How do the distillers/makers here dilute their home-made diesel fuel - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

strelnik · #1 02-12-2015, 09:12 AM

I have been looking at the various posts on this subject with no luck.

My goal: Use home-made diesel fuel year round.

However, sometimes the filtered oil acquired, such as hydraulic oil or other mixes, once filtered and cleaned, may require dilution.

What do you dilute with? Gas? Kerosene? Other?

What is your formula and how well does it work?

Inquiring minds need to know.

Thanks!

pimpernell · #2 02-12-2015, 10:49 AM

Hint, just learn how to do a search on google and your all set.

https://www.google.com/#q=homemade+diesel+fuel

Lucas · #3 02-12-2015, 11:07 AM

Are you talking about blending? It actually processing it into diesel?

My understanding is 20% gas. But I'm not expert.

tjts1 · #4 02-12-2015, 11:53 AM

Ehhh I wouldn't. Diesel fuel is cheap, replacing piston rings is expensive.
7,000 miles on WMO 85, engine pics 300D benz - Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com

mach4 · #5 02-12-2015, 11:58 AM

Probably get a better response in "Alternative Fuels" forum. Maybe the mods could move this thread there.

moon161 · #6 02-12-2015, 12:13 PM

I get used soy or palm oil from a local lunch counter. I filter through a 100 micron strainer, a 5 micron sock and a 4" PVC column packed w/ Coorga Quik n Dri to pull out any moisture.

QND is NLA, but I expect any biodiesel finishing resin would be of similar use.

It worked great for my 70 daily commute in my 616 w/ 2 tank system, tho I work much closer now. That's off the road for LCA probs. Summer project on my 190D will be heater core, clutch, 2 tank system, radio and probably swap the chopped springs for full length ones.

strelnik · #7 02-12-2015, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pimpernell

Hint, just learn how to do a search on google and your all set.

https://www.google.com/#q=homemade+diesel+fuel

Hint, I want to find out what some of the experienced users on this forum have done, not someone's opinion who has too much time on their hands and contributes to reviews all day.

Consider the discussion on the 240D turbo of a NA diesel. Two people here have 350K experience on non-NA 616.912 diesels. If I were turboing my 240D engine, I would want to read what they said, not what someone who has an opinion and no experience says.

So maybe the alt fuels column is a better choice, if the mods want to move it.

BTW, It's " you're all set", where "you're" is a contraction of "you "+"are." " Your" is a possessive adjective.

If you're not sure about this, google " your" vs. "you're", and you'll be all set.

vstech · #8 02-12-2015, 12:29 PM

Moved.
Yeah, I've not done any blending to speak of so I'm not much help, but kerosene seems like a better choice than gas... gas would be fine if the fuel is very thick and the concentration is kept to a minimum I'd think. Most successful oil users heat the thick oil and switch to it when it's at desired temp.

greazzer · #9 02-12-2015, 12:38 PM

It rarely gets "too" cold in sunny S.C., but I use no more than 10% RUG. On the positive note, gets rid of most of the B-B-Q odor. Not sure why.

Also, blending #2 and WVO is fine too, doesn't really matter on the %'s since it blends 100% no matter what, just like RUG.

I do not think you can mix WVO and WMO, et cet. I tried it a long time ago but the stuff would not "blend", but then again I do not try to burn WMO as it's too difficult to clean IMO. For example, I know some folks who burn it all the time and they are pro's in cleaning it, yet I find a super fine metal like dust in it all the time when I do their injectors.

Hope the above helps.

strelnik · #10 02-12-2015, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

Moved.
Yeah, I've not done any blending to speak of so I'm not much help, but kerosene seems like a better choice than gas... gas would be fine if the fuel is very thick and the concentration is kept to a minimum I'd think. Most successful oil users heat the thick oil and switch to it when it's at desired temp.

Kerosene is in the same chemical family but was not as widespread in Europe as in the US.

In the 1950's Owner's manual for the 190D (OM621 engine), Mercedes approves of thinning the diesel fuel of the time with up to 10% gasoline, selectively in 5 gallon increments. It guards against using premium gas because the additives in it (specifically, vanadium) attack the fuel injection system. But diluting with RUG is ok.

strelnik · #11 02-12-2015, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greazzer

It rarely gets "too" cold in sunny S.C., but I use no more than 10% RUG. On the positive note, gets rid of most of the B-B-Q odor. Not sure why.

