Biofuel parts question?

[Roberto]

I am planning on trying to run biofuel in my 83 BJ42 and have read somewhere that it is best to change the rubber fuel lines or something like that to a diff kind? Does anyone know what exactly i need to change out and to what other product do I exchange to and where can I buy? I thought that was the only mod I had to do for this along with more annual fuel filter changes? It had something to do about the hoses will eventually start to gum up?

Thank you
Roberto

[Bikerso]

Basically any rubber fuel line needs to be replaced with synthetic fuel line. Over time the alcohol used to make the biodiesel, will destroy any natural rubber it comes in contact with. Just start back at the tank and work your way forward.

[Roberto]

cool, and thats it?

simple enough

Thanks
Rob

[DanS HJ-45]

Viton is the material of choice. You can get it from McMaster-Carr pretty easily. It's expensive though (at least, compared to rubber). The steel fuel line is fine. And you can burn B100 now with your rubber lines, but eventually the B100 will cause them to fail...

Dan

[Henry James the 47th]

Here's my question: what size?

The stock lines off my fuel tank to the evaporator are 10mm O.D. and have a pretty heavy wall thickness - the inside diameter being around 4mm.
On the Macmaster-Carr site, they have the 10mm with only a 1mm wall thickness, OR there is 3/8" (9.52mm) with 0.125" wall thickness (3.175mm). This seems closest, but I'm not totally sure. It seems like with the heavier wall thickness there would be less fuel or vapor flow, and the durability would be higher, and the fit onto the metal tubing coming out of the tank would be better. The 10 mm line would flow more, but not be as good a fit.

The main metal fuel line between the tank, the sedimenter, and then on to the injection pump looks to be 6mm o.d. (? - I haven't measured it though), so there the choice of tubing size might be different. The 3/8" is available with lighter wall thickness.

Anyone out there who has bought this tubing and installed it - what size(s) did you go with?

[DanS HJ-45]

Not sure (yet...). The Viton is really, really pliable and nice, so a thicker wall thickness isn't a concern in terms of flexibility like it might be with rubber.

Generally tube is sized so that a size X flexible tube and a size X hard line flow the same amount and work easily together. This is done usually by measuring the OD of the hard line, and the ID of the flexible line.

I'll see if I can't go measure mine middle of next week (when I get home--with goodies to start playing...). I've got some of the 3/8 McMaster-Carr Viton line in the shop, so I'll see how close of a fit it is.

Dan

[mel lowe]

Try dayco gen 2 fuel hose in 5/16".

It has a viton lining and is cheaper than 100% viton.


http://www.daycoproducts.com/daycowe...c?OpenDocument

[Henry James the 47th]

That Dayco stuff looks pretty good - no prices on the site though.

What about the fuel filler hose - has anyone replaced that with a Viton (or similar) product? I read somewhere that the filler hose is one of the other failure points when running bio-D

[DanS HJ-45]

I would guess that the filler would be pretty safe, as it's not continuously in the fuel. Just has to deal with the fuel long enough for the fuel to get into the tank.

But on my faux-Hilux, I haven't replaced the filler neck.

Dan

[onefsatchevy]

Just out of curiosity... why are all you guys making the switch to Bio??

[Henry James the 47th]

Originally Posted by onefsatchevy

Just out of curiosity... why are all you guys making the switch to Bio??

Well, for me, I'm interested in Bio-D because it has much lower particulate emissions, and I like the DIY/cooperative aspect of making the fuel, which is definitely more pro-active than being completely beholden to the oil companies. Most accounts seem to indicate that the engines run a little smoother on bio-d, though at a slight loss in h.p. and mileage, which for me is an acceptable trade-off.

[Fly Army]

Originally Posted by onefsatchevy

Just out of curiosity... why are all you guys making the switch to Bio??

Well in my neck of the woods petro diesel goes for about $3.71/gal. My cost for home-made bio = around .78 cents/Gal. .......any questions ?

Make Biodiesel not War !

[onefsatchevy]

Ya, if you brew your own I can see the point, and I would do it too if I had the time... But not if your still getting it at the pump.... Just wondering if it was a deluded green thing or not (as is is now well known, or should be, that manufacturing bio is actually worse for the environment , and typically more fuel is burned than is created in the process).

[onefsatchevy]

interesting.... still concerned about using a food source as fuel though.... Of course I'm assuming that this is the case with VO also....

[Dazza]

the only issue i had was the initial clogging of fuel filters.

biodiesel is highly solvent and cleans out the 'gunk' from your gas tank(how's that for tech). this gunk plugs up your fuel filter pretty darn quick.

Therefore I suggest buying 5 or so sets of fuel filters, and being prepared to change them where ever they clog.

Usually after five changes or so the tnk is cleaned out and you are driving clean.

biodiesel has a high lubricity, and actually lubricates as it burns, hence the smoother running... i believe that if used early enough in the life of an engine it could extend it's service duty.

the biggest difference I personally notice is a smoother running motor & cleaner air around my car while it is running.

Petro diesel fumes are one of the most carcinogenic fumes on earth. In a city as large as seattle, this can make a big difference in local air quality. plus it's just nice to have a car that smells like french fries, right... better that smell waft in the window on a hot sumer day than petro exhaust, no?

[Drew Black]

Originally Posted by onefsatchevy

interesting.... still concerned about using a food source as fuel though.... Of course I'm assuming that this is the case with VO also....

Do you eat veggie oil?

[onefsatchevy]

no.... but I believe when you make veggie oil most of the plant is consumed, and thus there isn't anything left for food. If I am correct then there are millions starving while we burn food in our cars....

[Dazza]

there are literally thousands of metric tons of food that spoil every year do to the logistical inabiltiy to get it to the hungry people. The millions are starving, yes... but rest assured that it's not because we are burning veggie oil in our cars.

Originally Posted by onefsatchevy

no.... but I believe when you make veggie oil most of the plant is consumed, and thus there isn't anything left for food. If I am correct then there are millions starving while we burn food in our cars....

[Drew Black]

I make my biodiesel from used cooking oil. I doubt that anyone would want to use that stuff for food no matter how hungry they might be.