We have a 1980 300TD wagon (non-turbo) that we recently converted to run on veggie oil. We were driving it to Colorado Springs from Berkeley, CA and everything was running smoothly until outside salt lake city in the heat of the Day. Going up a steep pass on a highway with no shoulder, something happened to the cooling system and steam starting pulsating out of the engine compartment. There was a loud screeching, squealing noise which we attributed to the steam coming out of the radiator. We pulled over as it was safe about (20 seconds) later and checked the radiator which was boiling and had lost a lot of water. We let the car cool, added water and continued on, adding water every half mile to get over the pass.
When we checked the oil later that day, it was down a quart which was a lot more than it was burning before. We started to notice blueish clouds coming out of the tailpipe when we started the car up.
In the cool of the evening, without climbing the heating problem seems to have stabilized.
Nearing the end of our trip the engine lost almost all power (15mph on the highway) and it seemed as though not all cylinders were firing (could be a veggie oil, air in the fuel line problem).
There is also a new quiet knocking noise at low rpms just for a moment as we accelerate out of first gear.

We aren't using the car until we know whats wrong. Beyond the cooling system problem it seems as if we might have damaged the piston rings or something else in the engine. Its an old car we would like to fix it, does anybody have any suggestions or advice to determine where to go from here.

Recent work:
replaced vacuum pump
new transmission kit
new glow plugs
new brake booster

Thanks for any advice.

Wiley Rogers
1980 300TD - Veggie oil conversion.

Try posting on the diesel forum, next one down the list from the tech forum, you may get some better answers there. How many miles on the engine?

I am not an expert but...........

Now that you are adding water, where is it going/leaking. Water pump failure?

What temp was the engine at when you started seeing the steam? Did you go to red on the temp guage?

Low power can be an indication of low/no fuel delivery. All filters checked and OK?

The injection pump was not designed to run veg oil, (flame suit on) hope that is not your problem, because it could get expensive. Have you tried running on diesel? If you overheated it badly the IP might be the least of your worries.

Good luck!

Clay

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2002 E320 Sedan 93K Designo Mocha Black Metallic!
1995 E320 Wagon 205K Black Wagon
1982 240D 183K SloPoke

I believe each of these cars are the final production year for that model.

It sounds like your car overheated because you ran out of motor oil. You said that it was one quart low, but teh dipstick is deceiving in that 2 quarts low actually "looks" like one quart low,,, as does 3 quarts low.

This would also explain the screaming and screatching your poor M617 belched out in protest of no motor oil.

This also explains the top speed of 15 mph (scorched bearings robbing HP.

best bet is compression test and if that's ok look at cam.
otehrwise replace the engine.

Oh Burning vegetable oil most likely did NOT cause this problem.

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Closing the store
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You have done an excelent job of describing to me how many ways your engine is hurting. You most definately have a blown head gasket and what else can't be detemined unless I look at it. And you're in luck, I'm in Oakland. I'm assuming you made it back to Berkely? Needless to say vegie oil had no part in your troubles. Good luck

Dosen't biodiesel clean old engines so well that it may clog up fuel filters for a while after the conversion resulting in loss of fuel and thus power?

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual