Forum:
Hi again, still reeling after the comments posted re. "wet feet", I was wondering any of you more seasoned fourtrak-ers, rocky-ists, etc., had any thoughts, experiences (good or bad), & indeed technical "savoir faire" that you could share on the subject of "bio diesel". I've read a few things on various forums & have yet to understand it to any great degree, as opinion seems to be divided on whether we could/should; if we can, then why?, whether mods are needed on various makes/models/motors; or indeed if one can just stick a gallon of the finest Mazola in the tank & head for the hills. I wondered to myself if this would be one for "OLDMINIMAN" as I understand, like me, he lives in France where,apparently, there are various small-producer groups.
Any thoughts would be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance.
biodiesel or veg oil
i run a 96 TD which in Jan converted to run on 100% rape seed oil. New injectors and extra heater. Works fine no problems. Has alittle less energy/power so puling trailer means changing down a bit earlier.
Will need to put adrop of diesel in in winter to help starting and have about 3 times filled it with diesel just to keep clean. Rape oil is nice on your hands!!! and to smell. Duty has just come off it if you use less than 2500 miles so now 60p/L in drums or 70p/L ish at Sainsburys but I'm tryin to stop using supermarkets.
I was warned that bio diesel can rot rubber seals in pipe lines, injection pump etc and i personally don't see the benefit if you need to use benzol etc to make it.
A recent forum entry on this site showed how many folk were running on 70/30, 60/40 etc rape and diesel.
Rabbiting on a bit now, if you want to know any specifics email me personally. I'm in East Sussex
veg oil
Hi All
'90 Fourtrak TDX, DL52 engine.
I run a 50/50, New rapeseed oil/diesel mix. As of yet no problems, and have not read any postings on this site as to actual problems, all legal re the new regs.
Oil flushed, and changed, new filter at each oil change, at normal recommened intervals,
(basic 15/40 Turbo oil) also fuel filter. Injecters still original, never been out for cleaning. Heater plugs, two replaced in my ownership. once yearly I put STP cleaner through the system with a tank full of plain diesel.
No loss of performance, exceleration or max speed, not that I could notice. quieter engine ,though have had the valve tappets adjusted.
No leaks from seal degradation, or fuel filter blockages.
No problems with winter starting, if you let the heater plugs do their job, (my battery is 6 years old, and is a good one) yes there is more smoke at start up.
MOTed all okay on a 50/50 mix, though the exhaust smell caused the tester to make a remark.
I have noticed that after a long periods of 1st and 2nd gear, low rev driving, on exceleration there is a noticable emmision of exhaust smoke,but this probably would be visible with straight diesel ??.
As long as Rapeseed oil is at a price to be competetive with diesel, I shall continue to use it, or that it begins to give me problems, which I will then post on this site.
Has any one had to pull apart a Fourtrak engine due to problems with veg oil or a veg oil/diesel mix,??????. Please let us know !!!!!!!!.
Edward (ews) '92 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX
Oil worries
Hi All,
I agree with Ews, it would be really helpfull if anyone could post any problems they have encountered and to mention what fuel they were using that may have caused this problem, be it veg, rapeseed, mixing of other oils etc. How long have you been using 50/50 rapeseed oil Ews..... I have a local biodiesel producer offering rapeseed but am nervous of damage to my much needed car.
Cheers
Mark
AKA Shiteknight
OMG, can I just nip to Asda
OMG, can I just nip to Asda then and buy some Rapeseed oil and put it in or does it have to be in equal parts 50/50 diesel oil??
Could you use it sometimes then diesel the rest of the time??
Would be good to know, especially with the price of Diesel lately.
svo
hi i have run 80% svo in thug my g plated fourtrak since i got it three years ago
problems, cold starting in the winter ( fixed by running A 50/ 50 mix and a bit of extra smoke, I admit to having to use a can of easi-start but that’s only because I didn’t have enough diesel in it, and one of my glow plugs is duff
fuel pump, well my engine stop solenoid is dead so it won’t turn off by the key but that isn't due to the svo things wear out, but my seals are fine ( I have taken the damn thing apart )
when changing the fuel filter half file with automatic gearbox fulid to lube the pump up stick the rest in the tank (i have done this without any problems)
result, flew through the emissions on the mot 3 times even passed when the pump was leaking as its not technically a fuel you can’t be having a fuel leak can you, better power response, quieter running
change engine oil every six months and flush the system (for which i use 5 litres of derv, that will un gum anything) run it for 40 minutes and drain refill with crap oil run for a week and replace filter and crap oil with some decent stuff
i have done some 25-30k miles like this without any problems in both my fourtrak and my shongun yes I smell like a chippy going down the road but at less then 60p per litre I could care less
as to 2500 litres per year that’s correct but keep the receipts for 6 years and don’t be mixing the stuff with white sprit or kerosene as both are a no no (big fine and duty payable on the whole lot)
bio vs rapeseed oil etc.
Hi firstly let me say that before moving out here we lived in West Sussex; maybe it's a smaller world than we think. Anyway, I've read a reasonable amount re. svo, bio, mixing, blending, blahblahblah, & frankly am not really any the wiser. Recently I heard about the lifting of duty etc & the 2500litre (?) thing. I've heard some of the stories also about the damage (serious or otherwise) that can be done, so all in all I suppose I was looking for someone to say "look this is how you do it & this is what happens after". Basic stuff to some but for me, a non mechanically-minded "guy that works with wood, but who likes to experiment & would love to be able to use a spanner to good effect", it's a little bit more of a mystery.
I've ordered the book "From fryer to fuel tank" & await its arrival as we speak, so I hope to learn a bit more from that, but I do prefer to hear 1st hand from those who have tried, even if it hasn't quite worked the way they thought it might.
I may be mailing in the near future, thank you for the offer.
'93 Fourtrak 2.8TDL
i own a volvo 940 desial i
i own a volvo 940 desial i ran it on bio fouel and it lasted a month pipes rotted and the main pump seal falied cost me £100 for pump plus fitting i run it on tesco veg oil 56p a liter and it runs brill just need a inline heater for it now as well into winter it runs on a % of 50 50
own a volvo 940 se desial and a fourtrak 2.8 turbo desial