[joshoisasleep]

So here I am about to undertake the installation of my very own veggie conversion kit. I'm in Santiago Chile, staying at a friend's downtown apartment, parked illegally in a residential space... so far the foreign plates have warded off tickets. Yet another rediculous undertaking by me... anyway, wish me luck! Details on the install below.


The kit I chose is from Plantdrive.ca. I initially chose this kit mainly based around their coolant-heated fuel filter... I was attracted to it because a fellow mudder in another thread in this section used it, and when I read more I really liked the look of it. The design is very nice, offers water separation (essential for me as I'm on the go and may end up with more water in my fuel than the average user), it has some great features, fits my engine bay, everything looked right including the price, and of course it's made in Canada!

The fact that I'm in South America necessitated minimal shipping size and weight, and Plantdrive doesn't actually offer a specific kit for the BJ60 anyway, so they very kindly and put together a "custom" kit. Shipping of a fuel tank and fuel/coolant lines would be unnecessary and expensive, additionally the BJ60's fuel system design means there is no need for a return line or extra 3-way valve if not desired. Thus what I have is the VegMax filter described above, the VegTherm inline 12V fuel line heater, the Hydraforce 3-port valve, and all the fittings and such to put it all together. The Plantdrive people were even kind enough to include an extra filter element and some clear hose that will make the installation look oh so much more futuristic and awesome.

Wow that aluminum looks beautiful!

[joshoisasleep]

Now, of course since this is technically just a collection of parts that I've ordered and not an actual kit, I don't have an instruction manual. No problem, it's a simple system and I know how it works right!

Well at first I must admit I felt a little out of my depth when I looked at the pile of parts sitting in front of me... however I pulled myself together and began to organize them, using skills honed from years of organizing lego pieces...

With everything making a bit more sense, I began to assemble the pieces that I could put together in the living room, sans truck and fuel lines.

[joshoisasleep]

Here you can see the result of me fiddling with things and sort of sticking it all roughly together. Now I'm at the point of needing to go out and actually buy the fuel line! Also, I'm going to have to figure out some sort of mounting option (ie. find a welding shop and have a bracket made). Let's hope I do a good job!

I think for veggie fuel storage for now I am going to follow some good advice and simply store it in a jerry can inside the vehicle and run a fuel line through the firewall. The reason for this is I am headed for some very cold weather, and this seems to me the best and simplest way to keep the stored fuel warm. Additionally, it's just the simplest way... I already have jerry cans and holes in my firewall, there are likely no regulations making this illegal where I am, and I realistically am not likely going to be able to fab/scrounge/attach an extra fuel tank and all that's involved in my current situation.

[Tofudebeest]

Why don't those guys assemble those part prior to shipping? Seems pretty straight forward, and quick (SEEING IT FINISHED), but they know how to do it quickly and I'd bet my mother that that took you 2 hours to do...

[joshoisasleep]

Actually I kinda wondered that myself. Although if they had, I wouldn't have got to have all that fun! It was actually really simple and only took me like 10 minutes of figuring out what goes where... it just LOOKED scary at first. I guess if they shipped it assembled it would be more at risk to damage... Also the way you want to put it together all depends on your configuration and mounting - I still haven't decided exactly how it's all going to go... we'll see once I've got a mounting option figured out.

[joshoisasleep]

Here's a question for the veggie conversion experienced out there... I am considering skipping out on running extra coolant lines and instead just running my fuel line along the lines going to the rear heater. Anyone think this is a bad idea?

[MrMoMo]

Hey! you're finally getting going!! Right on. I don't think I ever finished my thread, but my truck has been running great! Your VegMax looks much more beefcake than mine!! The Hydraforce valve is awesome.

I would run your heater lines all the way back to your tank. The more heat you can get into the oil, the better!! (to a point of course) What tank are you going with? where are you putting it?

Glad to see you are getting going on this! I LOVE IT - and have since converted my '02 F350. Now we are looking for a Golf TDI to replace the wifes Subaru - then we will have 3 WVO'ers. (I currently have about 1200L of oil stockpiled~!

[rtarh2o]

Wrap some pipe insulation around the fuel line and the existing hoses going to the rear heat and you will probably be fine. I am running a single tank blend with just about 3 feet of insulated fuel line along the rear heater lines and a coolant heated filter. My fuel gets plenty hot. I think the main question is where are you going to get the WVO and how are you going to clean it?
Rusty

[joshoisasleep]

Originally Posted by MrMoMo

Hey! you're finally getting going!! Right on. I don't think I ever finished my thread, but my truck has been running great! Your VegMax looks much more beefcake than mine!! The Hydraforce valve is awesome.

Yeah it's heavy though... it's looking around $50 or more to fab the bracket here so I may have to wait a week or so for Argentina where that stuff is cheaper.

Originally Posted by MrMoMo

What tank are you going with? where are you putting it?

I'm just going to use a jerry can for now. This means I can store the fuel inside the vehicle in cold weather, and also just makes it a whole lot simpler.

