I'm just in from my day and not had a chance to read up on any but these coments here about pre-heating fuels but I'd like to here some of you folks thoughts on atomization. Denser fuel isn't going to atomize as well as warmer less dense fuel. Does that effect combustion?
no idea which way I'm leaning at this point but I'm getting rid of the heater, keeping the parts, and plugging the whole this weekend. That way its one less thing I have to worry about leaking. The whole that thing goes into. I haven't taken it apart but none of the pictures I've seen so far indicate if the whole is threaded or not, kinda looks like its not, so I'd have to get a rather funky plug for it.
Absolutely true too!
We're discussing extremes in one aspect.
However, fuel that is too hot, will ruin performance and parts.
Once you've been running for awhile, your fuel tank supply will heat up dramatically, so no need for a filter heater. Also, if heat was so good, why not run it through the tranny or over/through an exhaust line.... now there's one hot system.
Hot fuel is not good, neither is cold fuel, but cooler fuel gives higher mileage and better performance.
For start ups, a filter heater would provide a higher temp fuel relative to ambient temperature as well as atomize better.
But a question for you.... if the fuel is too hot...could atomization be affected negatively? That is deliver less BTU's because the fuel is lighter.... or should I say less dense? Does the fuel heater stay on all the time? If it does, won't this over-heated fuel on a hot day reduce performance as well as reduce lubricity for critical parts such as IP? Or is the IP so sloppy in our systems that it doesn't matter?
I don't know the answer to optimal fuel temp for a diesel engine, however, it has to be different for different engines, like electronic v. mechanical v. old v. newer v. compression v. a whole lotta parameters.
Fuel oil coolers are generally installed post injection, fuel lubrication needs, but before the fuel tank.
