Best Veg Oil Conversion Kit? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pjones300SD · #1 09-06-2004, 10:43 PM

Looking to buy a conversion kit to run Vegetable Oil in my 300SD. Anybody have any experience with these (Greasel, Greasecar, Elsbett etc.) kits and can anyone recommend one?

Thanks

Mr. FancyPants · #2 09-06-2004, 10:57 PM

Do a search, there were quite a few threads on veggy conversions here last spring.

Old300D · #3 09-06-2004, 11:02 PM

I didn't like any of them, so I made my own.

Most of them run a heat exchanger in the tank. This is inefficient, as it takes a long time to heat the fuel properly, and you lose heat piping it up to the engine. It is also dangerous, as a coolant leak will KILL your engine.

My system works fine down to moderately low temperatures - I burn soy oil, which flows well even in the 30 degree fahrenheit rarge. I built a good long heat (coolant) exchanger that heats the oil as it moves forward. For quicker switch-overs, I built an electric fuel heater (similar to Neoteric) to boost the heat of the oil as it comes out of my filter before it is switched into the main fuel loop. My next refinement will be to electronically control the electric heater to maintain a constant temperature in the fuel circuit before the IJP.

There are lots of great ideas and information on kits and components at Biodiesel.infopop SVO forum

mpolli · #4 09-18-2004, 07:16 PM

I considered soy oil also, but could not figure out a source here in Seattle. Where do you get soy oil and what does it cost?

Thanks,

Mike

dresserman · #5 09-19-2004, 10:34 AM

You may want to check out this site.
www.makebiodiesel.com
Also get this book, From the fryer to the fuel tank by Joshua Tickell.
Then you will know if you want to go this route.

Have fun.

GottaDiesel · #6 09-19-2004, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old300D

Most of them run a heat exchanger in the tank. This is inefficient, as it takes a long time to heat the fuel properly, and you lose heat piping it up to the engine. It is also dangerous, as a coolant leak will KILL your engine.

I'm liking the greasecar kit. (greasecar.com) kit. Once Lovey is finished... I'm thinking that's the way I'll go.

BUT I'm interested to hear the DETAILS of the above quote.

Thanks,

Pete

TwitchKitty · #7 09-19-2004, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old300D

For quicker switch-overs, I built an electric fuel heater (similar to Neoteric) to boost the heat of the oil as it comes out of my filter
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Does your heater use a glow plug as the heating element? Can you post links to info that you used or that you posted?

Cool weather is coming and I think I may want to build something like this soon. I am thinking a 'T' in a fuel line with a constant duty glow plug screwed into it.

coachgeo · #8 09-19-2004, 02:46 PM

The 617 serious motor.. esp. the turbo is one grease loving monstor. It does not matter whose kit you buy it will work. Many over seas dont do ANY conversion with this motor, cept maybe an "afterglow" glow plug arrangement. They just filter, poor it in and go.

Heck.... do a fuel blend and do NO conversion to even better the odds. 85%WVO/15% Gasoline and one of the Cetane boosters PREMIX it good and go about your day.

Pull the Glow plugs and injectors before starting to use ANYONE's kit or blend arrangement. Pull them again after many thousand miles (less than the manuel states) and inspect and clean them. Change oil every 3000 too.

Old300D · #9 09-20-2004, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GottaDiesel

I'm liking the greasecar kit. (greasecar.com) kit. Once Lovey is finished... I'm thinking that's the way I'll go.

BUT I'm interested to hear the DETAILS of the above quote.

Thanks,

Pete

Which detail? The gory part?

Most heated tank arrangements have couplings or copper coils inside the tank. Failures due to vibration are common, and your fuel tank will fill with coolant without any warning.

Old300D · #10 09-20-2004, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwitchKitty

Does your heater use a glow plug as the heating element? Can you post links to info that you used or that you posted?

Cool weather is coming and I think I may want to build something like this soon. I am thinking a 'T' in a fuel line with a constant duty glow plug screwed into it.

The idea for the heater came from Dana Linscott on the biodiesel infopop forum, but it's my own design, I did not purchase or have access to his designs. I built my electric heater with a 240D 12V glowplug. I threaded and sealed it into a length of black iron pipe. The oil will cool the plug tip, and keep it colder than it would be in an engine. I would not expect the glow plug to fail in this environment, even under constant duty. I just control it with a switch from inside the car (a relay handles the high current). I have plans to design a temperature controller to work with such a heater.