USED OILS AS FUELS

[MARQ2277]

I know that a lot of people run used oils as fuels. I just got into a debate with my father who claims used oil is too thick to use. I would like to start using some of the ideas I have read in this forum, but, can anyone tell me how our IDI engine can burn oil, when it is so much thicker than gas??

 

[Devilish]

very simple, compression, and initially a little glow plug heat at first to get the process going. Oil is combustible and compression creates the heat to set off the explosion in the cylinder. Gasoline is far more combustible than oil or diesel fuel and woult take far less compression to explode. for example, ever drive a car that pings? That is actually the fuel exploding in the cylinders before the spark is added to the mixture. The piston is still traveling upwards in the cylinder then the mixture explodes, hammering the piston in it's travel causing a pinging noise. This situation is more prevalent in gas cars during hot outside temperatures since the cylinder temps are higher.

 

[Michael Fowler]

Take some clean, used motor oil and mix it with an equal amount of #2 diesel and compare the viscosity.
As was said above, diesel engines do not rely on vaporisation of the fuel for proper combustion. Diesels inject a precise amount of fuel at a precisely timed moment which is burned due to the heat of the compressed air in the cylinder.

 

[lilduke]

Not to mention, the DB2 pumps have built in compensators for different viscosity fuels.

 

[MARQ2277]

Got yah. I did read some place about the BD2 pump having the ability to meter different viscosities. The reason I asked is, my dad said if I poured straight motor oil (from the shelf), the truck wouldn't run. That made me think how did the IDI run and used oil. Is used oil thinner, or do you have to mix it?? Or, can you actually run the IDI on fresh motor oil??

Marq
___________________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no fuff on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[funnyman06]

you could run the motor off new oil, but it would cost too much, so some people run 100% filtered USED oil. I was running 50/50 with out much issue.

 

[MARQ2277]

Without much issue?? how'd it run, and at what point would I have an issue with running used oil, whether motor or veggie.

Marq
________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no fuff on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[Michael Fowler]

Viscosity is temperature dependent; as the temperature drops the oil may become too thick to meter, and inject.
Some people successfully run WMO year round, some heat it. Many use 2 tanks of fuel, one is filled with regular diesel for starting, the switch is made to WMO once the engine is up to temperature, and back to diesel for a few miles before shutting down, so fresh diesel is in the system for the next cold start.

 

[HammerDown]

It still baffles me how a diesel can run off straight motor oil (if some are) unless were talking 0w5 oil etc. And what about issues with coking, carbon/soot build up in the combustion chambers, ring lands etc?

 

[BigRigTech]

I don't run a heavy mixture, maybe 30% but I also run my truck hard in the summer doing projects around the house and seeding my lawn so I doubt I have any coking issues with the old Ford screaming all the time....4500lbs of water in the bed everyday for the last 2 weeks.

 

[subway]

been running straight motor oil ask the people at the rally. and not fresh light weight it is just used 10-40/30/50 with ATF and whatever. i just filter it well before i dump it in. i start and shut down on a diesel oil mix but when the engine heats up i switch to 100 WMO. i do heat it up through a plate heat exchanger to get it good and hot before hitting the engine. any issues i have run into are with the fuel pump trying to keep up pushing the oil up to the engine. i am thinking i might need to heat it before and after the pump to make it easier for it.

funny part is it runs stronger on WMO and smokes less than on a WMO diesel mix. i know i am risking damage to my fuel system and carbon build up. carbon build up can be dealt with though. Mel checked my timing and after around 30K miles of using a oil mix in my truck consistently it was still right on. not scientific evidence but a good indicator that after running this "junk" for a few years it didn't wear anything out.

not responsible for personal damage your result may vary

 

[HammerDown]

ALSO...about "used" filtered oils...even filtered for particle removal they carry the by-products of combusted fuels like acids, soots and I'm sure some other corrosive content. How can that be health for a engine to burn???

 

[69oiler]

ALSO...about "used" filtered oils...even filtered for particle removal they carry the by-products of combusted fuels like acids, soots and I'm sure some other corrosive content. How can that be health for a engine to burn???

the mentality is that for the cost of diesel that you save, you can afford to replace injection system parts. say an IP costs $400. that's 3 fillups at the diesel pump. if you can get a source for WMO that allows you to use it in quantity, and you run your truck for prolonged periods at operating temp while also starting/stopping on diesel, you can save good money running WMO. the only reason i'm not doing it is that i haven't found a good source yet.

 

[subway]

Robs got, i have made several long trips for the cost of a few filters now. savings for me personally have been in the the hundreds if not thousands over the past couple of years. its not for everyone though.

 

[69oiler]

i'm looking at it as a way to cut the cost of RV trips. 10 mpg towing adds up. i could use it on a daily basis for some of my jobs that are 1/2 hour away or more as well. being a self employed residential contractor, the fuel cost really cut in to the bottom line.