater is 8 amp. the filter pad would be 4.2 amp - i am putting the filter heater on a switch so it can be turned on to preheat and stay on til the coolant and FPHE is up to temp, then switched up once the FPHE is doing the work. - i am using the stock spin on filter, so unfortunately there isnt enough room to get a coil around it, otherwise i would prob do that. i was thinking of just wrapping a bit of coolant hose around the filter/housing assembly, to get some heat- but if i do the 12v heater pad, i'll just stick with that.

wilburtual · #26 11-11-2011, 06:43 PM

oh, and i run 100% wvo so i usually just have the 12v heaters on all the time. the few times ive had to run diesel i pull the relay to the heaters to keep them off. but thats only been a couple times, so never wired in a switch.

wilburtual · #27 11-11-2011, 06:46 PM

i have been thinking of wiring in a volt meter in the cabin to keep track of the power usage- anyone know where i wire in a volt meter? do i just take a positive lead from the battery to the meter and then meter to ground? or should it be somewhere else??

i also see this type of meter that plugs into cig lighter-

12V /24V RED DIGITAL LED CAR AUTO VOLTMETER VOLTAGE GAUGE Volt Meter | eBay
is monitoring through the cig lighter circuit accurate?

Benzbeliever · #28 11-14-2011, 07:37 AM

If you are pulling 20 amps for your veg stuff you shouldn't have any problems until you turn on your headlights and blower fan. The battery light on the dash will come on if your voltage drops low enough.

A cigerette lighter voltage gauge would be a temp/easy install and give you a good idea of the voltage +/- .2V.

yankneck696 · #29 11-14-2011, 07:57 AM

For true battery voltage readings, you should run the +&- (red & black) to the battery. Use a .5 amp fuse directly at the battery on the +(red) wire for protection. You "could" use a body or chassis ground for the -(black), but as the age/corrosion/connections on these older cars, you may get alarmed by a false low reading. I would also go over all of your main + (red) & - (black-braided) ground connections, as you are now drawing much more than normal for your car. Being myself (electrician/marine electrician), I would personally add grounding & a seperate ground terminal. Then, an additional small fuse block to connect all of your extras. This can all be done over time, but prelimiinary cleaning of all connections (and using silicone di-electric grease) will save you MUCH of the future issues that you WILL have.
PM me if you need for any clarifications & relist the details of what you have addded & what you plan to add. With proper maintenance & precautions, you can have a wonderful long lasting system.

Ed

wilburtual · #30 11-14-2011, 03:55 PM

i like the idea of adding another fuseblock, i've been adding inline fuses for each component as i go along, but on my second 240D im starting from scratch so a whole new fuse block would be real handy.

if i add direct wires to the battery for a volt meter, will the meter itself be drawing power even when the car is off? i assume a small digital or analog volt meter wouldnt pull that much power, but its gotta be something right?

i suppose i could hook it up through a relay and have it only come on when the key is engaged..?