SVO less power / less mileage than Dino. Do I need more heat?

[TravisT]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but I've been away from this forum for a long time. Thanks for looking.

Now keep in mind that it is SVO and not Bio blend, but I've heard some people say that their SVO has the same power output or more than Diesel. If this is true, then why isn't mine that way? I'm wondering if perhaps the oil is cooling once it enters the stock fuel filter.

Also, it seems like the oil mileage blows compared to diesel. Maybe 12 mpg/oil compared to maybe 15 mpg/#2.

[93turbo'd_animal]

the guys that say they get more power are probally just giddy cause of the cheap fuel [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]veggie oil has les BTUs per volume then diesel so it takes more oil to produce same amount of power worse milleage and less power but who cares its free fuel [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

[danalinscott]

There are some indications that (properly converted,timed, and adjusted) VO fuel provides a slight increase in torque with a light decrease in HP. But you only notice this at WOT. (wide open thottle).

[freds]

[ QUOTE ]
There are some indications that (properly converted,timed, and adjusted) VO fuel provides a slight increase in torque with a light decrease in HP. But you only notice this at WOT. (wide open thottle).

[/ QUOTE ]

That must have been what I had last week. Charging up the pass with full tanks dragging a enclosed trailer with four sleds. Was running 20 inches of boost at 70MPH, treating the rest of the traffic like they were stationary objects LOL! Coolant temp was a little high but other then that it was working!

Yeah there might be a little less power though my right foot seems to adjust just fine!

[Dave Whitmer]

SVO has less heating value than dino-diesel. That is where your power and MPG went because ultimately it is heat rate than turns the shaft.

That said, the power problem is not insurmountable. I’m sure Swamp or one of his competitors could make an injector that would flow enough SVO to compensate for the lower heating value. More fluid flow is what these guys are about. More SVO per unit time = more heat per unit time = more power.

You are dead meat on the MPG thing. Hope your SVO is cheap enough to justify this. You ought to see the lousy mileage gas engines get on E-100. Same reason. Gas engines could partially compensate by taking advantage of the huge octane rating of denatured alcohol, but the EPA would have a cow over the NOx emissions of an engine with 14:1 compression and really advanced spark timing.

[JOAT]

BTU difference is not always the deciding factor in fuel efficiency or power. Just because in a lab Vegoil has a lower BTU value does not mean in any given engine it will produce less HP or fuel economy. If the injection pattern, timing, etc are more ideal for a particular fuel then it will waste less of the available energy. Odds are with extensive mods the increased fuel delivery will disproportionately favor #2 over vegoil as the #2 atomizes easier. Alternately the increased viscosity of vegoil may result in a longer burn time which in some engines may be beneficial.

No. 2 diesel BTU/gal. 140,000
Raw vegetable oil BTU/gal. 130,000

It's hard for me to get a fair comprison, as I am comparing #2 used in my average daily driving to vegoil used mostly on the highway portion of my day. The vegoil mpg is easy to calculate as I can use a yardstick to accurately measure fuel used in my tank.

Average commute #2 only, 20.1 mpg
Average both fuels 70%ish vegoil, slightly higher
Average vegoil portion only, above 21 mpg
Average #2 portion only, about 19mpg

Power is subjective w/o a dynomometer, but it is not noticeably less on mine. It does feel smoother tho and thus seems faster. Vegoil does not respond as radicaly powerwise to my EOT mod the way #2 does, FWIW.

I would guess a finer injector spray pattern would be beneficial to MPG, possibly at the expense of power.