Bio Diesel Tips

[02greysixer]

I will hopefully be in business here in a couple weeks. I have verbal agreements with 3 restaurants but i am Awaiting 100% commitment them on their wvo, once I get it I'll be ordering my processor. I'll post up my results from it for sure. Just from my rough calculations assuming the fuel cost me at worst an outrageous $1.50 a gallon to make I'll still be saving around $2500 a year with the current price of Dino diesel at $4.00 a gallon.


Sint frum tha orijinul smert fone

 

[MACKIN]

I wish I could make it myself but I agree unless you have a source for UVO constantly it wont be worth the trouble. That and you really need to make a lot of it to really save money. To only make a tank or so of it you'd have to run it as a blend you know mixed with pump fuel.

I think about doing it I have the space but then when you think about the start up and everything involved I get discouraged. Just getting a tank and a pump to hold 60 or so gallons of UVO from restaurants back to your shop alone would be a PITA. Your going to waste more fuel driving around picking up 5 gallons at a time. Around here most restaurants have a tanks outside they collect their oil in that you have to get it out of. All I can do is imagine the slippery mess!

Then the chemicals you need will draw the attention of Home Land Security so you'll have the feds up your ass every other week! :roflmao:

But as far as Bio goes I also have heard that it burns cleaner and it cleans you system. That is by far a better lubricant compared to Ultra Low sulfur fuel and also that it has a higher cetane rating which would result in better performance.

Time to eat more fried foods!

 

[super diesel]

The Bio I use to make (the stuff I bought was the same as it has lower BTUs from veggie, fish, and animal fats and oils) would loose about 10-12% power on the dyno (back to back same day) on the same tunes. I gained about 9-10% on the dyno (back to back same day) running stuff that was closer to crude (higher BTUs) like motor oils, trans fluids and such. It helps to have a heated filter system when running 100% of any of this stuff and it needs to be a warm day as well for success with it without running a completely heated fuel system and lines. A GOOD lift pump is always helpful and wise as well. Some may recall when I made a 2K mile trip on nothing but used motor oils, trans fluids, gear lube and mineral spirits (karosine can be substituted for the mineral spirits to thin the cocktail but the more used the lower the BTUs again). This was all done with 100% of the Bio fuel or oils compared to 100% diesel fuel. Just my experiences and findings.

 

[hondarider552]

I think the quality of bio is the key, and wether or not it is clean soy based or recycled veggie oil. I ran the soy in my LBZ for about 10k miles, no ill effects, just too far to fill up. I always have addatives in my tank, might throw in a few gallons of soy bio for more lubrication, but you wont catch me running 100% bio.

 

[Chevy1925]

im really half tempted to run used motor oil/atf. i have a few sources that would have plenty of it and we regularly have empty 250gal totes i could use for storage and what not. id just have to get a filtration setup that makes me feel comfortable mostly clean stuff is going in my tank. id still run a 50% diesel in the winter, maybe try 100% in the summer. hmmmm.

Mike, did you filter your stuff before using it?

 

[dmaxfireman]

im really half tempted to run used motor oil/atf. i have a few sources that would have plenty of it and we regularly have empty 250gal totes i could use for storage and what not. id just have to get a filtration setup that makes me feel comfortable mostly clean stuff is going in my tank. id still run a 50% diesel in the winter, maybe try 100% in the summer. hmmmm.

Mike, did you filter your stuff before using it?

you better filter the crap out of it, there are always trace metals particles in used motor oil... atf is a mild abrasive and i would not run that

 

[02greysixer]

I just got a call back from one of my restaurants and it's a go, just put my order in today for the processor :thumb: . The owner of this restaurant used to do his own biodiesel but sold his truck and bought a small gasser. He said he's got around 500 gallons of wvo stored up that I can have, and I can have anything the restaurant goes through from here on. Which is around 30 gallons a week. I plan to add another filter to my system and filter it down to 2 micron before it even goes in my fuel tank.


Sint frum tha orijinul smert fone

 

[super diesel]

im really half tempted to run used motor oil/atf. id still run a 50% diesel in the winter, maybe try 100% in the summer. hmmmm.

Mike, did you filter your stuff before using it?

Filtered it to the 9th power! I collected the used oil from folks doing oil changes for quite a while at first (still do some times). I built a home refining system that has 2 big pumps (compounded) and 3 canister filters (a 30mic first, 10mic second, and a 1mic). It has a 110gal tank that it gets the oil from and an be switched to recirculate or to fill something out side it's system. The pumps can peg a 120psi gauge on it and it uses 1" reinforced hoses. I use it for mixing and supplying.

I no longer use this concentration of pure oil. I only use about 1 to 1 1/2 gal of oil per 35 gal of Diesel. I found out that the injects would start coking up with running heavy concentrations for a long time (several tank fulls). I had to run Diesel with B44k and Sea foam to clean them off. I latter learned that the steam cleaning effect of W/M injection cleaned them off pretty dang well too. I do not run synthetics. I did once and found out it really smokes alot of white at low pressure and power levels (seems to be fine at high pressure and power levels). I have run ATF in all my diesels with no ill effects for hundreds of thousands of miles. I learned of this from my uncle and his buddies who have over the road trucks. I know of no problems that they have had over the decades. But who knows. I don't have hard data that it's bad for the motors at this point. I have no problems running 100% Bio in the summer, but it does have less BTUs available so you will use a little more. This fact is well documented and can be research on the net.

