Is this a good blend for year round 7.3 IDI? - Diesel Forum

rsr911 · 07-13-2008, 10:52 PM

Been up late reading many posts, don't really want to go the biodiesel route, at least not yet. I've come up with this blend and wonder if it will work year round.

WVO 65%
Kerosene or Diesel 20%
RUG 5%
Industrial naptha 10%

Can I run this single tank without heating but using a block heater in the winter? Trying to avoid dual tanks etc. as many times my trips are short.

I'm also installing a remote start system on the Van ('91 E350) that has the ability to start the vehicle at specified intervals an let it run for specified time, say 15 minutes every 2 hours on really cold nights. Had this setup on a new gas truck and it was nice, set it the same time everynight and it would startup and idle for 20 minutes every 3 hours. I'd set it nightly at 10PM and come out to a warm truck with clear windows when it was time to go to work. Anyway I don't want it to idle on straight diesel at $4.70+ a gallon. I mention industrial naptha, it's VMP naptha that I can buy in 55 gallon drums for about 4.90 a gallon thru my company.

Is the above blend at least a good starting point, any recommended additives? I live in Ohio, it get's down to 0F on occasion. I can plug the truck in both at home and at work to keep the block warm.

rsr911 · 07-19-2008, 12:23 AM

Looking to try this in a small batch this weekend. Lot's of views of this post but no replies

Anyone have any experience with a similar blend?

rsr911 · 07-19-2008, 08:37 PM

Well I've got 5 gallons in the tank, I also added 0.5% Acetone (supposed to dissolve animal fats) and 1% pure gum turpentine. I'll know in the morning how it cold starts. Runs fine but seems to be down on power a touch. I say seems because I still have an issue with the tranny that I can't nail down. Doesn't kickdown like it should all the time and shifts very soft sometimes and rougher others. The engine otherwise sounds the same as with the 25% WVO blend. There's a little WMO in there too, I forgot I put it in my WVO drum during my last oil change. Not much, less than 8% of the total WVO content.

I've come to the conclusion reading on the web and other forums that everyone seems to have their own special formula and it's the only one worth using yada yada. The biodiesel infopop site is almost annoying with all the arguing back and forth. It's difficult to get any real info. If power still seems to be down tommorrow I'm gonna make another blend with some cetane booster.

I ran viscosities on both the blend and straight diesel in my lab. Brookfield RV, spindle 1, 50 rpm. I got 13.2 cps for diesel and 22.3 for the blend. I need to run the WMO and WVO as well for a good comparision. I also ran lbs/gallon but forgot the numbers, the blend is heavier than the diesel by a small margin.

I was all set to put in my prefilter today when I took a closer look at the fuel line and discovered it's mostly plastic, particularily in the area I want to put the filter. I'll have a look again tommorrow and perhaps replace it with some aluminum line I have in my basement since I've got all the AN fittings etc. that I would need then just tie it into the rubber lines at the tank and engine.

hheynow · 07-20-2008, 10:15 AM

IMO your WVO% is too high for winter w/o a heating source. I don't consider a block heater a heating source because it doesn't heat your tank. Save yourself a lot of trouble by blending your mixes in sealed glass jars and putting them in the fridge. This will give you an idea of what you're up against.

rsr911 · 07-20-2008, 02:03 PM

Well I think I found the source of the lost power, the engine fuel filter clogged today. This is the third filter I've clogged since going to blends. I haven't taken it off yet but the last two had stuff in them that seemed to come out of the fuel system not the blend. It's as if the blends are loosening up crap in the tank and lines. I've heard this can be a problem. I'm gonna try and get the prefilter on one way or another today as the engine filters are $26 each.

I'm cold filtering the WVO first through a 75 micron, then 25, then 5, then pumping through a 2 micron so I think I've got the filtration down on the fuel side. I pour through the 75 into my collection drum then through the 25 into my settling drum, then out of the settling drum through a 5 micron. Blend then pump through the 2 micron into my storage drum. The last filter had grit far too large to pass through even my 75 micron filter. I figure I capture the gunk in the fuel system with the prefilter until the tank and lines are cleaned out saving me from replacing engine filters so often.

I do plan to refridgerate and even freeze samples then check viscosities at those temps. I'll try to find a blend that is thin enough at winter time temps as well as spring and fall blends.

I'm wondering if the factory block mounted lift pump can handle a prefilter inline before it or should I put in an electric pump such as the holley pump?

rsr911 · 07-21-2008, 12:48 AM

Well I've now got a nice 3/8" aluminum fuel line front to back with a filter in the middle. Running a Fram PH8A oil filter for now until I find a fuel filter that fits the bracket. I had a bunch of the fuel line in the basement from my old drag car. I had used it for the regulator to carb only using 5/8" feed and 1/2" return in that application. Anyway I also had almost all the AN fittings I needed so I did it that way. Just a short rubber line at the tank and another at the metal line near the engine. I'm gonna take a look at the fitting where the engine line meets the pump and see if I can't make it out of aluminum as well then tie it into the new lines. I could use some -6AN braided hose I have lying around as well.

The best news is the truck has all it's power back. I drained the tank and added 0.5% cetane boost then made another batch with the cetane boost already in it so I've got 10 gallons of this blend in the truck now and it's running pretty good. It was just slightly harder to start this morning but it still had the clogged filter in it. I'm thinking it should start just fine in the morning. I'm gonna run it for a few days then remove and cut open the prefilter to see what it's collected.

rsr911 · 07-21-2008, 10:57 AM

Well running great today, put about 50 miles on it. Started just fine, slight rough idle for 10-15 seconds then smooth as ever. The new filter and fuel lines seem to be working great as well. I was concerned the engine mounted lift pump wouldn't like pulling through a pre-filter but it doesn't seem to be a problem. I'd still like to replace the spin on Fram PH8A oil filter with a spin on fuel filter, anyone know of a spin on fuel filter with 3/4" x 16" mounting like a PH8A?