Vegi oil in W123 300D in Thailand

[nakhonsi sean]

I am planning to start using waste vegi oil in my old 300D. Have looked at several websites covering this, all of which have come from noerthern countries. There seems to be a problem with cold weather starting. None of them say what the temperatures were. As I am sitting here in Southern Thailand where the temperature has never dropped below 20C am I right in assuming I can ignore the need for heating the WVO and second tanks? Even early in the morning the temp is rarely below 25C!

As fuel prices have increased here threefold (20ppl to 60ppl, may sound little to those in Europe but in local terms its a hardship) I am planning on using 100% WVO.

I would appreciate any advice, info, comments or experience on the subject.

Cheers

 

[Dosco]

I am planning to start using waste vegi oil in my old 300D. Have looked at several websites covering this, all of which have come from noerthern countries. There seems to be a problem with cold weather starting. None of them say what the temperatures were. As I am sitting here in Southern Thailand where the temperature has never dropped below 20C am I right in assuming I can ignore the need for heating the WVO and second tanks? Even early in the morning the temp is rarely below 25C!

As fuel prices have increased here threefold (20ppl to 60ppl, may sound little to those in Europe but in local terms its a hardship) I am planning on using 100% WVO.

I would appreciate any advice, info, comments or experience on the subject.

Cheers

Welcome to the forum and whilst I am not an 'oil burner' myself rather a petrol head I have read many posts on this site for those either wishing to use 'used' or even 'new' vegi oil I am sure that you will get some help and hopefully positive guidance, anyway good hunting in your quest.

 

[roadhog]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I run SVO in my '93 300D with no modifications and no problems so I think you should be OK. Cold starting isn't too much of a problem, in the colder months I mix it with pump diesel, usually about 20/80 diesel/SVO.

If you're planning on using WVO, make sure you have a reliable source where you know what it's been used for, something I'm lacking at the moment. Here in the UK many chippies (probably less applicable for you) use Palm oil which isn't suitable, Rapeseed or Soya is the way to go.
You need to leave it to settle a couple of weeks and filter it properly before use. Be ready to change the fuel filters a couple of times early on as the veg oil tends to clean all the muck out of your tank. It may be wise to make sure your glow plugs and injectors are up to scratch. You may also get a few fuel leaks from various rubber fuel lines but that's about it.
Hope this helps.

Oh and dosco, you can be both a petrol head and an oil burner

 

[nakhonsi sean]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I run SVO in my '93 300D with no modifications and no problems so I think you should be OK. Cold starting isn't too much of a problem, in the colder months I mix it with pump diesel, usually about 20/80 diesel/SVO.

If you're planning on using WVO, make sure you have a reliable source where you know what it's been used for, something I'm lacking at the moment. Here in the UK many chippies (probably less applicable for you) use Palm oil which isn't suitable, Rapeseed or Soya is the way to go.
You need to leave it to settle a couple of weeks and filter it properly before use. Be ready to change the fuel filters a couple of times early on as the veg oil tends to clean all the muck out of your tank. It may be wise to make sure your glow plugs and injectors are up to scratch. You may also get a few fuel leaks from various rubber fuel lines but that's about it.
Hope this helps.

Oh and dosco, you can be both a petrol head and an oil burner

Thanks for the reply.

The point on palm oil. Almost all the veg oil here is palm oil, I am right in the middle of one of the worlds largest palm oil producing areas! A few kilometres from my home you can look from one horizon to the other and see nothing but palm and rubber plantations. I have not been able to figure this one out, the palm oil we get here is a light golden colour and does not seem to change even if used and put into the fridge. My wife uses it every day and I can't see any difference from any other oil. If it is for another reason that one should not use palm oil, cetane rating etc., then I am going to have a problem.

Rapeseed oil is not available, sunflower oil runs at about 2 pounds a litre. There is soya oil but not sure if I could get a supply as it is more expensive so doubt restaurants will use it.

Cheers

 

[roadhog]

Hi, I'll have to dig out some more info.

From memory, the palm oil used here solidifies when it cools to ambient temperature with obvious results in your car.
The cetane rating is fine, I think it's the melting point of the oil/fat that'll cause problems. There's nothing to stop you from turning it into bio diesel though, not sure if that's an option for you?

I'll try and find some more info.

 

[nakhonsi sean]

Hi, I'll have to dig out some more info.

From memory, the palm oil used here solidifies when it cools to ambient temperature with obvious results in your car.
The cetane rating is fine, I think it's the melting point of the oil/fat that'll cause problems. There's nothing to stop you from turning it into bio diesel though, not sure if that's an option for you?

I'll try and find some more info.

Thanks

Does not sound like it will be a problem here then, ambient temperature is somewhat akin to oven temperatures on full heat! All the palm oil I have seen is liquid at any ambient temperature I have experienced here. Maybe the palm oil sold in Europe is processed in a different way.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

It will be fine although you should bear in mind the inside of your engine will be a fair bit sootier Perhaps pour in a cleaning additive with each tankful, or dilute it slightly with diesel?

