I am making 2-3 40 gallon batches per week. My method of drying is to put the washed oil in an open top 55 gallon drum that has the sides insulated with Refltex and a band heater around the bottom 4" of the drum. I raise the temp to about 140-160 Deg and then slowly bubble air up through the oil. When I start the air, I add 160 gm of PowerService Bio Diesel Antigel. I bubble the air for about an hour and then pump the bio diesel into my 300 gallon storage tank. -Located outside.

I am running a '95 Dodge diesel 5.9 Cummins and my neighbor, who is partners with me in the bio setup is also running a '96 Dodge diesel. We try to run our tanks down to between 1/8 and 1/4 full. We then add 5 gallons of either regular diesel or kerosene and then fill the tank full with the bio diesel. This results in about a B80 to B85 fuel in the vehicle tank.

Neither one of us bothers to plug in the trucks at night. Both are outside and not garaged. They both start on the first heating cycle of the glowplugs. It has regularly been going down to 14-16 Deg at night. One day when it dropped to 4 deg overnight, they seemed to be a bit unhappy about starting so we plugged in our block heaters for about 30 minutes and they started right up. After a 10 minute warm up, they ran normally.

I am retired and just run around locally. My neighbor has a contract pharmaceutical delivery service in the Pocono Mts of PA and drives about 210 miles per day. He's been in quite a bit of snow and cold weather. So far this winter, we have not had a bit of trouble and the trucks have not had a gel problem.

BTW the trucks have about a 33 gallon tank.

What is your source of the oil you use to make the BD? If you put a container of BD outside is there any solids at the colder temperatures? What kind of injection pump do the two engines use? No problems with fuel filter plugging?

I also live near Scranton Pa. I so far have luck down to 8 degrees with a double shot of power service antigel. No heater, and have not hit the low end yet. I am sure I will find this, but it has not gone lower this year.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick G:
What is your source of the oil you use to make the BD? If you put a container of BD outside is there any solids at the colder temperatures? What kind of injection pump do the two engines use? No problems with fuel filter plugging?

Soure(s) are delis, pizza shops, several bars who do a large wings business and a couple of Chinese restaurants. Both engines are Cummins B 5.9 with Bosch pumps. One plugged filter when we first started making BD. No visable solids when a 5 gallon container of antigel treated BD stored outside.

i have a 96 ram as well, looking forward to figuring out the best mix for winters in baker city OR.

wanted to let you know that while the block heater isn't necessary for cold starting (the air heater grids work much better than glow plugs) it will help to extend the life of your engine by improving the lubricating properties of your oil when your engine needs it most: at startup.

Where can I get the "Powerservice Bio Diesel Antigel"? I live in north central Texas and the temps get into the mid 20'S on some nights and I have had a geling problem. Will appreciate the help.

quote:

wanted to let you know that while the block heater isn't necessary for cold starting (the air heater grids work much better than glow plugs) it will help to extend the life of your engine by improving the lubricating properties of your oil when your engine needs it most: at startup.

I'll 2nd that. Most engine wear and combustion deposits occur during cold start-up. I always prewarm the engine, fuel filter and injector lines to room temperature before starting. Even when it was -30 it started smoothly with absolutely no smoke or black crap on the snow.

quote:

Posted 16 February 2008 03:17 PM Hide Post
Where can I get the "Powerservice Bio Diesel Antigel"? I live in north central Texas and the temps get into the mid 20'S on some nights and I have had a geling problem. Will appreciate the help.

Location: San Antonio, TX | Registered: 16 February 2008

Go to the Power Service web site and send them an email asking where your nearest distributor is. By sure to specify the product you want.

