Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

[Ramble On Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Ramble On]

Just after some feedback. I live in the Snowy Mountains in NSW (cold climate) and have been making Biodiesel for a number of years now. Prevoiusly run in straight Bio in 2.8TD Rodeo with good success. Have been running in my 1992 80 series LC for the last 12 months now. Started with B100 but was lossing to much power so went to 50/50 mix with diesel which allows me to run all year round with good results. Installed heat exchanger for fuel before last winter and all good to date. Has anyone used heat exchanger for fuel heating with any problems. The reason I am asking is am changing vehicle over ( forced change due to righting off vehicle) and purchasing 1996 model 80 series with multi valve motor and am planning to do same thing with heat exchanger. I am interested in any long term issues anyone may have had with either B100 or any mix (B50) ? My I currently make all my bio from waste VO and mist wash, settle and heat to remove remaining water put through 5 and 1 micron filters then settle again before use.

Any feed back on wether I really need to put B50 through heat exchanger given it is a mix would be appreciated. Has anyone done a viscosity test on B100 V B50 to determine the affect of mixing on viscosity ie: does it half it or better ?

Look forward to any constructive feedback.

Cheers Andrew

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Andrew,
I understand the issues with living in a climate where temperatures drop below 0 degrees C, with biodiesel clouding or solidifying.

I doubt that viscosity is your problem. As biodiesel cools down, the smaller esters solidify first, causing the biodiesel to "cloud". What I think may be happening, is that the solidified biodiesel then is caught in the fuel filter, restricting fuel flow, until the IP warms up, then the fuel returning to the tank assists in warming up the tank fuel and the clouding disappears. With the added heat in the fuel, the solidified biodiesel in the filter thaws and flows to the IP for use in the engine.

A heat exchanger in the fuel system, prior to the first fuel filter will assist in increasing fuel temperatures and preventing filter "plugging". Mercedes and some other makes of vehicles produced in Europe already have fuel heaters installed in the fuel system. Usually, these only start heating the fuel at about 10 Deg C, as they are designed for dino diesel.

There are people who operate 80 Series on WVO, with heat exchangers installed, so it should be no problem adding a heat exchanger to help keep your biodiesel liquid. Check out the SVO Users side of the forum for their mounting locations and coolant connections. Also consider installing a coolant valve to isolate it in Summer.
As you are heating a blend, I suggest that you only need a small heat exchanger. You only need to keep the biodiesel from "clouding", plugging the fuel filter with solidified biodiesel.
Once your heat exchanger is installed, you may wish to try reducing the amount of dino diesel in the blend, as the only problem you experience should be at cold starting.

A jar of your biodiesel outside the garage / carport will indicate the likelihood of filter plugging, as it will have chilled to ambient temperatures. You can adjust your driving style to suit - allowing a longer warm-up is an option.

Another trick I have learned is to allow the biodiesel in storage to drop to ambient overnight temperatures, and some biodiesel will solidify, dropping to the bottom of the container. After several cycles of temperature fluctuation, the biodiesel will have separated into liquid and solid biodiesel with a cloudy layer between. Using the liquid layer will assist in cold temperature operation, as the high melting point fractions will have separated out.
The liquid fuel from the end of winter should be stored for next winter, so you have cold temperature fuel available.
The solidified biodiesel from winter will thaw during spring and summer to provide a higher energy fuel for the warmer months.

I hope this helps,
Tony

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Just watch out the older cruisers (mine is a 98 80 series) have varnish on pickup and sender and filling nech so it will break down leaving a mess. It should not stop you but be warned. Its serviceable and newer pickups and senders without varnish can be bought for reasonable prices, amayama.com and toydiy.com fopr parts numbers.

Have fun.

I forgot to add if the bio is well made then you will almost eliminate wear in the injection pump, this saves you money in the longer term. Watch the pump seals too, prior to about 96 they were rubber so will fail with bio. They are only a matter of time with ULSD anyway.

[Ramble On Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Ramble On]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Tony

Thanks for the feedback. I used only a small 10 plate exchanger in the last 80 series so will get another for this one. I will look at putting in a coolant valve for summer as I do have concerns about the fuel getting a bit hot. Good advice on the Bio settling. I normally make all my bio for winter prior to the cold weather due to issues washing in cold temps (last time I washed I emuslified the whole batch) so it does settle well and I always run the cloudy stuff into a large storage tank for further settling and use in summer. Cheers

[Ramble On Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Ramble On]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Thanks for your reply. Please clarify what you are actually refering to regarding pickup, sender and filling neck that will varnish up. I assume this is in injector pump? Pump in new 80 series I am getting had pump done in 2009 so hopefully it will have viton seals fitted. However I always keep eye on oil levels to monitor if fuel is getting past seals and into sump. Cheers

