WVO Range Rover p38

Theanswers

Hi,
I'm currently running my p38 on up to 80% WVO, filtered obviously. I've had no trouble and have done over 5000 mls.

However as the days are getting colder It's getting hard started. I've ordered a Pre-heater system on eBay which I am going to install to try and counter the problems I am having. However I only know this will help when the car has warmed up.

Any tips, on how to reduce the gelling point of Veg Oil?
and help to reduce my starting woos?

Thanks:D

Matt Simis

Theanswers wrote: »

Hi,
I'm currently running my p38 on up to 80% WVO, filtered obviously. I've had no trouble and have done over 5000 mls.

However as the days are getting colder It's getting hard started. I've ordered a Pre-heater system on eBay which I am going to install to try and counter the problems I am having. However I only know this will help when the car has warmed up.

Any tips, on how to reduce the gelling point of Veg Oil?
and help to reduce my starting woos?

Thanks:D

Try some of these:
http://www.oilybits.com/additives/cat_418.html

Could also try mixing in Kerosene (illegal but effective) or increase the diesel content. Dont recommend Petrol, especially not with the fuel line heater.

Have you improved the water separator/pre-heated it? Change the filter recently?

Theanswers

Thanks that looks like the stuff I need.
I bought a Bio Diesel Processor however have not got around to using that yet. Decided I would use WVO. I'm going to hopefully install the preheater next week, It only heats the fuel line. Uses Glow Plugs initially and then the heat of the engine coolant.

I think if I ad this to the veg oil It should do the trick. I only have one single tank.
What does people think?
Thanks for the help so far.

Chimaera

Stop using the WVO and go back to diesel. If you feel you must use it, then turn it into biodiesel. It'll make utter crap out of the engine internals.

Here's an example of what can happen when running WVO: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=199082

Mycroft H

^ In fairness it all depends on the engine whether it can handle veg oil.

Older indirect injection lumps can work, whereas the something like a common rail direct injection diesel would just be silly running on veg oil

Chimaera

Chimaera wrote: »

Stop using the WVO and go back to diesel. If you feel you must use it, then turn it into biodiesel. It'll make utter crap out of the engine internals.

Here's an example of what can happen when running WVO: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=199082

Depends completely on the engine, many diesels run for thousands upon thousands of miles with no issue on WVo once it's been filtered properly.

Theanswers

Thanks for the replies....

I believe the p38 RR is perfectly suited to running on WVO. That's what the forum say anyways, wouldn't dare put WVO into a newer diesel, it just wouldn't work....

Anyways, do you guys know of any device to heat the diesel tank?

Chimaera

If we were talking about fresh veg oil, I'd agree. The problem with WVO is the crap that gets into it while it's in the fryer.

Veg and animal fats are triesters of fatty acids and glycerol. Veg oils have carbon chain lengths in the C14-C18 range, animal fats are higher, about C18-C23.

Contaminants that get in from the food:
Animal fats
Solid particles
Water
Salt

Additionally, you have thermal breakdown of the veg oil which results in:
Free Fatty Acids
Glycerol

Of these, only the solids can be filtered out. It leaves the water and glycerol. Chances are there's too much water for the vehicle's fuel filter to remove, so that'll get through to the engine. So will the glycerol. When glycerol burns it turns into a sticky black goo. Water just makes everything rust and it's a really bad lubricant too (remember your fuel system components are lubricated by the fuel).

If you're prepared to take the time at it, using a hot water wash followed by a few weeks of settling, you can remove most of the water and glycerol too. This can get out the solids and salt as well. You're now left with a mixture of veg and animal fats and FFAs. Best thing to do with this now is make biodiesel out of it.

Animal fats will raise the melting point a fair bit, so expect this stuff to be gelling around now. Adding an inline heater will not stop it gelling in the fuel pump or the fuel tank. The only way around this is to have a 2 tank system with a heated tank for the veg oil, and to run a purge with diesel for several km before shutdown so that there's only diesel in the pump.