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Important(!) New(?) Discovery(?) about fuel pressure/ Feed The Beast Mods

3bals said:
I'm just a little confused. Maybe I read it wrong, but you talk about running B100 then talk about a WVO system. Which is it? They'er two different fuels. :confused:
Click to expand...

Hi,

I run B100 in the truck's native fuel tank, and I have a separate VO system. Two-tank system. Two lift pumps, two different filters.

With VO, you have to start up on diesel (or bio) and purge the IP with diesel before you shut down. The viscosity of the VO is much higher than diesel, so you have to wait till the engine gets heat up before switching to VO. Otherwise the thick oil won't atomize properly through the injectors, and you have carbon and coking issues. Heat for the VO comes from engine coolant, via a heat exchanger. The viscosity of the VO becomes similar to that of the diesel around 150 degrees F. Most of the time mine runs around 180, but I never switch over before 150.

I also have a pressure-driven centrifuge, to give the VO a final "polish" before I run it. The centrifuge drains to a little 1-gallon aluminum tank under the hood (I call it my "cascade" tank) which constantly overflows back to the main VO tank. The VO supply to the engine is taken from this "cascade" tank. From there, it goes through the 5-micron heated Davco filter, the VO lift pump, and into the IP.

I recirculate VO through the centrifuge continuously, even when I'm driving on diesel (or B100 as the case may be.) The VO feeding the engine has therefore had several passes through the centrifuge and back to the main VO tank before being used in the engine.

And as far as changing the filter without sucking out the mud in the bottom of the filter housing, it's possible that might be part of the problem. I *have* done that a few times, when changing filters "on the road." At home, I try to wipe it out as much as possible. Although, the fuel exits the filter area from halfway up the centerpost, well above the bottom filter element seal...but still, it's possible.

I'm not even trying to pretend my fuel system is anything resembling "normal," although my stock fuel system has only two modifications...the FTB mods and the addition of the solenoid valves (both feed and return) for switching to VO.

I was just trying to point out that it's *possible* (and worth checking) that the fuel pressure problems often experienced in our trucks *may* correlate with an often overlooked (and sometimes even unknown) maintenance item...the filter housing strainer.

YMMV...!

--Clipper
 
Clipper said:
Hi,

I run B100 in the truck's native fuel tank, and I have a separate VO system. Two-tank system. Two lift pumps, two different filters.

With VO, you have to start up on diesel (or bio) and purge the IP with diesel before you shut down. The viscosity of the VO is much higher than diesel, so you have to wait till the engine gets heat up before switching to VO. Otherwise the thick oil won't atomize properly through the injectors, and you have carbon and coking issues. Heat for the VO comes from engine coolant, via a heat exchanger. The viscosity of the VO becomes similar to that of the diesel around 150 degrees F. Most of the time mine runs around 180, but I never switch over before 150.

I also have a pressure-driven centrifuge, to give the VO a final "polish" before I run it. The centrifuge drains to a little 1-gallon aluminum tank under the hood (I call it my "cascade" tank) which constantly overflows back to the main VO tank. The VO supply to the engine is taken from this "cascade" tank. From there, it goes through the 5-micron heated Davco filter, the VO lift pump, and into the engine.

I recirculate VO through the centrifuge continuously, even when I'm driving on diesel (or B100 as the case may be.) The VO feeding the engine has therefore had several passes through the centrifuge and back to the main VO tank before being used in the engine.
Click to expand...

*Whew*
That's quite the setup!

:thumbsup:

Clipper said:
And as far as changing the filter without sucking out the mud in the bottom of the filter housing, it's possible that might be part of the problem. I *have* done that a few times, when changing filters "on the road." At home, I try to wipe it out as much as possible. Although, the fuel exits the filter area from halfway up the centerpost, well above the bottom filter element seal...but still, it's possible.

I'm not even trying to pretend my fuel system is anything resembling "normal," although my stock fuel system has only two modifications...the FTB mods and the addition of the solenoid valves (both feed and return) for switching to VO.

I was just trying to point out that it's *possible* (and worth checking) that the fuel pressure problems often experienced in our trucks *may* correlate with an often overlooked (and sometimes even unknown) maintenance item...the filter housing strainer.

YMMV...!

--Clipper
Click to expand...

Wouldn't surprise me.

In gassers, a lack of fuel supply (pressure) can lead to bucking in high speed (highway) and on heavy acceleration.

I would expect a diesel is somewhat similar, but don't quote me on that....
 
I "cleaned" mine when I first got the truck and it was stained brown and the mesh may be restricted but not noticably by the naked eye, now granted that was at 172,000miles and you have well over double that kind of miles so I cant say I am very supprised that you found that kind of buildup Clipper. Definitally something to watch, good writeup!
 
Thanks for the clarification. :smile5:

I just wasn't clear what you meant. Many times I've heard people refer to WVO and biodiesel as one and the same.

Looks like a nice system :thumbsup:
 
I pulled mine out today. I ended up tearing the screen on one side at the top of that filter. I located one for 2 bucks so I will have to take a 20 mile road trip Tomorrow. Mine was actually very clean and I have 220,000 miles on the truck.

It has those 4 ears on the bottom of it. Now when I put it back in I will probably use a deep socket to push it down. How will I know for sure when it is down as far as it needs to be? Does the ears go inside of that tube? I just don't want to crush this when I put it back in as I have a feeling it will slide hard.
 
AFAIK it just sits there. I Think it gets stuck from being there over time.

After I ran some B100 through my system my priorly stuck screen came off with the fuel filter all on its own after that.

I slide it on after filter change with hands, and then slide the new filter on top of it. No tools needed, just remember its there when you take out your filters from now on, as it will probably hitch a ride 'outta there' on you during removal.
 
dracor85 said:
I "cleaned" mine when I first got the truck and it was stained brown and the mesh may be restricted but not noticably by the naked eye, now granted that was at 172,000miles and you have well over double that kind of miles so I cant say I am very supprised that you found that kind of buildup Clipper. Definitally something to watch, good writeup!
Click to expand...

Pulled mine out of my spare FM when doing FTB mod. Sure enough, the screen wsa "gunked up" just like the pictures at the beginning of the thread. Took quite a bit of cleaning to get it "un-munged". Truck it came out of had unknown history, but it was just diesel and had 373,000 kms on it.

doober said:
It has those 4 ears on the bottom of it. Now when I put it back in I will probably use a deep socket to push it down. How will I know for sure when it is down as far as it needs to be? Does the ears go inside of that tube? I just don't want to crush this when I put it back in as I have a feeling it will slide hard.
Click to expand...

1. use a small mirror and flashlight to look at where it meets the tube.
2. Yes

Matt Bachand said:
AFAIK it just sits there. I Think it gets stuck from being there over time.
Click to expand...

Don't think so, but...the crud that builds up over time doesn't help any either. The screen needs to be a tight fit around the tube at the top or crud would just bypass the screen and carry on to the IP. Mine is a very tight fit around the tube even after it has been cleaned and slightly "polished" with some emery. The top part should be 'snug" when it goes on...

:)
 
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