WVO some more, 200K miles achieved!

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
:)

Update:
I hit 200K total bd and WVO/SVO miles!!
180K on WVO/SVO blend, 50-90%.
http://ctbiodzl.freeshell.org/votdi.html

The kit: original Elsbett single tank but for inoperative fuel filter heater. wiring went bad, only miss it in winter.
See my drivers log for a complete detailed documentation of my experiences.

The car: only fuel related problems were a 3rd injector w needle lift sensor that went bad at ~240K miles. And there is something weak in the fuel quantity adjuster, I get a CEL on cold start-up. If the fuel is really thick it might go into limp mode. Other than that it runs great, like new.

Overall: replaced cam followers at 180K total after a cyl head repair. 4 were slightly worn.
gets ~3K miles per quart of crankcase oil. Starts on first try in < 1 sec, as long as fuel not too thick. If too thick needs help with ether squirt or tablespoon of gasoline in the intake and some hand pumping of the ball pump. The cyl head intake was cleaned when the cyl head was out for repairs. The EGR valve has never been cleaned except hand wiping with a rag on the inside. The inter cooler has never been cleaned. All other equipment is original including the fuel injection pump, and 3 of 4 injectors.

Still can get 45 mpg on veggie blend.
Hard to keep track but saved ~$15K so far, relative to my old Stratus gasser or a bd fueled TDI.

Tips: getting 20K miles per fuel filter now that I double cold filter @ 1um, and use a BioMedic from Lucas. 1 gallon jug is $80 but lasts years.

Jim
 
Last edited:

philngrayce

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'02 Jetta, '06 Jetta, Both Gone '13 Leaf, Gone Liberty CRD, Subaru Forrester and MB300SD
Congratulations. I've heard of so few TDI single tankers, and I've never seen one. I know they are more common in Europe. Yours is the highest mileage I know of here. Good job; keep us posted.

When you say the injectors are original, you mean the original Elsbetts?
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the compliment. The injectors are the original that came with the car, that were modified by Elsbett with different tips at 80K miles. They are still installed and have not even been cleaned, now at 274K miles. The 3rd injector failed at ~$240K and the original Elsbett injector nozzle was transfered to the new injector. So still running the Elsbett injectors with almost 200K miles on them.
 

philngrayce

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'02 Jetta, '06 Jetta, Both Gone '13 Leaf, Gone Liberty CRD, Subaru Forrester and MB300SD
Very interesting. I know people running straight diesel who have had to replace their injectors or IP at much lower mileage. It does seem that WVO is a much more viable fuel than anyone ever expected. Are you still able to get plenty of oil?
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
The lubricity might help. The key is all the research I did in 2003, 100's of hours.
I think I read everything online. Every thread.

OIl is harder I don't collect myself anymore, getting lazy. I buy from another guy who keeps the good stuff for me, barely used and no water. $2/g tho.
Also I cheated in winter and ran SVO Jan - March some years. No water or algae problems with SVO.
 

philngrayce

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'02 Jetta, '06 Jetta, Both Gone '13 Leaf, Gone Liberty CRD, Subaru Forrester and MB300SD
Is the SVO any less viscous than WVO when it's cold? I have had algae problems, but diesel additives seem to work fine.
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
Yes, in general. The WVO starts out as SVO, then gets heated for many hours during which time it starts to polymerize and become more viscous. That was another reason to do SVO in winter, I could do a higher percentage of less viscous SVO. But it was really hard to tell much of a difference. I also ran canola in the winter over soy because it is slightly lower gell point. WVO would have a higher gell point than the starting SVO too.

In practice , I just had to run higher percentages of diesel or kerosene with WVO or soy.
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
Update: As of 9/2015 my Elsbett single tank SVO AHU conversion has 310,000 total miles!!!

250,000 on B100 and WVO!!!
Wow it's been a while. Started all this in 2001.
Remember when B100 was controversial, let alone WVO ?

0 - 60000 miles - Diesel, LSD
60000 - 80000 miles - B100 biodiesel
80000 - 310000 miles - 80% WVO (used fryer oil) / SVO (canola and soy ) blended with 20% diesel


Car still runs well. starts first crank, gets about 4-5,000 miles per quart of crankcase oil.
Smokes a little at startup on cold WVO.

