Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion > Alternative Fuels

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-10-2012, 11:08 PM
psaboic's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,225
Fattywagons heaters

Has anyone used the fattywagons injection line heaters as seen here? Fattywagons

If so, what was the result (i.e. are they worth it)

Lastly, instead of having them wired up so they are on at all times when the car is running, has anyone tried hooking them up to a toggle switch? My idea would be to preheat the lines for a minute or two before cold starting, then once the engine reaches operating temperature, switching off the heaters.

Comments/suggestions?

__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-11-2012, 12:27 AM
scottmcphee's Avatar
1987 w124 300D
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Posts: 1,539
What you really want to do is to leave heaters on all the time and have them thermostatically controlled. On/off determined solely by the temperature reading of the lines near the injectors.
__________________
Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-11-2012, 09:20 AM
psaboic's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,225
Good idea! But I think the trick would be getting a thermostat to work properly. How would one go about that?
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-13-2012, 03:09 PM
wilburtual's Avatar
240D + 240D = :)
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Los Angeles,CA
Posts: 192
those heaters work great. i've used them on many cars. i hook them up with a 12v relay - relay ground to chassis,relay power in direct to battery with 20A fuse,relay power out to the heaters and the relay control wire goes to the fuse box, connect to circuit #6 which is "on" when the key is at the glow light position. I then turn to the GP position with the key and let is sit to pre-heat the lines before starting, and adjust pre heat time depending on the outside temp. works great for me.
the other end of the heaters is ground, i connect it to the wing nut on top of the power steering pump.
__________________
1981 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 250k
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-13-2012, 03:11 PM
wilburtual's Avatar
240D + 240D = :)
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Los Angeles,CA
Posts: 192
oh, and about the switch, you can put a switch in the relay control circuit to have control of turning the heaters on off, although if you are running wvo, I'd keep the heaters on all the time, even when the engine is up to temp,unless you have another way of heating the WVO (coolant heat exchange,etc) the WVO needs to be constantly thinned even when the engine is to temp. I've been running heaters on all the time on stock alternators for years and never seen an issue with the current draw.
__________________
1981 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 250k
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-18-2012, 11:25 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 53
I haven't been a huge fan of those until I put them on my 300sdl. I noticed a power increase, even when the car was up to running temp and my FPHE was working.

They may have more effect on the sdl lines as the surface area is smaller than the 617 engines.

I took temperature readings of my fuel system components before I added any extra heating components. The filter, pump and injectors/lines all heat up to the running temperature of the car.

I think the line heaters give a little boost over 180*F, thus making better spray.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-19-2012, 08:48 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Ft Lauderdale FL
Posts: 204
liner heaters

I have the line heater wrapped around the common rail on my CRD Jeep Liberty. I turn it on after the truck is started and leave it on until I flush. Even after long trips it stays right around 200F.
I had to buy extra silicon repair tape for the project. They are a relatively cheap purchase that work well.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-01-2012, 11:32 AM
oldsinner111's Avatar
lied to for years
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Elizabethton, TN
Posts: 6,246
I used a small electric thermstat found on ebay I have my set at 180 degrees
__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-01-2012, 02:02 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Yountville, CA
Posts: 1,176
Anyone have good step by step instructions for making these line heaters?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-03-2012, 06:55 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bethel VT
Posts: 119
Personally, I am not a big fan of inj line heaters or 12V heat in general, but then again I have not tried them since I two tank SVO and have not needed them. I do like the idea of using them to pre heat lines if running biod/blending/1tanking though.

The inj lines are pretty thick, I wonder how long it takes to heat soak them enough.
__________________
82 MB 300TD, 87 Audi 4000TQ, 05 Audi A4 avant 1.8T 6spd (Wifes), 63 356C, Samurai VW 1.6TD, 71 NSU 1200C, 71 Toyota Hilux, tractors and junk

Last edited by Markp; 07-03-2012 at 08:41 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-02-2012, 12:48 PM
psaboic's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,225
Hi folks,

Well, since I started this thread, my brother-in law has picked up a W123 and is currently blending WVO and RUG at a 80/20 ratio (80% WVO to 20% RUG) He is using it single tank and reports good results for the last 2500 miles.

However, he lives in Michigan and even though the 20% RUG thins the WVO out somewhat, he told me he is a little concerned about starting the car and running it with a cold fuel blend in the Michigan winter.

Now the question....He told me he wants to use electrically controlled injection line heaters (I'm guessing Fattywagon heaters) to heat the fuel lines and keep the fuel warm and thin in the cold months, but wonders if heating the injection lines to about 200-300 degrees would cause the RUG in the blend to vapor lock.

My response to him is that the ration of RUG to WVO is low so that it most likely would not be an issue, but I thought I would ask here anyway to get some opinions and discussion going. So.....what do you think??
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-02-2012, 05:18 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: MA
Posts: 543
The goal of heating WVO is to thin it to the viscosity of D2. Blending with RUG accomplishes the same task. I don't see the value in heating a WVO/RUG blend.

When I ran WVO/RUG blend in my 83, (and previously sold '97 E300D), I blended roughly 5-10% RUG in decent weather, and upped it to about 15% in single-digit-temps in winter. It blends nice, does not separate over time. I wouldn't heat it though.

Since I make BD for the 2005 and the home furnace, I don't bother with the blend for the 83 and run BD in it as well.
__________________
Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-02-2012, 06:11 PM
psaboic's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,225
That was pretty much my answer to his question in the first place. Then he told me when he blends, he lets the mixture sit overnight, and then when he filters it again and pours it in the tank, the top 2/3 of the mixture is very thin but the bottom third gets nearly as thick as the original filtered WVO he uses.

I told him I suspect for some reason his WVO is settling a bit after the RUG is added. I also told him the W123 fuel is drawn from the bottom of the tank, so now he is worried that after a couple days he is starting the car on cold thick fuel.

You may hear from him on here soon as I directed him to the forum. He calls himself Cusbear.

Glenn
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-05-2012, 08:55 PM
wilburtual's Avatar
240D + 240D = :)
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Los Angeles,CA
Posts: 192
I would think in MI winter you are going to need some fuel heating. even with a blend, i bet the engine and pump will appreciate the heat

i run 12v injector heaters, I let them heat a few minutes in the cold before starting the engine to thin out any WVO in the injection lines. When left on for a few minutes they get very hot, not sure how hot the WVO gets inside, but I've been running this way for years, no major problems, with good glow plugs the cars fire up even in the cold no problem.

I also use a 12v heater pad on the spin on filter to let that preheat as well.got it from mcmaster carr, i think its like 2"x7" pad with 2 wires coming out of it, draws 100 watts i think. it helps A LOT with fats in the WVO not clogging the filter. i used to have to change the filter more often because fats would solidify in the winter, and changing the filter would always do the trick, but with the filter heater, its not an issue anymore. I have both 12v heaters hooked up to switches on the dash so that I can control them on/off if needed. I don't run the filter heater in warmer temps in los angeles.
I also run a coolant heated FPHE so when the engine/wvo gets to temp, i switch off the filter heater, but I always leave the injection line heaters on. have been running this way for over 50k miles on straight 100% WVO.
the key i have found is to filter the WVO REALLY well, and dewater, the better the WVO, the better the car runs and probably lasts...

__________________
1981 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 265k
1977 240D ... 250k
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page