Fuel line insulation?
 

Hello Everyone
Fuel line insulation?
Should I add Fuel line insulation?
Does anyone know of a reason I should not add Fuel line insulation?
I have a 28 foot roll of Kevlar-Thinsulate tubing insulation.
I got it from an automotive prototype shop that went out of business and auctioned off everything.
I will need to fabricate all new tube mounts if I use it.
Thank you and have a great day.

Well. from the standpoint of cooling the engine even a little bit, having cooler fuel to inject would help a little bit. But isn't the fuel pre-heated considerably from heat soak into the fuel filter and pump?

-Aaron

sub zero temps
 

Hello MonsieurBon
Sub zero temps are of more concern to me.
Have a great day.

Whunter, I think you would need to also insulate your fuel tank as well or even consider wrapping some sort of heating element around your tank if the sub zero temps you encounter are a big problem. Then, if it would be practical, wrap the full length of your fuel lines from the tank to your engine. Maybe that would work.

winter trip planning
 

Hello Everyone
We are planning a trip to Hudson Bay, Canada, this coming winter.
I am investigating all options at this point.
Any suggestions are welcome.

Wow, driving to Hudson Bay. I know there are some back roads that go up to some mining towns and hydro sites in Quebec, but I didn't know there were any roads to Hudson Bay in Ontario. Where are you going exactly?

Only reason I can think of for not insulating them is if they let salt through and let it set on the lines causing them to rust. I agree, wrapping the fuel tank in an insulator would probably accomplish more than the lines.

The fuel is supposed to be heated. Partially for easier injection and partially so some can be sent back to the tank to keep it from getting to cold.

Exactly. That's the reason I suggested that whunter look into some sort of heating element for the tank, something that would get it just warm enough without the risk of fire. It wouldn't do any good to have insulated lines if the fuel in the tank was too cold to get through them in the first place. In fact the insulated lines would keep the fuel at about the same temperature as the fuel in the tank. It wouldn't be until the fuel got into the engine compartment that it would get a chance to warm up.

Extra
 

Whunter,

I't can't hurt thats fo sure.

Also if you end up with left overs I would be interested in buying it from you. I'm running Biodiesel and would love to have some "High Tech way of insulating the lines. I am also thinking of putting a pad heater on the tank 120v for when it gets really cold.
Lot's of people doing that and keeping them plugged in over night. BTW it doesn't usually get that cold here but enough to cause some problems.

Stephen

I don't see how the tank heater would really help cold starting unless you circulate the fuel in the lines before starting, even then you are still starting from the fuel in the IP and in the fuel filter. I'd just run a weaker blend of bio in the winter.

If you use an anti-gel in your fuel I don't see what the point in insulating the lines it would be overkill.

Here's what you should do.

Get a Webasto diesel-fired coolant heater. Then get a triple-bypass fuel/coolant hose setup from greasel.com. The triple-bypass hose uses coolant to heat your fuel lines. It's basically 3 tubes side by side in another tube, for very minimal risk of cross-contamination. That, combined with a tank heater, should allow for fast and easy starts in very cold weather.

-Aaron

Yes, there isn't a reasonable temperature cold enough that it wouldn't start with that setup, but that would be expensive to do. How much are those webasto units? $800ish?

I think list is about $900-$1000 for the non-giant truck one. I've seen them used around $500, but I'd buy it new unless it was just an open-box, not actually used.

So yes, definitely expensive. But effective, I'm sure, and good at reducing wear to the engine. I'll bet the heat soak would be good for the transmission, too.

whunter, insulating the fuel lines won't hurt but may not help, either. I'm thinking of the fuel return rate to the tank here, and I have no idea what these little MB injector pumps do. My last road truck had a Detroit series 60 engine which returned so much fuel that I had to leave the fuel tank filler caps illegally cracked in the summer to keep the tanks from overpressurizing ('95 Pete with the lever cap locks that you flipped and twisted). If you could find the return rate and then the fuel tank capacity and a guesstimate of the tank dimensions then I could quickly do the math to see how much the tank fuel temperature increases, if any. Sounds like a fun trip you'll be taking. Leave room in the trunk for a few 5gal jugs of #1. You already know all bets are off if you shut the car off and leave it sit, in terms of the insulation drill.