Other Alternative Fuels? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

abh3 · #1 04-26-2006, 07:18 PM

We've all read the threads about WVO vs. VO vs. biodiesel... great, but what about used motor oil, hydraulic oils and their ilk? Farm folk, truckers, loggers, etc all have plenty of this, usually stored in buckets and drums 'around back of the barn/shop'...

I myself am blessed with a constant supply of used Rotella 15-40w and Delo 40w, as well as having a barrel of v.lightly h20 contaminated Nuto h32, a 10w hydraulic oil I didn't dare pour into an excavator, that largely functions as a table while cleaning deer during the season. More of this kind of potential fuel is available for the asking.

Has anyone used anything like this as a fuel? Can used oil be filtered (practically) so the soot won't trash the IP? What type/micron filter? What about residual h20 (after settling out and draining)? What about the suitability of different IP types, inline, etc.? If there are no horror stories out there I'd consider trying a consevative blend in an elderly John Deere 'just to see' before trying it in the MB! A little smoke coming out of an old tractor is no big deal around here...

Any input, experience or heresay? Or have fuel prices driven me 'round the bend?

abh3
01 e320
Dodge Cummins x2
90 300d 2.5
88 300te
73 Landrover
m35a2 6x6
boats, bikes and big machines

greasybenz · #2 04-26-2006, 07:31 PM

Do a search this has been asked many many times. motor oil and hydraulic oil both are very toxic when burned. And if poured in even a small amount they will make alot of nasty smelling black smoke. Even at idle.

Also they put more wear and damage on the ip, since they have metal particles that CAN NOT be filtered out even with a 1micron filter.

Panzermann · #3 04-26-2006, 09:48 PM

...of motor oil into my fuel as I was refilling the tank of my 123. I mean a little but, less then a cup in a full 18 gallon 300D tank

. Anyway, it caused the engine to produce copious amounts of smoky exhaust, and when I pulled the fresh fuel out of the tank, it was black. I know it was the fuel, because when I ran my Diesel Purge through the car, all the smoke disappeared, and then reappeared after I reconnected the feed line from the fuel tank. I have now drained the fuel tank completely and will refill it. I would not burn motor oil unless my life depended on it.

I do understand that Jet A, which can be found at small airports all over the place, including isolated locations, is essentially kerosene/diesel#1 and can be burned without difficulty, although with some of the loss of power one sees with diesel #1.

abh3 · #4 04-26-2006, 10:16 PM

Did a search before the post... I esp.liked the post about how many 'middle fingers per mile' were obtained with almost straight engine oil!

I'm looking for those who have actually done it for some time, what micron filter, ratios, results, etc., some follow up on their experiences, not posts about how someone would 'never consider such a thing'. Straight used engine oil in the tank would be as crazy as raw WVO right out of the McDonalds fryer, maybe crazier.

Face it, diesel fuel is FULL of crap, especially off-road, so properly filtered waste oils can't be that much worst... ever split open a used diesel fuel filter? YIKES! The toxic aspect may have merit, depends on the oil additives,stabilizers and anit-foaming agents...

I'm thinking that no more that 20-25%, thinned and filtered progressively to 3-5 microns will not destroy the IP or cause birds to fall from the sky behind you. I'm more worried about h20 and have been checking out WVO sites about 'dewatering' but with careful handling of waste engine oil, h20 shouldn't be an issue anyway. Hey, 25% of fuel free for a little work? It's worth considering...

Any thoughts?

abh3

Matt SD300 · #5 04-26-2006, 10:33 PM

Any thoughts?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toxic....Dirty....Nasty...come to mind

Beside having no regard for others & environment....It should work

Mistel · #6 04-26-2006, 11:51 PM

Well, this may not make me popular, but this is what I have been doing.