 

[roadhog]

Sorry, no matter how much I try, I can't find the bit where I read about the palm oil. I think it was more to do with the solidifying than anything else. It is widely used to manufacture Bio diesel so probably be OK.
I would start with adding a small amount of oil to your diesel to start with and then gradually increase the percentage and monitor the effects rather than going 100% straight away.
Whatever you do, make sure you keep us posted.

Parrot, I'm not sure I'd agree with the sooty engine. AFAIK veg oil burns cleaner than diesel, it's got better detergent properties so all in all I'd have thought you'd end up with a nice clean engine?

 

[jibcl500]

Ive used 100% for several years on older Vauxhalls, modern cars tend to suffer as the seals and pump can wear or fail.

Recommend using veg but try adding some paraffin or just a little diesel to take the thickness away. otherwise plain sailing.

jib

 

[nakhonsi sean]

OK, sounds good, use a bit of diesel as well. About the rubber seals, should I have them changed before I start or wait and see how things go, how quickly would they deteriorate, days, months, years?

I am doing this with a friend from South Africa, he has an old series 3 Land Rover with an Isuzu 2.8 diesel fitted. We plan to set up a solar powered heating tank to start conditioning the WVO, lots of nasty hot sunshine here! Hoping to make about 200 litres per month.

 

[roadhog]

Do the seals as and when (if) they go. I say if because there's a chance you'll get some leaks but not necessarily so.
I've been running mine on SVO for the past 20 odd thousand miles and have only had to replace a couple of return fuel lines. I've seen reports of the seals on top of the fuel pump leaking but that's an easy enough fix if it happens.

How are you conditioning your oil? Are you making bio diesel? I would just leave the waste oil to settle for something like a couple of weeks and pour off the top 2/3rds to run in your car. The bottom 1/3rd just add to your next batch of oil and let it settle again. Once you get to a certain amount of sediment just stick in on your compost heap.

Obviously making 'proper' bio diesel would be better but the above method should be OK for your car.
Is the Isuzu direct or indirect injection and has it got a rotary or an inline injector pump?

 

[nakhonsi sean]

Do the seals as and when (if) they go. I say if because there's a chance you'll get some leaks but not necessarily so.
I've been running mine on SVO for the past 20 odd thousand miles and have only had to replace a couple of return fuel lines. I've seen reports of the seals on top of the fuel pump leaking but that's an easy enough fix if it happens.

How are you conditioning your oil? Are you making bio diesel? I would just leave the waste oil to settle for something like a couple of weeks and pour off the top 2/3rds to run in your car. The bottom 1/3rd just add to your next batch of oil and let it settle again. Once you get to a certain amount of sediment just stick in on your compost heap.

Obviously making 'proper' bio diesel would be better but the above method should be OK for your car.
Is the Isuzu direct or indirect injection and has it got a rotary or an inline injector pump?

I have been reading a couple of online articles/guides and thought I would follow them. Heat up the oil and let it settle in a tank/oil barrel with a tap at the bottom, drain off any grunge. Take the clear oil and filter. Leave to settle for a few weeks and use. Thought I might add some white spirit to break up any fats remaining in the oil. Will also ask my mechanic to fit an additional clear fuel filter before the main one.

I believe the Isuzu engine is an indirect injection model but will check. Injector pump, no idea but will try to find out. Why?

Thanks

 

[roadhog]

I wouldn't bother with the heating unless you're going the whole hog and make bio. The heating process really only aids mixing the various ingredients so if you're just trying to get the contaminants out it won't do much. Just leave it for as long as you can and let gravity do it's bit.

If you're fitting a tap to the bottom of your barrel make sure you use a stack pipe at least 6" high. Don't try to drain off the sediment, you'll just get contaminated oil again. Leave it to settle, pump off the clean oil from the top or drain using a stack pipe, once you're down to the sediment either manually scoop it out and dispose of or mix it with your next batch and leave to settle again.

Rotary pumps do not like cold veg oil. That's one of the reasons why people fit twin tank conversions and fuel heaters to their cars. Ours have inline pumps which can tolerate cold oil.

 

[nakhonsi sean]

I wouldn't bother with the heating unless you're going the whole hog and make bio. The heating process really only aids mixing the various ingredients so if you're just trying to get the contaminants out it won't do much. Just leave it for as long as you can and let gravity do it's bit.

If you're fitting a tap to the bottom of your barrel make sure you use a stack pipe at least 6" high. Don't try to drain off the sediment, you'll just get contaminated oil again. Leave it to settle, pump off the clean oil from the top or drain using a stack pipe, once you're down to the sediment either manually scoop it out and dispose of or mix it with your next batch and leave to settle again.

Rotary pumps do not like cold veg oil. That's one of the reasons why people fit twin tank conversions and fuel heaters to their cars. Ours have inline pumps which can tolerate cold oil.

Thanks, your making the process easier!

Will water content also settle enough? I thought the heating was to ''dry'' the oil.

Will check the pump but what is the story on direct or indirect injection?