Ran Out Of Fuel - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

McRoth · #1 03-08-2003, 03:20 PM

I just thought I'd post this in case it happens to anyone else. Yesterday on my way home I ran out of fuel & just made it to the end of an exit ramp. Of course the gas stations there didn't have diesel or Kero & the nearest one was a mile or so away. I saw a Kmart near where I was so I went & got a half gallon of Corn oil & some Colman Fuel. I put about half the oil in with maybe half as much Colman fuel to thin it out since it's cold out. After priming, the engine fired right up!! It ran really well on that while I drove to the nearest station with diesel fuel.

DieselHead · #2 03-08-2003, 04:42 PM

Congrats on the quick thinking and resourcefulness! I've been wanting to try cooking oil but I think it's prudent for me to wait until it gets warmer. Any reason why you chose corn oil over veggie oil?

Alex

P.E.Haiges · #3 03-08-2003, 08:41 PM

Diesel Head,

Corn is a vegetable.

So, isn't corn oil vegetable oil?

P E H

DieselHead · #4 03-09-2003, 01:08 AM

PEH,
Ok, so when I go to the supermarket and see corn oil and veggie oil on the shelf I am to assume they're the same? I realize corn is a vegetable, but the oils are not the same.

Alex

#5 03-09-2003, 02:43 PM

I believe veggie oil is actually soybean oil.

ck42 · #6 03-09-2003, 04:01 PM

ok...so then the question arises, will the motor run on soybean oil?

Chris
'85 300SD

P.E.Haiges · #7 03-09-2003, 04:17 PM

ck42,

NO, the motor won't run on soybean oil BUT the ENGINE will!

P E H

P.E.Haiges · #8 03-09-2003, 04:24 PM

Soybean oil or rapeseed oil or canola oil or peanut oil or sunflower oil or corn oil or any vegetable that oil can be made from.

P E H

ck42 · #9 03-09-2003, 04:31 PM

you say pataato, I say potaito....

never could remember what the technical difference is.

Anyway, it still cracks me up that these diesels can run on some of the craziest 'fuels'! I love it!

Chris
'85 300SD

Ken300D · #10 03-09-2003, 06:44 PM

It sure would seem that carrying a gallon of corn oil in the trunk for emergency refueling would be a lot safer than carrying a gallon of diesel. When was the last time you saw this headline:

"Family burned alive by corn oil fuel after crash....."

Ken300D

BOGDAN · #11 03-09-2003, 06:53 PM

HEY GUYS
At this moment in my tank i have 20 % canola oil and the engine runs beutifull and quiet. I LIVE IN NY and i do not have problem at starting indiferent the temperature whith one glow cicle and my last m/g on higway it was 37.5 and in town 24.4.
The oil lubricate the pump bether than diesel does and i did not have injectors coking problem yet.

DieselHead · #12 03-09-2003, 07:22 PM

20% canola oil sounds expensive. What does cooking oil cost? Forgive my ignorance, someone else does most of my grocery shopping for me. I'm in New York too, either in NYC or Westchester. Your car with the cooking oil has been running fine even with this cold weather? Thanks.

Alex

McRoth · #13 03-09-2003, 09:42 PM

DieselHead, I just grabbed the cheapest bottle of oil I saw on the shelf, which happened to be corn oil. Any oil will work, regular veggie, corn, whatever. Even animal fat(lard) and shortening work, as long as it is thin enough to flow.

My greasel kit should be coming in this week. I've run the car on biodiesel for a while & I'm going to add the kit to run on SVO, hopefully this weekend. I wish it would warm up enough so I can go collect some WVO for it!! I'm modifying the kit some though. I'm adding a thermostat so it automatically switches to veggie when it is warm enough and putting in a six port fuel selector so I can loop the veggie and return the diesel or biodiesel. I'm going to try to splice the fuel level sender into the dash one so I don't have to add another gauge too.

BOGDAN · #14 03-10-2003, 08:23 AM

YES my car run very good and quayet whith NEW coking oil DIRECTLY FROM THE SHELF no filtering.YOU should see the guy face at the pump when they see the botle. THE oil i purchase from COSCO with $3.20 per galon which it is more expensive than diesel but the car rounds much bether than before
Now i have a question for the person wich will ad the GREASEL KIT:
Do you live around NY for a get toghether, i will like to see your instalation before i will buy the kit also i am kind of scare to cut the original hoses and i need some moral suport for thath
I spoke with CHARLES ANDERSON FOR THE KIT AND SOME PICTURE OF ENTIRE INSTALATION but at this moment they did not ad yet nothing to they site

McRoth · #15 03-10-2003, 08:33 AM

BogDan, I'm afraid I don't live too close to NY. I live in Amherst, OH, near Cleveland. I'm sure Charles could get you in touch with someone nearer to you if you ask him, he's a really good, helpful guy.