Just purchased 1st Benz. A 1983 240D automatic w/79,555 miles. People have told me besides standard diesel fuel and Bio., I could burn cooking oils such as vegetable or corn. Is this true, not that I would or need to, but is it possible? ken...

Welcome aboard!

Look on the trunk lid. What does it say on the right? It doesn't say "TRASHCOMPACTOR" or "WASTEDISPOSAL" thats for sure. Stick to diesel and/or biodiesel.

Waste veggie junk is very bad for the car and engine. Just because the engine can run on cr@p does not mean you should do it.

ESPECIALLY with only 80k miles, PLEASE don't kill such a low mileage car. If you want to abuse a car with veggie junk buy a beater to play with. Don't be another sheep following the veggie fad.

Congratulations on your MB purchase and welcome to the forum.

You will find TONS of help here on everything for maintaining and repairing your vehicle. While there is some discussion about alternative fuels here, you won't get much love on this forum talking about it. This is the best MB forum out there and it's populated by owners who love MB's and want to protect them ALL from harm.

Research THOROUGHLY before you do anything. Here is a site that will provide all the info and help you need to make your alternative fuel choices.
http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums

__________________
Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

Thanks for the reply and site. I love the car. I purchased from a man who's mom had died and he did not want car. It is as close to perfect as a 26 yr. old car can be. Never been hit, lived in a heat/air garage and only groceries ever made trunk and only 2 grandchildren ever sat in back seat. I am getting 28mpg. Take care and thanks again, ken...

Ken-tucky ------- I can tell by your name that you are a classy fellow. And you have joined a great forum. I'd be lost (mechanically) without it. In a cyber sort of way, it's like a family. A diverse lot. We have folks who harbor strong opinions on both sides of the alternative fuel debate. I see that Forced Induction met you at the front door. He's mighty knowledgable about diesels, but his opinions are just that. Might want to check out the radical oil burners on this site by clicking 'user CP' , then 'social groups', then 'biodiesel and veggie oilist' to meet folks of the other persuasion. Either way, this site is pure gold. And-as for choices- that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

Thanks for reply. Thats why mentioned I would not use veggie or even Bio. I was just curious if veggie was possible. thanks, ken

Welcome to the group. Please don't assume FI speaks for the entire group. There are alot of people on this board who have valuable firsthand experience with creative fuels, but are not nearly as vocal as the diesel "doomsayers".

__________________
Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Yep, I'm one of them. I've seen firsthand how waste veggie junk will ruin an otherwise good car.

Corrected both mistakes for you.

I'm going out on a limb here. What I'm interpreting is that you've seen firsthand some serious sludge, scoring, coking, etc. that has done significant damage to valves, injectors, pistons, cylinders....That, coupled with a statement that they ran cold veg oil in the engine.

However, what I suggest you may be missing are statements like "but I only ran it 5 minutes each way to work each day" or "oh yeah, I did try cold molasses in the tank once, but it was too expensive, so I went back to veg"

Without your knowing exactly what was put in the tank every day, and what the driving style and concientiousness was like every day, it difficult to digest a statement like "I've seen firsthand what veg oil junk has done to an engine"

__________________
Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Corrected both mistakes for you. [/quote]

And he's a good speller too.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

Truer words could not be spoken.

If you want info, it's here. Just look a little.


These cars will run on anything that will
ignite under compression.

How well and How long is a different question.

__________________
81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

Welcome


the multi quote feature is pretty neat

Yes, welcome.

and never go to tires plus in Wichita.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!