Too hot for WVO?

[MrMoMo]

Ok, not quite running WVO yet (and yes I will update my build up thread soon) Got coolant circulating today, got all the leaks fixed and went for a drive to get the system up to temp.

The dash gauge reads regular (mid range) for temperature (not sure what that is though). The aftermarket gauge that I installed is reading 210°F. This seems a bit hot to me... My concern now is I will get TOO much heat to my oil. Is there such a thing as TOO hot for Veggie oil? I'm planning on checking the temp tomorrow at work with an infrared temp gun to see if the gauge is out.

I realize I will loose some heat through the IP and the injector lines - and coolant heat will not be 100% efficient, but lets say for example that I only loose 10° (just for fun), what would be the effect of injecting 200°F oil? - and if it's too hot... how do I cool it down??

Thanks!
(all I need now is my replacement solenoid valve!)

Thread update coming soon!!

Bruce

[M John Galt]

Read the temperature at the injector line just before the injector.

Put a valve on the return coolant line from the FPHE, and adjust seasonally as required to maintain the fuel temperature desired.

[ozwallaby]

Originally Posted by MrMoMo

Ok, not quite running WVO yet (and yes I will update my build up thread soon) Got coolant circulating today, got all the leaks fixed and went for a drive to get the system up to temp.

The dash gauge reads regular (mid range) for temperature (not sure what that is though). The aftermarket gauge that I installed is reading 210°F. This seems a bit hot to me... My concern now is I will get TOO much heat to my oil. Is there such a thing as TOO hot for Veggie oil? I'm planning on checking the temp tomorrow at work with an infrared temp gun to see if the gauge is out.

I realize I will loose some heat through the IP and the injector lines - and coolant heat will not be 100% efficient, but lets say for example that I only loose 10° (just for fun), what would be the effect of injecting 200°F oil? - and if it's too hot... how do I cool it down??

Thanks!
(all I need now is my replacement solenoid valve!)

Thread update coming soon!!

Bruce

Your temp gauge does seem to be incorrect (ie reading hot), I would have thought coolant temp should have been lower than this. Having said that, your coolant will not overheat the vege oil, it simply doesn't develop enough heat to do so.

[Pig Bodine]

I agree w/ Galt, just put a valve in your tee'd coolant line to limit flow and adjust temps. However, I've been running WVO for 30K miles in my 91 truck with a swapped 2lt-II with temps as high as 260 F (I have my filter head/heat ex bolted to my intake manifold) and haven't had any problems. At very extreme temps (over 450 degrees) WVO will start to polymerize and coke at the injectors but I haven't found this to be the case for me yet.

Just pull your temp sender and put it in boiling water to see if it's reading correctly. Also, Don't forget that your oil will pick up 100-150 degrees as it's compressed in the IP making your actual temp at the injectors well over 300 degrees for your system. Those Fattywagon injector lines heaters you can buy apparently heat the oil to nearly 500 degrees if you leave them on after warm-up which I think is excessive but people are definitely using them with success. Welcome to the endless experiment that is WVO...

[MrMoMo]

Well it appears that it's not running NEAR that hot!! (maybe there is an adjustment on the gauge?) The infrared thermometer measured the temp sender body (the T) at 160°, the filter housing at 150°, the IP at 150° and the coolant barb right at the outlet was just over 180°. The coolant lines at the back - where they enter and exit the tank were 130° to 140° (no oil in the tank yet) This was after 35 minutes of driving, most of which was at 90-100kph. Phew!

I guess I could add a resistor inline on the temp sender to drop the gauge reading slightly...

[FrankJames]

I know on mine, the temp gauge for the veg will never come over 110 or so? Until I hit the switch and start the hot veg flowing, then it will steadily crawl up to about 140. Thats as hot as it gets, sometimes 160 if it is a really long trip. I am adding a FPHE as soon as it arrives in the mail.