Want to start brewing my own bio diesel, I'm just very affraid of hurting reliability. - Diesel Forum

Steve91T · 08-12-2007, 09:45 PM

Hey guys, I drive about 3 hours to work on average twice a week. It costs me a lot of money in fuel.

I've read a lot on brewing my own bio and I would really like to give it a shot. I'm just very afraid of hurting the reliability of my truck. I can't afford to break down every other week.

Is home brew bio for those who really don't travel like I do?

Thanks,
Steve

350 long rod · 08-12-2007, 10:16 PM

I have been running home brew in a 2000tdi,99 300td,and wvo and bio in the 89 f350 for a year and have not had one problem with the tdi or the 300td have not even clogged a filter truck has not had any problems other than filters from cleaning the tanks.

I use prefiltered oil to make mine and alwas have a good conversion water wash for 6 to 10 hours and dry realey good.With your style of injection you want to make sure you are very dry from what I have read or you can damage your injectors, due to the high presures.

VD350 · 08-12-2007, 11:08 PM

I did close to 2 weeks of research before I dove into home brew. www.b100supply.com is a great site to learn about titration, the process and anything about bio. I travel 100 miles round trip everyday and making bio really helped cut down fuel costs. Havent had a problem related to it yet

Murphy2000 · 08-13-2007, 02:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hey guys, I drive about 3 hours to work on average twice a week. It costs me a lot of money in fuel.

I've read a lot on brewing my own bio and I would really like to give it a shot. I'm just very afraid of hurting the reliability of my truck. I can't afford to break down every other week.

Is home brew bio for those who really don't travel like I do?

Thanks,
Steve

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Steve,
Welcome to the world of Biodiesel.
The first thing to get over is the weird feeling of putting something foriegn into your tank.
Did you know Rudolf Diesel ran his engine on peanut oil? Yup..! that's right.

Biodiesel is recognized by the US Department of Energy as a "Direct alternative to regular diesel".
Many of the US states are starting to mandate some percentage of it in all petrol.

In short, it wont hurt your vehicle. In fact, after you've been running it for a while, you'll notice you don't have to change your fuel filters as often.. Why? Because biodiesel is a cleaner fuel than diesel fuel.. Its a natural solvent and tends to clean up your engine of the gunk left behind by petrol diesel fuel.

There are some great sites to get started..

www.biodieselcommunity.org
www.biodiesel.infopop.cc
www.biodiesel.org
www.MurphysMachines.com
www.UtahBioDieselSupply.com
www.B100Supply.com

Make sure to learn all you need from the first 2 on that list.

Good luck.

F350Crew4x4 · 08-13-2007, 08:55 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I did close to 2 weeks of research before I dove into home brew. www.b100supply.com is a great site to learn about titration, the process and anything about bio. I travel 100 miles round trip everyday and making bio really helped cut down fuel costs. Havent had a problem related to it yet

[/ QUOTE ]
2 weeks you must be a master!!!

hheynow · 08-13-2007, 10:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]

2 weeks you must be a master!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

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

VD350 · 08-13-2007, 11:18 AM

2 weeks to track down and learn the different washing methods, drying methods, and to figure out how to make our processor because lord knows everyone has different experiences. The grasshopper hasnt become the master yet but I havent had a 27/3 test fail yet [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] knock on wood

taxmame · 08-13-2007, 12:08 PM

Clocked almost 20K on 100% homebrew... not a single problem in almost 2 years.

Make good fuel, dont cut corners, wash it, dry it and you wont have troubles.

Have fun!!

fabricator01 · 08-13-2007, 09:42 PM

Well made bio is as good as or better than dino, hopefully you dont get this carried away.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/...1/DSC00820.jpg

Sparkydm · 08-13-2007, 10:43 PM

That's the most intense home brew setup I've seen!
It looks custom. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

Murphy2000 · 08-14-2007, 12:45 AM

Geewhiz,

where have I seen that before?

How do you heat that big thing? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

fabricator01 · 08-14-2007, 06:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
That's the most intense home brew setup I've seen!
It looks custom. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh it is. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

fabricator01 · 08-14-2007, 06:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]

Geewhiz,

where have I seen that before?

How do you heat that big thing? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey murph wassup? Boilers still going strong.

Steve91T · 08-14-2007, 08:57 AM

OK, I'm convinced. There are still some things that I need to read up on . For example, what do people do with the left over product from making bio? How much extra electricity is used to heat the stuff to 130 degrees? Questions like that.

Now also, there are systems many systems out there, so I need to figure out which one will be best for me. I've been looking a lot on the B100 supply site.

I travel for a living (airline pilot) and I end up driving 3 hours to the airport about twice a week. When I'm home with only 2 or 3 days off, I don't want to be spending all of my time making fuel.

How long does a batch take you guys once you've gotten some practice?
Also is it bad to every now and then fill up with straight diesel? (ultra low probably)

Thanks guys for your responses,
Steve

taxmame · 08-14-2007, 11:33 AM

I have mine set up on timers and things like that.

Touch time for me is only about and hour, maybe and hour and a half. I have the heaters kick on at a certain time and the oil is ready by the time I get home from work. Do the titration and the test batch the night before, check it in the morning and set the heater timer. Come home, mix chemicals, add to the oil, turn stuff on and walk away. 2 hours later I come back and add water for a pre wash and then let it settle.

Washing is simple. Add the water, set the timer on the bubbler and walk away.

Drying, set up the heater timer and its warm by the time I get home from work, turn on the pump and fan and walk away. Come back an hour or 2 later and turn it off. Pump it through the filters into a barrle and done.

Like I said, maybe and hour and a half tops on touch time.