Mixing unleaded with VO

[cgoodwin]

I have been mixing 15% unleaded gasoline with VO for some time and have had good results, it seems to lower the viscosity and the gell point significantly.

A new 1.6TD VW motor just delivered to my shop came with a tag attached which read:

"Important winter notice:

Diesel fuel must be thinned with 10 to 15% gasoline or Kerosene when fuel tank is filled if the temperature is expected to go below 7F.

If it is not, thick wax crystals will form in the fuel and it will not flow to the engine fast enough to keep it running.

Avoid adding gasoline or Kerosene at generally higher temperatures."

Some interesting stuff on this at www.biodiesel.infopop.cc as well

chris

[freed]

Does the addition of gasoline affect the timing or make the engine run hotter? Diesel already gets nicked for its NOx creation.

[Justgreasenofries]

I put in a bottle of HEAT ( red bottle, compatible with diesel) in my veggie oil tank from time to time because the heating and cooling can cause condensation and have had no problems. I ran into some off road diesel ( dyed red) and used it to thin out veggie about a quart to every four gallons until it was used up it seemed to run well.

[akghound]

I have run several different percentaes of diesel with VO and have had no problems. Now that is is so cold here in Montana I have about 25% No.2 diesel in my VO tank. This seems to make the differance of being able to run on the within a few minutes of startup or maybe not being to run on it at all. With the diesel mix the VO flows mich earlier. Good Day ... Ken

[Bill()C]

Two questions for you folks who mix...

1) Do you have any concerns about gasoline as a combustable in the trunk... (I know it's already in 98% of vehicles anyway)

2) Doesn't the Kero, Diesel, Gas, seperate from the VO in the tank? Or do you mix thoroughly before adding to the tank?

Sounds interesting. May be viable alternative to a complicated heating system.

[cgoodwin]

Quote from the following site: http://ctbiodzl.freeshell.org/votdi.html This guy installed a one tank Elsbett system...Interesting


"November - Cold weather brought a new problem while running 100% wvo. When temps dropped into the upper 30*F's, the car could not go faster than 65 mph. The engine power would fade. Added 10% gasoline and 10% kerosene. Still had the problem on cold days. Added 10% biodiesel and no more problems running on the highway. However on mornings, the car won't go faster than 40 mph before it's fully warm for several minutes. It's time for the long delayed block heater. After installing a 1500 watt Zerostart 'tank heater' from J.C. Whitney, cold startups are no longer a problem. It's capable of warming the engine from 50*F to 180*F in 20 minutes."

Chris

[seancrete]

I have been blending for about 5000 mi.. All has been with VO&Diesel. The last addition was VO with 15% rug, it burns well enough but there was a definite power loss. I will fill up with diesel and see if it goes away.

[Donniej]

Good find! very thought provoking (if you're a dork anyway ).
I'm a little surprised that 10%-15% gas wouldn't potentially combust in the injector pump... but I'm also very new to diesels, I personally would be more confident in using kerosene.

I've also wondered if it were possible to run a kerosene/veggie mix in my main fuel tank as my daily work commute is only 13 miles and by the time the veggie tank is up to temp, I'm almost at work.

[Twanoh Tom]

I accidently put gasoline in a Rabbit diesel tank a while back. I drove for 10 miles before the engine started missing and loosing power. I thought I might have some water in the diesel that I thought I just purchased and was on a highway with no shoulder so I drove on thinking the water may purge out soon. I wound up driving to work, parking for the day and after work started the car (with some effort) and limped home, still thinking I filled with bad diesel. I removed the filter and immediately smelled gasoline and the "light came on" (I can be a bit dense sometimes). After draining the tank and refilling with diesel the car started and ran fine for 2 more months. Then the engine suddenly overheated, died and never ran again. Turned out the block was cracked in 4 places. I bought a long block and installed all the ancillery equipment including the injection pump and that engine is running great (on veg or diesel). My point is: That Rabbit IJ was pumping almost pure gasoline for 30 miles and suffered no appearent damage. Hard to believe but true.
TT

[Donniej]

As I said, I still know little about diesels. I thought the problem with diesels running gas was that the pressure in the IP was enough to detonate the fuel. I thought this is why military multi-fuel vehicles have the ability to switch injector pressure some how to run gasoline? Just goes to show that you can't believe everything you read