Originally Posted by rtarh2o

Wrap some pipe insulation around the fuel line and the existing hoses going to the rear heat and you will probably be fine. I am running a single tank blend with just about 3 feet of insulated fuel line along the rear heater lines and a coolant heated filter. My fuel gets plenty hot. I think the main question is where are you going to get the WVO and how are you going to clean it?

Yeah I had thought of that if I just blend it a little it won't be such a deal the short heating length. As for where to get it... well I had been skeptical about whether it would be possible on the go but there are several groups that have been doing it. I was going to look for water-free oil at restaurants and filter it through old jeans... I have heard this is actually a pretty solid method, as ghetto as it sounds.

[John Galt]

I was going to look for water-free oil at restaurants and filter it through old jeans...

Good luck with finding "water-free oil at restaurants", and old jeans are not good enough for final filtering. A 5µ rated filter is recommended for the final filter.

I have heard a lot of things too, most of them were false.

On the other hand, if your engine isn't valuable, it won't make any difference.

[joshoisasleep]

Originally Posted by John Galt

Good luck with finding "water-free oil at restaurants", and old jeans are not good enough for final filtering. A 5µ rated filter is recommended for the final filter.

I have heard a lot of things too, most of them were false.

On the other hand, if your engine isn't valuable, it won't make any difference.

Thanks for that. I thought the same until I got in touch with several people actually out there doing it, which is actually why I put off doing the conversion until now - I thought finding good oil would be impossible. Apparently not true.

As for the filter, yeah I had thought to get a big pack of 5 or 10 micron water filters and run it through one of those after the jeans to save my VegMax's filter elements.

Keep in mind that it will go through BOTH the VegMax filter, and my stock fuel filter before it ever hits the engine, so if the jeans aren't good enough its those that will take the hit, not the engine. A lot of the fuel I've been forced to buy in places like Bolivia have been probably more watery than restaurant oil, provided it doesn't get physically tossed into a refuse container with water. For the last little over a year the old girl has handled it like a champ.

My engine is valuable, but my enjoyment of life is even more so, so I take what caution I can, and continue to be an optimist about everything except my bank balance.

[joshoisasleep]

Additionally I will be storing it in 5 jerry cans. I'll let them sit a while and never let them get down to the dregs before switching to the next longest-sitting one.

[John Galt]

I thought the same until I got in touch with several people actually out there doing it

Your engine will run on wet oil, and everything will appear to be OK till the injectors and/or IP packs it in.

Learn how to do a hot pan test or crackle test, that's the only simple way you can be sure about moisture content in VO.

[joshoisasleep]

Yeah I have read about the pan testing, I was planning to familiarize myself on it and use it on any oil I get. I have a very convenient portable stove that can be whipped out to test the oil onsite with me at all times before collection (because I live in my car). I just won't bother taking any wet oil.

I figure if I test the oil carefully, let it settle and age in a series of jerry cans using only the most aged one first, don't burn the dregs, and finally run it through my VegMax filter with its integral water separator for final filtering, it should be pretty good. Past that, well the old inline injector pump is known to be the most durable to this kind of abuse, but I don't think it'll need to take too much of that if I take the precautions above.

[John Galt]

Use that procedure and you should be OK. This will help:
http://www.burnveg.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=72

[joshoisasleep]

WOW ok no pictures at the moment, but at long last my system is finally installed and working! I'm very excited. I haven't yet run extra coolant lines along the fuel line, but I am in a very hot place at the height of the summer, so I think between the coolant heated filter and the electric heating element I should be ok for now, and can run the lines at a later date (or soon). It all gets very hot. If anyone thinks this is really a bad idea please let me know.

Pics to come!

[Volcano cruiser]

Originally Posted by joshoisasleep

WOW ok no pictures at the moment, but at long last my system is finally installed and working! I'm very excited. I haven't yet run extra coolant lines along the fuel line, but I am in a very hot place at the height of the summer, so I think between the coolant heated filter and the electric heating element I should be ok for now, and can run the lines at a later date (or soon). It all gets very hot. If anyone thinks this is really a bad idea please let me know.

Pics to come!

Josh,
Good to hear from you I just posted up on your site, it looks great. Look forward to the pics of your setup.
Safe travels,
John

[cruiser_guy]

Josh, you're a braver man than I!! I would not be too keen on doing such a major retrofit so far from home. I'd like to run bio-diesel but I haven't had the incentive since the price of fuel has dropped so much since last summer.

[joshoisasleep]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Josh, you're a braver man than I!! I would not be too keen on doing such a major retrofit so far from home. I'd like to run bio-diesel but I haven't had the incentive since the price of fuel has dropped so much since last summer.

Well it's all pretty reversable really. My biggest fear is driving down the highway and blowing a coolant hose after messing with it all. That fear is pretty well abated though since I drove away from the shop without getting the air out of my coolant system, and thus rapidly built up impressive heat and air pressure in it, and nothing blew. Convenient accidental pressure testing!