Chet

quote:

some diesel engines can initiate a start without glow plugs

This is true, but also depends on temperatures and fuels. Our Massey-Ferguson tractor has a Perkins engine that never needs glow plug heating to start instantly, except in very cold weather, on #2 diesel. My Mazda pickup has a Perkins-designed engine that normaly starts instantly without glow plug heating at normal room temperatures, on B100, but below about 60 degF requires glow plug heating. (It has the fastest glow plugs of any engine I've ever dealt with - 3 seconds!) My Rover is about the same. My VW 1.6 turbo Jetta always requires glowplug heating below 80F, on B100.

Once the weather turns cold, I fill the "SVO" tank with biodiesel, and the "Main" tank with #2 diesel. This gives reliable starts in the coldest weather (it commonly gets down to -20 or so in mid-winter). I switch over as soon as the biodiesel "warms up" to 30F, which happens very quickly. One tank of #2 lasts all winter.

The deleted post you're replying to was a spammer, I think. It's part of the 'war on the live human spambot' that I'm amusing myself with this weekend. Some guy is coming on here and writing some odd stuff that sounds sorta ontopic but not really, and eventually slipping in links to a couple of auto parts websites full of Google Ads- not sure what the deal is.

Cummins motors do not use glow plugs. They use a electric grid heated with 12 or more volts that heats the air going into the motor, as greasebucket said.

As for not using the block heater in low temps, that is nuts. Why stress the motor by trying to pump stiff oil. Of course a 5W40 or 0W40 synthetic will help a lot if you don't use the block heater.

Just my opinions as I tend to baby my motors or so I have been told.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raften,

Toyota turbo engines don't use glowplugs either. They use an air intake "glowscreen" heater after the turbo that preheats the intake manifold at 24v for up to 14 sec depending on temperature and then reduces to 12v heating for a minute after start-up. When starting below freezing it does make a difference.

aarrghh, the stealth spammer is back. Watch for more of these posts and please report them by clicking on the triangular! button in the corner of his post...

super rep, this is very promising as I am located about an hour south of you in Bucks County and was getting nervous about the upcoming cold weather

With the cold approaching This is what I have have on the 04.5 Dodge.I live near Portland Oregon
Temps today are high 56 and a low of 39.

Air Dog 150 Transfer pump
Fuel pressure gauge
Veg therm Mega inline fuel heater
Diablo sport predator set on economy/performance mode

Love the Airdog - 15 lbs at the gauge which is "T" off about 6" before the stock injection pump. Stomp on it and pressure might drop to 13.5 and then back up, evening towing a 35" toyhauler.

I use CFC Diesel fuel therapy w/anti gel in every tank.

Impressed with the veg therm heater, only a foot long and it does get hot. it is installed between the tank and the lift pump. Paid $100 for it and worth the investment so far.

I added an extra transfer tank in the bed of the truck and it gravity feeds into the main tank. There is a shut off valve between the tanks. In an empty transfer tank I add the CFC, 8 gallons dino and 33 gallons of my biodiesel for the current conditions. let them mix together and transfer to main tank as needed.

I got 22mpg (according to the idiot meter)on a trip to salem, oregon and back, 10/17/08. Highway speed range was 55-70 with an empty truck.

So far so good. What are other doing to combat the cold weather?

Im in central NC and getting concerned about my bio jelling. When the temps went below 40 I noticed that my storage tanks had a lot of jell. Has anyone used acetone for a anti-jell? I am running a MB 240D and a 85 VW Jetta on B85 with Walmart Diesel 911 additive. This summer I ran B100 with no problems.

Thanks

I have a feedstock of mostly soy now and have had very good luck going B50 with the petro diesel coming straight from the pump at the gas station. I also add about 0.5-1.0 ounce Powerservice regular antigel per gallon of fuel in the tank. This has got me down to -15F with no heating system. I have also had many days in a row with temps in the single digits at night with no problems. I haven't been good at doing the freezer tests, but my real world tests have not screwed me yet. i don't really dare go with a higher blend of bio without actually doing some freezer testing. Hope this helps. This was my first winter homebrewing bio and things have worked out OK. Definitely some learning has gone on.