 

[Chevy1925]

Thanks mike. The oil would be non synthetic from the shop id get it from. Ill stick with a 25-50% mix then

 

[Hoover398]

Sounds like you're ready to go. I was talking to someone yesterday that used to run their own blend in their LB7 and they said they had a problem with their system losing its prime. They suspected the methanol ate the seals in the injection pump and caused it to leak off. Had anyone ever heard of this happening with bio? And does the LB7 have different seals compared to the newer engines?

 

[super diesel]

Be careful running that amount James for continuous use unless a track or dyno run is on the menu. May want to install a W/M system too for cleaning if black soot levels start getting high.

I've never had problems with 100% Bio and the Methanol in it to this point (pretty constant diet of it for a few years). I tested the hose I supplied with my lift pumps to make sure it wouldn't make them poop out over time with running it too (I was concerned with this). I cant speak for every one out there and there results. I'm just stating mine. The system I had made most of the methanol return to it's wash tank. Saved me a lot of funds on methanol. The best kits I've ever seen were the ones made by Dynadroit Diesel. Unfortunately he's not in business any more. A serious illness has taken him over. It's not something you recover from either.

 

[Hoover398]

I've heard people recommend using a lift pump also. Is there a reason that you would need one? I don't see why it would be necessary but I would like a secondary filter and they make a setup that has 2 filters and a pump all in one.

 

[02greysixer]

I have one, I'd get one if I was you too. I could be wrong but adding another filter without adding a lift pump would probably be bad for the cp3. And that's sad to hear about dynadroit diesel.


Sint frum tha orijinul smert fone

 

[Chevy1925]

Be careful running that amount James for continuous use unless a track or dyno run is on the menu. May want to install a W/M system too for cleaning if black soot levels start getting high.

I've never had problems with 100% Bio and the Methanol in it to this point (pretty constant diet of it for a few years). I tested the hose I supplied with my lift pumps to make sure it wouldn't make them poop out over time with running it too (I was concerned with this). I cant speak for every one out there and there results. I'm just stating mine. The system I had made most of the methanol return to it's wash tank. Saved me a lot of funds on methanol. The best kits I've ever seen were the ones made by Dynadroit Diesel. Unfortunately he's not in business any more. A serious illness has taken him over. It's not something you recover from either.

Really, what ratio would you recommend for a dd? Water meth wont be goin on the truck anytime soon.

 

[super diesel]

I would only use 1 to 1 1/2 gals of oil to your 34 gal tank James if your not going to clean the injects every now and again from heavier use of the oils. I only recommend 1 gal per tank on the smaller SB tanks. Like I said, you can use more at a track or dyno run though. I would put extra diesel in afterwards though to help keep the coking (ash build up) at bay. Nice to know what they will run on in a pinch (or emergency) eh.

Yea, it's sad about John (DynaDroit owner). Back in 2010 we were on a Elk hunt when I really started to notice things weren't going ok for him. I was sad to watch his health deteriorate as rapidly as it has. Whats saddest though is he isn't even 60 yet.

 

[greaseramax]

I run straight veggie oil in my 02 duramax. bought a golden fuel systems kit for the truck which is nice cause it has a separate tank, pump and filter. been three years now and still good. first real problem I had was this spring. I hadnt changed my motor oil in way too long due to laziness and found 4 extra quarts of oil(pretty sure was veggie). as far as I can tell I might have had a sticky valve that let it slowly drip down through, but I'm not engine savy either. anyway I changed the oil, ran about 20buck of injector cleaner through it and its been fine. I can tell you most anything about running straight veggie oil, nothing about bio diesel( veggie, lye, meth blend)

 

[blitzin247]

Bump to the top, any up dates? O real life experiences about running bio fuel, or ATF's etc? Im not talking about your opinion, or "I would never run that stuff in my truck" I want cold, hard, facts.

 

[BioMax]

Biodiesel

Here is my experience of 3 years using biodiesel: burns good. Used veg oil is easy to come by, at least it is here in eastern Ontario near Ottawa. I collect from chip trucks in a small town and take to a dude in the city (Facebook Ottawa Biofuel). He processes it with a small scale commercial processor. Occasionally there is some sediment on the bottom of the jugs when I get it from him. I just try to pour the clean stuff off the top and leave the cruddy stuff in the bottom. I usually run 40-70% biodiesel and the rest is the stuff that is destroying our planet's climate. Occasionally I'll burn B100. I've changed my fuel filter 3 or 4 times and put on 40,000km. When the fuel filter is starting to get clogged, you can tell. It will hesitate under heavy throttle. Ive never had it clog altogether to the point the truck wouldnt run. When it hits -25C I try not to have very much in the tank. But even when its B20 I havent had any issues. The fuel gets through, it just wont respond when you step on it.

THe truck is an '02 with 140km. Injectors never been done. The truck smoked on start and idle but now it doesnt smoke AT ALL. It took a few years, and got less and less to the point now that it doesnt smoke... ever. This is what big oil doesnt want you to know. Its better for your engine.

I havent noticed any loss of power.

The fuel is about the same price at what you'll pay at the pumps, but the price will not go up on a long wknd. I pay less than the price at the pumps. I would rather change my fuel filter slightly more often but extend the life of the injectors, fuel pump, and upper cylinder since they are cleaned and lubricated by biodiesel.

Iis a totally non-toxic fuel. I use it to clean my hands of grease. It has very little odour as a liquid. However when you burn it you might give people behind you a craving for some fries.

Give it a try, your Duramax will thank you.