Veggie System Removal
 

This is a long shot, but I need help. I can’t figure out how to effectively remove the very elaborate veggie system that someone installed in my 87 300D. I guess what I am asking is, does anyone want a free system if they can take it out and figure out how it was originally? There’s the fuel lines, coolant lines and electrical. Thanks - Mike

Veggie System
 

It can't be that hard, can you post a pic?

pics
 

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It looks like a 'well built' 2 tanks system. I don't need the system but I can definitely help you remove it if you had been nearer. You probably can simply do the following. You only need 2 lines to run the car, the diesel fuel feed and the return.

1) Connect the fuel feed line to the primary filter. The primary filter goes into the fuel thermostat ( near the engine support arm ). If the fuel thermostat has been removed or butchered up then connect the primary filter to the lift pump.

2) Connect the fuel return line from the secondary filter to the metal fuel return line back to the tank.

3) Plug any hoses or lines you cut while doing (1) and (2)

4) Leave the electronic or the red hoses intact.

This should be it. Good luck.

Veggie System
 

Check back by the tank to see if they "looped" the return back to the fuel line back at the tank (are there three lines or two coming forward)

The heat for the system is probably coolant. The supply is almost always tapped into the line going to the heater core. Just disconnect and put back to stock.
If they used electric heat also (vegitherm or similar) they generally tap right to the positive on the battery, just disconnect.

Fuel line sizes
 

Ok, I think I have a better understanding of what all needs to be done. Does anyone know what the diameter of the fuel hoses should be? Sounds like the return line is quite a bit larger than the rest and I should be OK with the clear lines off of the main filter that I have at the moment. Thanks - Mike.

That seems backwards, the return flow is much less than the flow to the lift pump and is under pressure so the line could be smaller.


As for the clear lines they will become opaque in short order and very brittle. The idea was to see any air in the line feeding the lift pump but they should probably be replaced.

Fuel line size
 

Nobody knows? Seems unlikely. I went to the junkyard today and they had a rather complete 87 300D I was able to take pics of. The main return line does look larger in diameter in comparison to the other fuel lines coming and going from the heater thingy and the pre filter, though that could just be because it has black braiding around it effectively making it thicker.

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I think this is what you are referring to, it's called the cigar hose.


search 115 300D 116 126 300SD Diesel Cigar Return Hose 327 mm


I found it on another site for $19.50, don't know why it's this goofy shape

Nope
 

No, that’s not it. This car doesn’t have a cigar hose.

All rubber fuel line for the W124 300D is 7.5mm ID. Supply to the lift pump and return to the tank. There is no cigar hose on the OM60x engines. Some report success with 5/16" fuel line, I'm not one of them. Nothing but air problems. It doesn't seem like much, but that 7.5mm hose will prevent a lot of headaches.

Hose
 

I had to order the 7.5mm from ********az since neither Napa nor O’Reilly’s had it and I didn’t even attempt Autozone.

The goofy shape helps with pump pulses and engine movement. It's a nitpicky detail, the car will run fine with or without it.

Thanks
 

I’m well aware of the cigar hose. My ‘76 240D had one. This car does NOT have a cigar hose. Never did, never will.

No more veggie
 

Well, I finally removed the last of the system yesterday before it started to rain here in Phoenix. It feels good to have it all out. It felt at times like I was trying to detach Neo from the Matrix. I went about it in three phases; fuel lines, coolant lines, and then electrical.
I replaced the fuel lines with 7.5mm ID hose with the exception the clear lines off of the main filter and the tiny lines to the injectors. I removed the veggie lines underneath the car by cutting the lines on both ends of the car and then stuffing the ends with ear plugs so that the remaining vegetable oil wouldn't end up all over the driveway. This nasty tape-worm looking crap slid right out of the veggie line when i cut it by the rear axle and it dumped into a tupperware pan I had on hand, along with the veggie oil. Not sure what that was. Line build-up? The tank itself just unbolted from the trunk floor, but interestingly and unknown to me, all of the mounting tabs had cracked their welding and so basically the tank could have tipped over if full. Now I need to give her a proper diesel purge and then replace the main and inline fuel filters.
When it came to the coolant lines, they had cut the middle of the heater hose on the driver's side that goes from the firewall thru the 2nd firewall and on down to the aux water pump to install a T-fitting. That hose isn't available anymore, but luckily there was a double-ended barbed fitting that was used next to the small aux hvac water pump on the passenger side that I re-fitted to the heater hose on the driver's side and now it is whole again.
The electrical was just tapped into the fuse box and fed thru the firewall into the center console area along with various fuses, relays and switching valves in the engine bay and one long line back to the tank for the sending unit.
Printing out the various information given by you guys, along with fuel line schematics and studying the layout of a stock 87 300D in the junkyard all helped in getting the job done. Thanks again.

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