Running a G350 Turbo Diesel on biofuel - info wanted

Don't do it!!!!!

I believe if you dig deep enough you will find a internal document that says it's not possible without damage - a warranty issue could be a problem also!!

Oil industry troll - perhaps one day!!!

It's true I never thoroughly read the content  - the fact I have a G350 I naturally assumed your vehicle was the same - as  I have no knowledge or interest in 17year old vehicles I will not attempt to help any further.

To: Isle of Man,

Yes, I am sure that this would be the case for your G350 Bluetec: if you were to use vegetable oil or indeed biodiesel in your G you would surely destroy that delicate high-pressure injection pump. Or the very sofisticated injectors. Or both. But that's not indeed the case with older Mercedes diesels. The OM616/617 and OM601/602/603 (indirect injection versions only) run lovely on rapeseed or sunflower oils, as proven by the thousands of users who run them thus. Use the link in my previous post and find for yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine#Quality_and_variety_of_fuels

Diesel fuel is a form of light fuel oil, very similar to kerosene/paraffin, but diesel engines, especially older or simple designs that lack precision electronic injection systems, can run on a wide variety of other fuels. Some of the most common alternatives are Jet A-1 type jet fuel or vegetable oil from a very wide variety of plants. Some engines can be run on vegetable oil without modification, and most others require fairly basic alterations. Biodiesel is a pure diesel-like fuel refined from vegetable oil and can be used in nearly all diesel engines. Requirements for fuels to be used in diesel engines are the ability of the fuel to flow along the fuel lines, the ability of the fuel to lubricate the injector pump and injectors adequately, and its ignition qualities (ignition delay, cetane number). Inline mechanical injector pumps generally tolerate poor-quality or bio-fuels better than distributor-type pumps. Also, indirect injection engines generally run more satisfactorily on bio-fuels than direct injection engines. This is partly because an indirect injection engine has a much greater 'swirl' effect, improving vaporisation and combustion of fuel, and because (in the case of vegetable oil-type fuels) lipid depositions can condense on the cylinder walls of a direct-injection engine if combustion temperatures are too low (such as starting the engine from cold).

It is often reported that Diesel designed his engine to run on peanut oil, but this is not the case. Diesel stated in his published papers, "at the Paris Exhibition in 1900 (Exposition Universelle) there was shown by the Otto Company a small diesel engine, which, at the request of the French Government ran on Arachide (earth-nut or pea-nut) oil (see biodiesel), and worked so smoothly that only a few people were aware of it. The engine was constructed for using mineral oil, and was then worked on vegetable oil without any alterations being made. The French Government at the time thought of testing the applicability to power production of the Arachide, or earth-nut, which grows in considerable quantities in their African colonies, and can easily be cultivated there." Diesel himself later conducted related tests and appeared supportive of the idea

I concur with that. Only a couple of months ago, my G spent the night in a swollen river, while I slept peacefully in my bed. After some money spent on dismantling, cleaning, greasing and fitting it now runs as sweetly as ever. I doubt that the same could be said about a newer G.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MvNvRa9O7I

http://picasaweb.google.com/mortinson3/RescueInTheBlueNile

If you do run on Biodiesel,you must put in an additive,I'm not sure of the name but biodiesel has no sulphur and this is essesential, and it's the lack of sulphur in Bio that creates problems,but don't just take my word for it, do some research and I think you'll find I'm right.

This is a pump matter.

M pumps [and bigger brother the P pump] are one of the best designs of all time and will inject anything if it will go through the elements.

Tha green tribespeople who still run T1 and 608 type vans use all sorts of alt. fuels without problems.

My advice is to fit a superior filter/water trap [as on older tractors and most plant [digging] machines]

In cold conditions some alt fuels will not flow or will need preheating.

Use a thin  oil additive eg ATF to keep pump lubed  ,maybe run 10% diesel anyway/

Be careful with straight kerosene [jet a-1] in a turbo engine if you work it hard....it burns hotter and you can melt a piston.

Many forums discuss this subject in great detail [yawn]

PS..until recently in USA semi trucks always tipped their old engine oil into the fuel tanks

Bosch inline mechanical injection pumps, as fitted to G Wagen diesels and non CDi cars,  CDi. Engines have a high pressure pump which feeds a common rail to all the injectors which are controlled electronically by the ECU.  The injectors on these engines have finer jets which more viscous fuels  ie bio or waste engine oil won't work.  The engines which use the mechanical inline pumps have coarser nozzles and a lower pressure injection which will cope with heavier fuels

do you have a chip shop?  .... In house supply of fuel eh. If you settle the old oil then cold filter it to 1 micron  you can put it straight in the tank 

Gordon

G-Restorations

I'm curious, how much oil does a chippy dispose of ?

Gordon

G-Restorations