Also, blending #2 and WVO is fine too, doesn't really matter on the %'s since it blends 100% no matter what, just like RUG.

I do not think you can mix WVO and WMO, et cet. I tried it a long time ago but the stuff would not "blend", but then again I do not try to burn WMO as it's too difficult to clean IMO. For example, I know some folks who burn it all the time and they are pro's in cleaning it, yet I find a super fine metal like dust in it all the time when I do their injectors.

Hope the above helps.

Has anyone used any kind of chemical emulsifiers to facilitate the blend?

Phillytwotank · #12 02-12-2015, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

Has anyone used any kind of chemical emulsifiers to facilitate the blend?

Such as??

greazzer · #13 02-12-2015, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

Has anyone used any kind of chemical emulsifiers to facilitate the blend?

When talking about RUG + WVO or #2 and WVO, I do not think you need anything. Even stuff that I blended 6+ years ago, and kept in a clean jar as an experiment has remained "blended.". Maybe a hint of something settling, but I am thinking that's just my grease. Even just WVO from 5 years ago which was cleaned in a centrifuge did settle a hint of something. So, for the above, I am thinking they just blend and bond together.

As for any emulsifiers, I am thinking that would create some sort of unwanted by-product, but I got a "C" in college chemistry so count me out on the complex stuff.

Jarod · #14 02-12-2015, 02:01 PM

My E300D is the only one in my fleet I've run on any "alternate fuels".

I have a 2 tank setup, and WVO, after it has been filtered and run through a centrifuge for at least an hour per 8 gallon batch.

The car belonged to my brother, who drove it for about 30k with this setup, zero issues related to the fuel. about half a million related to the car being badly neglected by the P.O.

I got the car after he gave up trying to fix it. I've spent about $1500 in parts so far... and I've had the car since September.

In my experience WMO and other oils are very nasty to deal with, as they are hard to filter, tiny tiny little metal fragments and contaminants in motor oil that are near impossible to filter out.

it also ruins all the seals in my centrifuge filter setup. swells them up to double the size.

Transmission fluid can work very well as long as they weren't dumping all kinds of stop leak additives and junk in with it.
ATF doesnt swell rubber, and has very strong detergents that clean injectors very well.

But I've never had a lot of ATF available. I'd like some, but haven't bothered hunting for a place nearby to get it from.

I get my WVO from where I work, So I have a decent amount of quality control, the oil is changed every week and they don't mix the nasty stuff from the grill or traps.

moon161 · #15 02-12-2015, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

Has anyone used any kind of chemical emulsifiers to facilitate the blend?

I don't think emulsifying is desirable. Emulsfiers (like soaps) react with polar (like water, alcohols) and non-polar (gas, oil, diesel, acetone) molecules to make them miscible with eachother (Thank you Dr. A. Rauf Imam). The big bugaboos of the Frybrid crowd, (now the frybrid diaspora) were - Oxidation/poly(debatable), filter (<5 micron) and getting the oil dry, getting it so the demon emulsified water with free fatty acids would be gone. Neat means- frybrid still, cold and hot upflow and myths (let it set in the sun) and tests - scinitllation, aka 'hot pan' or 'crackle' (it better not) were devised or borrowed from the biodiesel world (packed column, mist washing) to do this.

Does 'wet' oil (with no visible sign of water at pumping temperature, pressure) objectively cavitate and mess up the injector pump (this is supposed to be a source of damage in hydraulic equpment)? Does it objectively foul or corrode the steel of an injector or injector pump? IDK, I haven't seen the damage. I just followed the end of the argument that seemed right.

But, I filter to 5 micron, and dry. Works fine.

My outcomes:

Smiles at the diner.

OM616 #1. Franken 616, came with the car and 2 tank system. Ran well on VO, burned huge amounts of oil from the day I got it, I put up with it for years. (my hypothesis- fouled oil rings due to single tanking) Started reliably with glow plugs down to ~10F. ~30mpg. ~20-30k on grease.

OM616 #2. From an 85 Euro that was parted out. Good power on grease, loves a heavy foot. Faster than I feared to go on either fuel (80-85 on level, no problem) ~28mpg on D2. Good starts on glow down to 20s or teens, buggered the suspension prior to present cold snaps. ~8k so far on grease.