Elsbett Kit:
relay that turned on the FF heater died, no longer functional, not really needed.

Non-Elsbett Kit:
replaced a few plastic coolant "T"'s. Use metal ones from now on.
replaced the 1200W AC tank heater , Zerostat type.

Fuels system repairs:

1st week: F.I.P. head seal leaked, replaced.
~200,000 miles: cleaned in tank fuel pickup
~270,000 miles: #3 needle lift sensor failed
~300,000 miles: Quantity adjuster seals seeping fuel, mixed with a little B100 to stop it.

All the rest of the fuel system is original
I get a "quantity adjuster intermittent control deviation" CEL at cold start up. But always runs fine.

Replaced about a half dozen fuel filters on the side of the road, but never was towed.on WVO ( was towed once on B100 @ 16*F :-/ )
16K typical FF mileage on WVO now.
Over the last 10 years the only operation problem I had was plugged filters due to algae or bacteria growth in the fuel filter. I have been using Lucas BIOCIDE preventatively and when I remember to do it, have no premature FF problems.


Other repairs:
160,000 miles 4 of 8 Cam followers scored/hazed. all replaced
300,000 miles starter died
radiator, N75, turbo boost inlet hose burst, coolant hoses, coolant temp sensor.

Full log here:
http://ctbiodzl.freeshell.org/votdi.html#Log

Engine runs strong, but the body floor got rusted. Fixed it and will keep going.

I estimate I saved $1,000 to $1500 per year in fuel costs, over B100, driving 25000 annually. Been 12 years , possibly saved $18000 total.

And thanks to Lug_Nut I now know that B100 and I assume my 80% WVO blend, has a carbon contribution of 30g / mile (iirc), only bested by nuclear and wind. Which is the best part.

Scariest moment:
Slept overnight on the battleship Massachusetts in February at 14*F running maybe 70%WVO , should have been 40% WVO max. Started in the morning and it ran real rough, smoked and died. Had to manually force feed honey consistency fuel through the FF till it would start and then run on its own. No fun on a cold Sunday morning 2 hours from my garage.

2nd scariest moment(s):
Every once in a while, the engine would just stop, dead.
In my mind I thought "There goes the FIP, just like the TDIclub said it would."
I'm 6'1" and my knees sometimes would hit the ignition key and turn the engine off going over a big bump. Took about 6 repeats before I didn't get the scare.
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
PS. I proved the German SVO adage

"If it's liquid, it will start"
:D
 

philngrayce

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'02 Jetta, '06 Jetta, Both Gone '13 Leaf, Gone Liberty CRD, Subaru Forrester and MB300SD
Great show, and thanks for the update. I am curious, though, how do you "force feed fuel through the FF"?
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Wonder what the ring lands look like.

What is the oil consumption like now? Having near new oil will hugely help with the gumming issues. B100 is known to be fine on any rotary pump car, nobody really debates that anymore.
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
Great show, and thanks for the update. I am curious, though, how do you "force feed fuel through the FF"?
Thanks Phil. ;)
The Elsbett kit comes with a rubber ball pump, like you'd see on a marine outboard fuel tank. It is inline with the fuel line right where it comes into the engine compartment from the fuel tank. It allows you to force fuel into a new fuel filter. About 100 pumps and most of the air is purged. Necessary if you want to road side FF changes w/o cranking the engine excessively to purge the lines.
It also comes in handy for forcing thick cold veggy fuel through the fuel filter paper. Had to do this few times over the years. It has a one way valve and allows you to build up a few pounds of pressure.
 

BioDiesel'

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
1998 Jetta Elsbett single-tank, 230K WVO miles
Wonder what the ring lands look like.

What is the oil consumption like now? Having near new oil will hugely help with the gumming issues. B100 is known to be fine on any rotary pump car, nobody really debates that anymore.
I do 9-10K oil changes, uses about 2 quarts between changes @ 300,000 miles.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
Every once in a while, the engine would just stop, dead.
...my knees sometimes would hit the ignition key and turn the engine off...
Now that's funny. The injector pump wouldn't fail that suddenly. There'd be some notice.
On a side note: Is that community access cable show you and I appeared on still broadcasting?
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
I gave up on questionable BD decades (literally) ago.
It still rains, but the car doesn't take that as a que to sputter to a stop from a glycerol clogged fuel filter.
 
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