Removing a Greasecar system in a 1974 240d
 

Hi,

I can't make heads or tails of this system.
Greasecar wants $60 for a manual.

I am going to remove the WVO conversion from my MB. I'm sure some will disagree, but I do not have the time or resources to store grease and I'd rather just fill up with diesel at the local station.

I tried to do a search of this forum, in an attempt to figure out how to remove it and bring the car back to it's old glory.

Anyone know of a thread on this site or a website which may help me accomplish this.

Thanks in advance,

Dwayne

I hear the Greasecar forum is policed, so to speak, a posting requesting a manual or removal how to may be deleted. I don't have a GC system, and there's no guarantee it was installed per documentation any way.

I do have a 2 tank system similar in design to a GC system tho.


GC excision SUGGESTIONS ONLY. Your mileage may vary, and you may turn it into a non-running car, IT'S YOUR HAND ON THE WRENCH, THINK ACCORDINGLY. Take notes & pics so you can undo what you done did, if need be.

To start I would identify any 'foreign' components, the VO tank, fuel lines, switching & controller will probably be obvious. Disconnecting may not be to hard, restoring stock condition may be a challenge, YMMV. Don't wear anything you need to wear again, VO can be messy.

They probably tapped coolant from the back of the head, and from the lower radiator hose. In a stock car there should be NO TEES in these lines. Cap the branch of the tee, or replace the tees w/ splices or replace the hoses w/ stock.

Fuel supply line probably goes to a 3 port solenoid valve. Remove fuel supply line and hose to the lift pump, splice them or replace w/ fuel line.

Fuel return line probably goes to a 3 port solenoid valve. Remove fuel supply line and hose to the fuel filter, splice them or replace w/ fuel line.

Secure and or cap loose and dripping ends. Clean any oil with mild detergent and water before it gets sticky.

You will have introduced air into the fuel system. Prime the by unscrewing the white knob next to the IP and pumping it a lot, or pump the black knob next to the IP, new or old primer depending.

Start and or troubleshoot no start condition until successful.

If successful, remove foreign components.

NOTE:
The bolts in the banjo fittings on top of the fuel filter together may have been replaced with solid bolts or blocked by weld or JB weld. If it goes through a banjo fitting, it should have a hollow core and a thru hole perpendicular to the shank near the head. If it should run without it, but it won't be stock.

I can almost guarantee that the hoses connecting the IP, lift pump and fuel filter are not in stock configuration. Typical re-routing changes the fuel filter from the pressure side of the lift pump to the suction side.

IIRC, stock routing, based on the used engine i bought is : Supply line> right angle filter > lift pump > fuel filter inlet > fuel filter outlet > cigar hose > IP inlet > injector hard lines > injector overflow lines > fuel filter > fuel return line. I don't have a stock fuel system for reference.

Fuel passes through the filter once on the way in, and passes through the filter mount on the way back to the fuel tank to vent air out of the filter.

Research stock configuration, procure needed parts and make it so.

Put removed components in box and post for sale here, craigslist, greasecar forum. GC may not let you post ad for used system.

I think your best to post some good photos of your engine bay and any components of the system you can see. The we can see what your up against and tell you how to remove it.

The routing above is slightly incorrect as the cigar hose is on the return side. So it goes

Supply line> right angle filter > lift pump > fuel filter inlet > fuel filter outlet > IP inlet > injector hard lines > injector overflow lines > fuel filter > cigar hose > fuel return line

Thanks so much to both of you.

I was also thinking the photo route.

Also, having a couple of clear photos of a correct engine bay, especially the injection side would help me a lot, I'll have to search for that later.

I'll keep you guys apprised.

Thanks so much and I'll post a couple of photos later.

Dwayne

If you want to sell the kit once removed, please PM me.

Jusme, I will remind me.

Don't brother removing the system, just flip the car and buy one that was never ran on alternative fuels....you'll thank yourself in the long run...

Here are some photos of my engine bay, kind of discomubalated, sorry.

In the meantime, I'm going to look for some photos of some unmolested engine bays, thanks.

Dwayne

Cooljay, It's in nice shape with minimal rust, ac works.

Nice running car and I like this "classic" MB look.

If it was that easy, I probably would.

How many miles was it run on the Greasecar system?

From the pics it looks like it has the full two-tank system (two tanks, heating, switchover valves, etc.)?

I'm not sure, it was a Chancellor's car at Manhattan College (MC) in the Bronx, later it was given to the Engineering Dept. at MC and they turned it into a WVO car as a project.

I do not think it has many miles as a veggie car.

It only has 90,000+ miles. Interior matches the mileage.


"From the pics it looks like it has the full two-tank system (two tanks, heating, switchover valves, etc.)?"


Yes, it has the above.

This is how Frybrid does it. Similar but not the same. Differences are in the heated filter, and greasecar only began to include a final heat exchanger in later kits, and in control aspects. Early GC kits may have used only one solenoid valve for a deadheaded system when on grease, frybrid always used 2 or 3. GC may in some cases use only a VO supply and no VO return line.

Bonus in above link is depiction of virgin 61x fuel system.

Thanks, Moon161, that makes it a little clearer.

I appreciate everyone's input.

As I move along with this "project", I'll post pics and instructions and try to get a little insight before I do something for comments and future reference.

Dwayne

Hmm. Where in the Northeast are you located? I might be willing to come down and help you pull the system if I can have it... :D.

Another idea - get a free subscription to EPC and put in your VIN (well on a '74 it is going to be the chassis number, the VIN did not come along until 1981). The line drawings should be detailed enough to figure out the proper routing of the lines.