Oxygen at high altitude on non-turbo 240D
 

Turbo Owners are excluded, please.
My '80 240D started smoking blue terribly as soon as I entered Carson Natl forest on US 64 west of US 285 in New Mexico, and I pulled up the crest in second gear. The next day on Cumbres Pass on NM-CO 17, I had to pull up to the pass in first gear. I realize I could solve all my problems the next time I go with a turbo. (I've already installed new injectors, and new cylinder liners-rings-pistons are also in stock waiting installation on this cheaply rebuilt engine). But I have thought a cheap solution lies with my 20 CF Oxygen welding bottle, and the needle valve-flowmeter arrangement attached to the argon bottle on my mig welder. I don't need the maintenance hassles or the power of a turbo in Indiana 360 days a year. I think I might get some improvement by putting a rubber hose into the air cleaner from the oxygen bottle, and injecting some oxygen (20 cfm?) up steep hills in the Rockies. Refills are only $7. Any thoughts? anybody done it?

Increasing O2 might not do any good unless you increase fuel as well.

Using pure O2 is a great way to blow up your engine REALLY fast plus there is no way you could carry enough of it to last more than a minute or two in the mountains. Nitrous Oxide is commonly used because it turns to a liquid under high pressure so a lot more can be stored in the same bottle space. Even still, a 30lb bottle will only last 2-5 minutes. A 20CF bottle flowing enough to make a noticeable power difference wouldn't even last 1 minute.

Your "maintenance hassles" are imaginary. Caring for a turbo engine is no different than a non-turbo engine. Maybe once every year or two you should check the shaft play and thats all it takes.

Highway 17 has a maximum of 5.8% grade around Cumbres Pass and an average of 4%. Even a 240D should be able to maintain 30-40mph up that without a problem. If you had to pull up to the pass in first gear you have some performance issues that need to be taken care of before considering power adders. "Cheaply rebuilt engine" may be part of the problem.

What is your current 0-60 time?

There's a reason people don't inject pure oxygen, hopefully you can figure that reason out. You might look into nitrous though.

WARNING!!!!! when using an O2 enrichment system, it is imperative that a protocol is followed prior to attempting to starting the engine. Before attempting to start the engine, make sure the O2 is off and not leaking, redundant valves are a must!!

Prior to attempting to start the engine, evacuate the crank case using CO2 or Argon gas. If the crank case has excessive O2 build up, a back fire can turn the engine into a bomb!! A good PCV system is a must to keep O2 from building up in the crank case during operation.

Next; With the ignition and fuel sources "deactivated" (as in can not possibly function in any way) crank the engine with the throttle (if applicable) wide open for no less than 30 revolutions. This will clear out any excessive O2 that may have built up in the intake and cylinders from leaks or from an engine stall shut down.

Starting an engine with a raw O2 build up can / will result in a very dangerous and memorable time in ones life.

Never add O2 to an engine while attempting to start the engine. Only introduce a controlled amount of O2 after the engine has untainted a stable operating condition.

I worked on a O2 enrichment system on a 2.5L gasoline engine a long time ago. The goal was to increase combustion efficiently and increase mileage at part throttle operation. At less than 50% throttle opening, it actually did not take much O2 to get the PPM ratio to change to a lean and unstable range. The main problem was in getting the O2 evenly mixed in the intake charge, therefore eliminating O2 pockets in the combustion chamber.

At that time, with the funding and resources that were available, the problem of O2 pockets could not be eliminated thought the entire operating range. The pockets caused an un-uniform flame front, detonation, preignition, uneven thermal distribution (hot spots), and erratic speed control.

IMO, Nitrous is a better choice for an additional oxidizer.

oxygen verbotten schnell
 

thanks for responding.
I would never start any engine with the oxygen turned on. Thanks for the warning though, I remember Alco blew up a lot of crankcases in the fifties when they first experimented with turbo-diesels. My idea was just to use oxygen for a minute or two if I was bogged down to 2nd or 1st gear again on a bad upgrade. 30-40 mph upgrade is not safe, the 30' stock trailer that passed me upgrade on NM17 cut back in my lane abruptly, stopping me- Just to show his engine was bigger than mine, I guess. Blue smoke over 6000' indicates unburned oil, probably fuel in the case of this engine. I was 500 mile out of motor "overhaul" that trip, if you call a re-ring+re-bearing+timing chain at 189000 without new sleeves or bore+pistons an "overhaul". At least the 240D got me out of the city bus, it took me a nearly a year to figure out what was wrong with my V8 Ford . The W123 did have a competent front end rebuild installed. I'll probably take my Ford V8 if I go back to Colorado, although 15 mpg through all the flats is a penalty at $4 a gallon. I got the 240D for $2000. The last turbo I saw for sale in Ind was $5500, 237000 miles, starting problems. It sold quick, too. Turbo hastles include "buckyballs in the oil galleries" communication from a former MDC shop mechanic who had to ream out the oil galleries with a wire. Turbos require Rotella T or the equivalent, I've been doing fine so far with Exxon-Mobil- Chevron-Texaco 20W-50 which squirts a quart out the front seal every 100 miles. Any turbo car I can afford will have a bad turbo, last time I checked turbos were $1300. Turbos are an exhaust component and changing exhaust often leads to broken exhaust bolts or studs in the casting, tow the car to the machine shop. Used turbo models for sale here usually are aluminum head models, one broken radiator hose buys you a new car or a $3300 head +lots of work. Changing hoses is no panacea, diesels are known for shaking off bolts, and a dropped motor mount bolt could pull a hose off. I like Iron Heads, they are more stupid proof.
The 240D gets infinity 0-60 mph now, I've parked it until I find room in my garage to rebuild the motor with sleeves, rings, pistons, pins, chain liners and tensioner, turn crank and install new bearings again. Before I take it out of state the differential also gets all new bearings+ring+pinion gears, it was pretty loose when the engine misfired at high altitudes.

Maybe the heavy 20w-50 is slowing you down:D.

You seem to have alot of misconceptions about the turbos.

Okay IndianaJo if you really live in Indiana look at craiglist right now turbo 300SD for 900, I know a guy has a 1985 300D for 1,000. I just got my 300D for 1,000. My 1983 300CD has 335,XXX on it and no turbo problems . And There are a few 2,000 300 series diesels but you can talk them down more. The turbo I recently got is just fine. And if you need a turbo just use the parts in the classifieds. And if you live in Indiana anywhere near I-465 you need a turbo :)