The only thing I'm a little iffy with about my setup really is that I mounted the solenoid valve directly onto the coolant heated fuel filter, and it gets pretty hot itself. It's not heating up to full veggie temp as it's not heated by the electric element or anything, but I'm still worried that I'm warming the diesel up too much. Does anyone know at what temperature diesel fuel starts injecting/combusting poorly?

[John Galt]

Originally Posted by joshoisasleep

... at what temperature diesel fuel starts injecting/combusting poorly?

I heat the diesel fuel in my LC to 70°C with no unusual indications at all.

[MrMoMo]

Originally Posted by joshoisasleep

The only thing I'm a little iffy with about my setup really is that I mounted the solenoid valve directly onto the coolant heated fuel filter, and it gets pretty hot itself. It's not heating up to full veggie temp as it's not heated by the electric element or anything, but I'm still worried that I'm warming the diesel up too much. Does anyone know at what temperature diesel fuel starts injecting/combusting poorly?

I mounted mine in the same place, I have been running for almost a year now and have had no issues with diesel being too hot. (that I am aware of anyway) I don't think it would absorb as much heat for the short period is passes through that small heated section, compared to the heat it would pick up once it gets to the injector (?) Of course, I have been wrong before.

[joshoisasleep]

Hey, you guys are all way more cautious than I am... so if you do it, I'm cool. I was thinking of putting in some rubber insulation between the two or something though... might still.

[Abitibi]

Hi guys,

Still very much a newbie on this site but I do have some experience with a wvo install. I put a very similar kit on my Mitsubishi Delica and it's been running great. Keep your post coming, it's good to see more people doing it.

Here's a link showing how I did my install, maybe it could come handy. I have since changed my wvo tank for a single heated aluminum tank with a different filling style.
Mitsushi WVO set-up : WVO and Biodiesel | Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I'm just starting to learn on the cruisers before taking the jump, looking at a 80 serie for my wife and maybe a HZJ77 for myself. Both would be converted to wvo.

As for your questions, you're in good hand with John Galt. Never met him but used lots of his knowleadge from other forums.

As for oil treatment, water is the main culprit. If you leave your oil resting for a few weeks the water will be at the bottom and the clean oil at the top. Just don't pour from your container as it would stir it all up again, pump it out. Then you could use your jeans or a micron rated bag. I've used fabric shopping bags with good success. You don't need to filter down to 5u, that's a lot of work. With a proper install (more on this) you'd be ok in the 50u range but obviously the smaller the better. Can't be too picky when on the road...

As for the install, sounds like you did use your coolant hose for your wvo filter, very good move! No worry about mounting the valve on the filter, works fine the way you initially mounted it. As for bracket, no need to be fancy, the lines themself will help to keep it in place as well... I made mine from scratch metal laying around the house.

Don't know how the 60's fuel system work so don't understand why you're only using one valve (and/or not a 6 way valve) but Plantdrive wouldn't advise you to use it if it didn't work. I'm still curious though...

Electrical might be your biggest challenge, it was for me anyway... Good luck!

Have you thought of using your diesel tank for your veggie and using a jerry can for your diesel instead (if you're planning on running more on veggie than diesel...)

So much more but keep on greasing and good luck with your progress!

Regards,
David

[ForealBoreal]

i am going to be converting an HDJ81 later on in the fall.
Does anyone think i could run one hydraforce valve just like him?
or do you think i would have to run two?

[Abitibi]

You might be able to get away with it if you're in warm country but using only one means you will contaminate your diesel tank with veggie... a little is fine but too much and your injection pump will suffer. I'd go with 2.

[joshoisasleep]

Originally Posted by Abitibi

You might be able to get away with it if you're in warm country but using only one means you will contaminate your diesel tank with veggie... a little is fine but too much and your injection pump will suffer. I'd go with 2.

?

I'm able to run just one valve because the BJ60 has no return line to the tank, just a fuel loop at the IP. Therefore there's no possibility of contaminating the tank as far as my thinking goes. I have no idea how an HDJ81's fuel system works, but I imagine it likely has a return line and thus you would need both valves.

Also, how do you figure that having a tiny amount of veggie contamination in your diesel will harm the IP? People mix up to 50/50 diesel/veggie in the tank with no conversion and report good results, and I can't see how a small amount of contamination would ever get you above 50% veggie in your diesel tank.

[Abitibi]

As for contamination it all depends of your set up and also where you live. 50% mix won't start your truck in the real winter... And everytime you switch from veggie to diesel it adds some oil in your diesel. People report good result with mixing but how long have they been doing it for? One year, two might not show anything but how long before you do damage your engine? Also, not many would volunteer the information that they screwed up... just the nature of the beast! I like to play it safe... I've drained my 2 diesel tanks after 6 months use and they had a strong smell of veggie. Don't know if it was 10% or 50% but it was there!

I'm just a newbie on this forum so don't have much to offer specific on Toyota, just my own experience with a JDM diesel...

Cheers!
David