First, I have a truck that has a 2 tank WVO conversion so I collect and filter WVO for it. I have an 85 300tdt that I am going to convert. Now that it is a bit warmer, I have been putting a blend in my Benz. I had some used motor oil from and oil change and I just added it in with the WVO. So my blend for the Benz is about %50 diesel, %10 used motor oil and %40 WVO. It has all been filtered to 1 micron and dewatered. I notice NO increase in smoke, and it seems to run quieter, (but maybe that is because it is that much closer to death?) I still have some motor oil left, which I will use in the truck as I can then control where I use it. I can swich to the WVO, motor oil tank when I get out of town. In the future I will filter the motor oil separately and add it separately instead of mixing it with WVO. I don't like the handleing the used motor oil.

Peter

biopete · #7 04-27-2006, 01:13 AM

Someone told me other dat that used ATF is ok by the EPA to burn in #2 Heating oil furnaces. Apparently it is a cousin to D2. I have not looked into tjis yet but will next time i change my ATF. It makes me wonder what recycling companies do with the used oil we give them.

rg2098 · #8 04-27-2006, 02:48 PM

I've run used motor oil, WVO, SVO, and ATF and never had any real issues other then loss of power when running over 60%. The used motor oil smokes a bit but nothing like what others are describing. It burns much more completely then in a gasoline engine with worn rings.

Mistress · #9 04-27-2006, 02:50 PM

bean burritos.

abh3 · #10 05-03-2006, 04:32 PM

10 wt hydraulic fluid (Nuto H32) at a 1 to 4 ratio works great in a duece and a half! Went on a long ranch ride Monday evening, no unusual smoke or noise, no intimely death of passengers from a toxic cloud (well, there was a cooler full of icy antidote in the back) and the environment looked well enough... These multifuel engines might be forgiving in this respect. Now I'm looking hard at that 300D 2.5!

abh3

MTUpower · #11 05-03-2006, 04:57 PM

You can burn all of those you've described, and I have with no undue performance loss and no apparent engine damage. Used motor oil does increase visible exhaust smoke, but not in huge amounts. It does also smell more than dino diesel. While I filtered the used engine oil to three microns, all the other fluids I did not filter. Never made the "additive" more than 20% of fuel mixture. I've read that the engine oil is not a good idea in the long run, new or used due to the additives in the oil.

MeinGreaseCar · #12 05-03-2006, 04:57 PM

Jet A in most metro areas right now is over 5 bucks a gallon!

Unless you have a friend who is a mechanic that does heavy overhauls, and must drain the tanks frequently of airplanes.. there is no cheap fuel to be had.

Most airport equipment is run off the "extra" fuel from sumping tanks and whatnot.

JP

F18 · #13 05-03-2006, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biopete

Someone told me other dat that used ATF is ok by the EPA to burn in #2 Heating oil furnaces. Apparently it is a cousin to D2. I have not looked into tjis yet but will next time i change my ATF. It makes me wonder what recycling companies do with the used oil we give them.

A trucker told me a number of years ago to add about a quart of new or used ATF to the low sulfur auto-diesel when I filled up. He said it off-set the drop in sulfur some how?...increased performance and top end lubrication.....not sure if it was true but I did run the old 84 300SD like that when I had old ATF to get rid of....and it ran with no problems.

Panzermann · #14 05-03-2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeinGreaseCar

Jet A in most metro areas right now is over 5 bucks a gallon!

Unless you have a friend who is a mechanic that does heavy overhauls, and must drain the tanks frequently of airplanes.. there is no cheap fuel to be had.

Most airport equipment is run off the "extra" fuel from sumping tanks and whatnot.

JP

It's just you might be able to get some Jet A if you are in an out of the way place without a source of auto fuel and low on fuel in the tank, but with an airport available.

blueranger · #15 05-03-2006, 10:06 PM

believe it or not... another alternative fuel
is wood gasification... you build this trash can contraption..
and put green wood in it.. and let the wood only partially burn
by controling the air intake... then you route the smoke
to your carberator... and it will actually power your car..

the fema has a manual on how to do it... i could post it for you...