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

The bits I refer to are in the fuel tanks, makes a bit of a mess and will get into the filter. No need for a heat exchanger (except if its outside for long times) for bio the car will run on it beautifully. I mean that the bio will break down the varnish on these parts and it willmake a mess,

[oily Member Find all posts View Profile Close oily]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Hi , I haven't been on the forum for a while, I run a 1986 landcruiser and a 2006 peugeot 307 with Bio washed with powder. I have been running both cars for nerly 2 years now with no problems. I have made lots of test with water wash and powder wash, I found the powder wash does not gel as much as the water wash in the beer fridge. I don't have cold temps as you would but i would recomend you try this method, you will find info on the threads. or contact me oily

[Ramble On Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Ramble On]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Hi. Thanks for the reply. Interested that you also run your later model Peugoet on Bio. In addition to my 80 series (86 model) I also have 1995 Peugoet 405 which I have never run bi through because I haven't been game. But sounds like your powder washing might make the difference. So no I have never used it and only do water washing which I am thinking of modifying and using heated water (to about 50 degress C). Any advice direction etc on powder washing would be appreciated and I will followit up on the forum as well. Cheers.

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

This is going off track very quickly. Firstly watch that 307 like a hawk, the high pressure pump seals particularly, they will ooze outwards if they are rubber. The 405 will run beautifully on B100 but only as long as its rubber seals permit. Synthetic seals are avaliable for it too, I have the same pump in my 306 xtdt on B100.

The landcruiser parts I refer to are in the fuel tank, the fuel pickup and guage sender, I replaced my sender recently and found that they are now plain steel. The pickup pipes I soaked in acetone and cleaned them up as they are. Bug got my senders.

[oily Member Find all posts View Profile Close oily]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Thanks I will keep that in mind with the 307 seals !! The landcruiser has done 200.000 klm on %100 Bio so i guess that any problems that would have come would have by now.
The only probs I have with the 307 is that the engine light has come on and they recon it is the EPG valve??? They cleaned it but the light is still on. I spoke to a mechanic and he said that he doesn't think it is the Bio as it happens with diesel just as easy. I will try to get one from overseas or find if the valve can be bypassed ? which I doubt because of the computer reading. Still like the old diesel engines without the computers.!!!!! Let me know if you are going ahead with the powder wash, cheers

[tillyfromparadise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tillyfromparadise]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

...they recon it is the EPG valve???

Maybe they mean EGR Valve.

[Dr Mark Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dr Mark]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

If you don't already have an electric liftpump fitted you should fit one - the std inj pump in 80s sometimes struggles with bio. I had one in my 80 and it ran perfectly all your round through cold Victorian winters. There used to be a bloke at vegiecars.com that sold them, but he seems to have disappeared. There's a brand of lift pump called WARBRO (I think) which also worked but it was very noisy. But I'm sure a web search will turn some up

[RODEONICK Too Busy To Bio. Find all posts View Profile Close RODEONICK]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Walbro RHB5 I think mine was. good pumps. Oily i have tried your powder in the early days and i can confirm your results and it definantly does make better winter fuel. Have you found a neat way of getting the spent powder out of the fuel yet? I hated the shovelling the stuff out part and that doesnt suit my current rig. Not that i can use it for a while ( living in the UK).

[oily Member Find all posts View Profile Close oily]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Maybe they mean EGR Valve.

That could be right , I didn't see, don't even know where it is, somewhere in the intake !!!, they did say that they cleaned it the best they could but it looks like I might have to get a new one, the car drives as if nothing is wrong. Cheers

[oily Member Find all posts View Profile Close oily]

Re: Using 50/50 mix in 80 series Landcruiser

Hi nick, If it ain't broke ,leave it alone !!!! have done 200,000 on %100 Bio and it now has 519,000 on the clock, think if pump was going to pack up it would have by now. As to the powder cleaning I always leave 20ltr bio in the tank after I have pumped the Bio off the top, there is a drain valve up from the bottom of the tank which always leaves 20ltr in the tank. When I want to empty the tank for the new Bio mix I use a stirrer on a drill to mix the Bio with the powder into a soup then drain into a 20ltr bucket from a 1 inch tap in the bottom of the tank. The next time I make a new mix and have finished washing with the powder I will poor of the bio which is in the 20ltr bucket.The powder has settled again to the bottom, this will always give you 100ltr of clear Bio as the powder always settles to the bottom which you never use so you are not getting any into the final mix. what powder is in the bucket can be pored into a container and disposed of. I have tried the powder waste with grass clippings and worms and they live quite happy in this mix. due to the large amount I have to dispose I put my powder sludge into a container then my bin, I guess it will help the worms at the tip!!!!
I hope the above is clear of course it is always better to see it done. Cheers oily.