I first came to these forms when I had an '88 250 with 7.3 5speed. Wanted to do bio but it didn't pan out and when my truck died and I could not afford the repairs, I parted it out.

Years later to about 1.5 months ago, I got a job from my uncle, took over his side business while he bought a new big business. In my new job description, I get all the wvo I need (personal too). Down side, his processing plant takes a couple days to make 50 gallons.

My father wanted a diesel so I found him a nice tool box truck, he wanted to build a processing plant to process his own oil purchased cheap from my ne business. I convinced him to pickup the Fully upgraded raw power centrafuge. With the new system, a new trade, the business gets the new processing plant and he gets all the oil he needs free.

Last week since all the trucks that fit my needs sold before I could see them, found one that would do, f350 crew cab 6.9l 3-speed auto.

Till I can install a full heated fuel system, I'm running a 70/30 wvo/diesel blend in this hot weather.


Going to be having a lot of fun experimenting with WVO systems.

 

glad to hear you are moving forward with the heated system. You might want to hold off on the blend. I've only heard bad things about running WVO blends in stock systems. It's bad for your mild steel tank, steel lines, fuel filter, etc etc.

If I were you, i'd process that oil and get a stock pile ready for when you have the two-tank system finished on your truck. Then you'll be running on grease.

 

I developed a clog somewhere in my lines for my front tank so I am in the process of removing the Front tank (cleaning the inflow/outflow), and replacing the fuel lines with some high grade/temp EDPM 3/8" and 1/4" for the return. The Blend, after dropping the tank is staying together rather than separating, it has a nice viscosity.

As soon as I get a paycheck or 2 from my new job, I will be running a Vegtherm right off the fuel tank for the time being and one before the injector pump. A Coolant based heater for the fuel tank and/or electric pad for the tank will be added towards the start of winter unless I get to it sooner. I got a second alternator and voltage regulator for it to run heater systems.

By July if not sooner I plan to run straight WVO as I have a 3200 mile round trip and figure a good 215 gallons but will have almost 300 gallons just to be on the safe side. Don't want to have to blend that, too expensive .

Going to spend a few hours before work tomorrow replacing the lines and if I get that far, re-install the fuel tank.

 

I think I just posted to your IDI forum post, but you could consider using aluminum lines instead of EDPM. the benefit is that you can run TOT (HOH) with other aluminum lines running coolant, then your fuel hoses will always have warm coolant around it. Insulate that bundle and you are set for winter.

It's great you are going to run a hotfox-style fuel pickup, that'll really help out. You should consider using an aluminum tank instead of your stock steel tanks. The veg oil will react with the steel and create a "chicken" skin that polymerizes and coats your fuel system. Eventually it will either constantly clog your Veg fuel filter every day, or it'll work itself into your IP and injectors, thus ruining your engine.

Your EDPM hoses will work too, but won't transfer heat as efficiently. Back in the early days of veg systems, lots of guys were running HOH rubber hoses, with 2 hoses for the WVO supply and WVO return, and 2 hoses running the coolant-in and coolant-out. It worked fine, my first conversion used that system, and with it being not a reactive metal, the risk of polymerization was much much much less. However, now I always do an aluminum HOH bundle, insulated with heavy duty foam insulation. The cross-section is a lot smaller than rubber, and the heat transfer is more efficient, so your fuel lines act like one big continuous heat exchanger (saving you money so you can use a 30-plate FPHE instead of a 40-plate ).

Vegtherm will be good for you for aux heat especially if you are in a Northern climate. Set up a switch so that you can turn it off at will, so that you don't overheat your oil when you are running in the summer months.

 

I'm simply starting off slowly, eventually I will be running a full heated system, even working on a design to heat the injector lines and such so I could potentially start and stop on WVO. I like control so I will have independent switches for the system, will eventually add a fuel temperature display. I have big plans in mind but its a slow and steady progress as my new job takes hold.

 

that's great. Much better than hastily making a system.

This can be dangerous. There is a small period of time when you can safely start and stop on veg, but I limit that to a ten minute period after shutting down an up-to-temp engine. If I know I'm going to have the engine off for more than ten minutes, then I do a full purge prior to shutdown.

The ingredients for polymerization are oxygen, reactive metal, heat, time, and idle grease. Leaving sitting veg in steel lines for extended periods of time will eventually result in polymerization of your fuel system, and especially since that is after your filter, it's risking a lot.

Starting and stopping on Diesel isn't the worst thing.

 

If starting and stopping on WVO does not work out, doing it on Diesel is just fine. I like to build and invent things. Try and do something better. If it does not work out, then it doesn't, no big deal.

The final system plan (as of now) is to have the tank transfer switch just before the injector pump, run a duel fuel filter system so I don't heat the Diesel Itself (as I understand it, you loose lubrication properties when you heat the diesel).