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  #1  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:06 PM
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240D Slow on Highway

I'm sure this is normal for the 240D, but does anyone else have trouble with highway cruising? I can accelerate and merge fine, but keeping up speed is tough. Flat is fine, it can hold 70 fine (although I've never made it to the supposed 100mph top speed wikipedia claims) but once I hit a hill, I lose speed rather quickly. I'm not talking about climbing the rockies, just hills in Eastern Mass. There's a hill on route 2 (five lanes each way) out of Boston that I can barely hold 50 on. Is this normal? If so, does anyone have any tips for dealing with this?

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  #2  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:11 PM
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when is the last time you changed your fuel filters and the air filter. Plus valve adjustment.


plus running veggie is no help at all
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  #3  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:12 PM
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Switch back to diesel on these climbs. You will get more power out of diesel than the WVO.
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  #4  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:19 PM
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I'd start with a fuel filter change, and probably an air filter change. But climbing hills in a 240 running on VO is going to be slow. Diesel will give you a little more umph but not much.

Also 70mph is nearly floored in my 240D. I wouldn't be running it that hard all the time.
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  #5  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:22 PM
Craig
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I agree, use real fuel. You should be able to handle moderate hills at 65 with everything correct (if the WVO hasn't done too much damage yet). The 100 top speed is silly.
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  #6  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:24 PM
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You should see what that WVO is doing to the insides of your motor. It's quite nasty, I assure you. Performance will continue to steadily degrade as long as you're using that stuff.
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  #7  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:35 PM
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That sounds trollish. Did you take pictures of the insides of his motor while there? Please post as I am now curious.
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  #8  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:40 PM
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Its pretty well known what running slimy grease through an engine does to it. Ever seen a person's arteries that likes to eat that stuff? I rest my case.

Veg oil has less energy than diesel, weakening the already weak 240.....

Run diesel! Owning a 240d is already a very cheap operation, you could at least run the right fuel in it!
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  #9  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:48 PM
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Well, assertions about the long term effect of WVO aside, and back to the original query, consider the effect of carrying two tanks, each of which might weigh 200-300 pounds or more full. With both near full, performance degradation might just be from carrying the extra weight.
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Last edited by pselaphid; 09-22-2009 at 04:27 PM.
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  #10  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pawoSD View Post
Ever seen a person's arteries that likes to eat that stuff? I rest my case.
Have you ever seen what running diesel through a person's ateries does to the person! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Look. The guy has already invested in a two-tank system. This is the best way to run vegetable oil in a diesel car. No matter what you state he is not going to simply remove the $1-2k system and just run diesel again.

To the OP- Next time you are on the incline flip the switch back to diesel and see if it helps with power. If not you are just going to have to live with it or buy another car.
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  #11  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:54 PM
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It also helps to heve the A/C on OFF position.
I seldom go over 70, the engine starts to scream, its scary.

Vahe
240D 77
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  #12  
Old 09-22-2009, 03:55 PM
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[QUOTE=pawoSD;2299454]Its pretty well known what running slimy grease through an engine does to it. Ever seen a person's arteries that likes to eat that stuff? I rest my case.

QUOTE]

Ever see someones arteries that have had dino diesel run through them?

Two different things!

My 240D I have had up to 88mph on the flat, but that is tops, cruise at 70 all day long . . . still haven't checked the valves, I need to do that . . .239k on it now . . .
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  #13  
Old 09-22-2009, 04:23 PM
Craig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Graplr View Post
Look. The guy has already invested in a two-tank system. This is the best way to run vegetable oil in a diesel car.
The best way to run vegetable oil in a diesel car? Is that like the best way to smoke three packs per day, then complain about your ability to run 10 miles?
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  #14  
Old 09-22-2009, 04:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig View Post
The best way to run vegetable oil in a diesel car? Is that like the best way to smoke three packs per day, then complain about your ability to run 10 miles?
Exactly.

So, if he has invested 1-2k into a dual tank system...(A mistake IMHO)...then he'll be out the cost of the car AND the tank system once he destroys the car from running veg oil.

Better only one expensive mistake than two.....

Someone should ask one of the engineers that designed the 616/617 if they feel it should be/was designed to run on veg oil. Going to have to guess they'd say no.
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'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
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  #15  
Old 09-22-2009, 04:53 PM
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When I'd travel from school (UMass Amherst) to MD, I'd have some of those hills you're talking about (mainly in CT). Some were difficult even with my foot to the floor (240D auto). The best I could do was make sure I was at sufficient speed, usually around 65 mph, and then floor it up the hill. Any less and it felt like the car didn't have enough torque in 4th gear. If you start losing speed, I found about all you can do is 50-55 mph (I couldn't go any faster in 3rd if I tried, and 4th doesn't have enough torque to accelerate) in the right lane with a long line of irritated people behind you.

Of course, YMMV...but my 240D had adjusted valves, properly adjusted throttle linkages and usually D2 (or a minor biodiesel blend) in the tank.

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