Mileage question for you converts?

[Jaackman]

How many miles have you driven on Veggie oil? Have you taken any long trips running on pure Veggie oil? Has you driving time been interupted by anything associated with the Veggie fuel like plugged filters ,injecter trouble or things of that nature?

[wellrooted]

I now have over 3,000 veggie miles on the truck and I recently replaced the fuel pump. Was it veggie related? I don't know. The longest trip was on the way back from Missouri where it was converted--850 miles and didn't stop at one gas station on the way.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[roreri]

I too have over 3000 miles on the truck now. A 96 F250 PSD 4x4. Have ordered a Tymar air filter, and next will be adding a dp.

Again I too have had fuel pump (lift pump) problems. After I took it out and looked at it, it was clean as a whistle, there was some fine particles floating in the fuel that was there. I wouldn't call it dust maybe wet dust.

Seems that the grease had cleaned out the fuel lines and pumps ect. Any way thats the way I think I see it and I'm sticking to it... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I did have a problem with a loose fuel hose sucking in air after the fuel filter had about 1000 miles. Fixed that today.
Other that that, with my fifty gallon tank, and getting about 14 mpg. I just love it. It gives you a different kind of feeling driving "out there" knowing you don't have to stop and fill up on dino fuel... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

roreri

[rockhead55]

Way to early to say for sure, but my mileage seems unchanged in my vast 500 miles of veggie experience [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] .

Glenn

[Lobstah]

Where did you get your tank?
I've been looking for a decent tank about that size for my truck, just haven't made up my mind yet...

Lob

[roreri]

I just used an old plastic type that was used by a pressure washing company. It has a 6 or 8 inch top, and was easy to convert.
I finaly found <font color="red">this place </font> it has all sizes and shapes of tanks. The only drawback is the fact that the tanks need to be reinforced. To me this is not a problem, as I plan to use 2 inch foam insulation, and plywood. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]I am up for suggestions for the outer shell, plywood just seems out of character for my diezel. I have found a large truck box at the ole WalMart, but haven't gone any further with that idea. Too many other issues at this time to really focus on another project. Haven't finished half of the other projects I start, wife will Amen that one...

My goal is to have a tank of at least 50 gallons and up to 100 that will sit below the top of the bed. Then use a Tonno cover to make the truck look more pleasing to the eye, and not have a big tank glaring everyone in the eyes...

roreri

[ToddT]

Roreri,

Thanks for the link to the tank vendor. I noticed on their site that polyethylene has a max temp of 140 and 150 (linear and cross linked)... not enough for the goal of 180 on SVO/WVO use. The polypropylene has a 200 plus temp range. Sounds much better. But, its not intended for sub-freezing weather.

Anyone else using plastic tanks? I'm leaning toward a metal tank even if it costs more $.

[rockhead55]

[ QUOTE ]
not enough for the goal of 180 on SVO/WVO use

[/ QUOTE ] Dear lord are you trying to cook calamari or drive ? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Seriously though how much heat are trying to apply to the tank? I can think of a whole lot of reasons to not have 100 gallons of hot oil in my truck. Accidents resulting in burns and fires come to the fore.

The topic of tank-heating was recently hashed over at biodiesel.infopop.cc with the observations of one danalinscott that he heats only the pickup on his tank and he lives in a climate of solid veggie oil in the winter. By only heating a small amount less energy is needed and you needn't worry about wearing the tank contents in a crash.

My plan for my truck will go something like this heat pickup/tank enough to lower viscosity and ensure easy pumping, add heat to hose full of fuel to ensure easy filter passage, add (possibly thermostatically controlled electric) heat to filtered fuel to ensure low viscosity fuel available to IP.

Glenn

[jdkline]

I think fire is not a big concern with hot veggie oil for the same reason you don't see diesels burst into flames in accidents like gassers do. That is, veggie oil has an even higher flash point than diesel fuel. Something well over 400*F. It will not self ignite in an accident. Now if you have a hot open flame, watch out!!! Grease fires in the kitchen ae very serious, and I almost got into touble last week trying to boil some water off of a test batch of biodiesel. If exposed to an open flame long enough to reach the flashpoint, veggie will burn explosively and very hot!! Heated or no. Best to not worry about it and heat it to 170-180. However, there's no real need that it be that hot in your tank. I'd listen to danalinscott. he has LOTS of trouble free miles on veggie with a 7.3 IDI. Biggest thing about teh heat is it has to be applied before it hits the injector pump. It doesn't matter where or how.

[fordnut74]

I now have over 2000 miles on mostly veggie oil. I have filled the tank once during that time with diesel for good measure. I went through the original fuel filter in the first 200 miles of SVO, but have about 1800 miles so far on the second. I do not preheat anywhere and have cold started at 45* with SVO and block heater not plugged in. I have noticed that my MPG has gone down a bit with SVO. I just barely made 400 miles on a tank of highway cruising. It is a great feeling though knowing that I have an extra 50 gallons or so of veggie oil in the back of the truck [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img], and that I have spent about $50 in diesel in the last 2,000 miles. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]