Posteddocument.write(''+ myTimeZone('Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:22:32 GMT-0700', '14 June 2007 10:22 PM')+''); 14 June 2007 10:22 PM 14 June 2007 10:22 PMI have a problem that I have been troubleshooting for over four weeks but cannot resolve.

My Mercedes, which has the golden fuel systems veg wedge kit, runs fine on a level plane. However, if the car is either driven uphill or idling uphill, it begins to run rougher and rougher until it stalls. This is the third conversion I've done with this particular combo, and have never had this problem on prior cars.

I've eliminated nearly everything:

-new filter (entire new housing)

-changed clamps

-tightened clamps

-changed three port valve

-changed hoses under the hood

-put in a new (old style) lift pump primer

-checked for crimps in the triple bypass hose

-WVO is extremely hot

-WVO flows freely from tank.

All to no avail. It does it sometimes on diesel, but much worse when switched to fully heated WVO.

And lest someone suggests a "pusher pump" in the trunk, I've seen dozens of these conversions (including two of my own) that didn't need any additional pump to pull this off.

Is it possible that the lift pump is going bad? Because with a glass filter inline just prior to the lift pump, in the loop, it accumulates TONS of air. With the lift pump cut out of th eloop, no air.



This is a BEAUTIFUL 85 300D, and I would hate like hell to have to get rid of it because it won't work with the conversion.



So any advice would be appreciated.

air = leaks, "tons of air" = tons of leaks... really, I think you have a bad fuel line/seal in the loop somewhere.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I vote for the lift pump. The fuel surges back and forth with what looks like air in it when defective sometimes. Dealing with the heavier viscosity veg oil might have been a little too much for it over time. The rear electric pump just probably lessens the load on it. I consider it a booster pump. Most carrott burners have them that i have seen. Even with a marginal lift pump installing one now might be enough to let that lift pump idle along for quite awhile. The booster pumps I have seen where installed on the rear frame under the car.

Do you folks run an electric "pusher" pump off the tank for VO?

Check the manual primer pump also. Even the new style will leak. My car had the new style and would spill about a tablespoon full of fuel every time it was pushed.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

tank could be pulling a vacuum as well..

The problem seems to be one that is exacerbated by the car being nose up, which would point to a weak lift pump and a potential air leak.

Unless there is something loose that opens an air passage when the car is nose up, the air leak should be a fuel leak when the car is level. I am unfamiliar with the WVO set up which you have installed, but if the stock system had a fuel leak, even a small one, the smell of Diesel fuel helps track it down. Maybe you can try to get the system to leak Diesel to find the leak, or leave it idling on the level to see if there is any evidence of a leak of fuel.

Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Everybody is responding back to this based upon their knowledge of Mercedes, when in fact I believe this to be another problem based upon a conversion. If the car had been tried on a remote bottle of fuel, like when doing a diesel purge, this may have been seen earlier.

Here's an insightful post to the problem when the question was asked on info-pop.

"When going uphill all your Veggie fuel in your add-on WVO tank flows away from the fuel pick-up (which feeds the engine).

The Add-on WVO tank is lacking the baffels inside the tank to prevent the fuel from "sloshing" around.

I had a similar occurance happen with other tanks."

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Pictures of the MB: http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee41/EricandRobyn/1981%20Mercedes/

1981 300 SD with a Goldenrod water block and Injetor line heaters. EGR is missing

1999 F-350 with HP X-over, Dahl 100 Fuel Filter, Coolant by-pass filter, CCV mod, Tymar intake.

Both on single tank WVO blend