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About to convert--help me get it right

4 replies [Last post]
March 9, 2007 - 12:29pm
Zuko
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Joined: 03/09/2007

Hello everyone and thanks for all the helpful discussion that's gone before.

I'm getting ready to convert my 2003 Jetta wagon and have a few basic questions:

First and most important, how to know when to switch from diesel to veggie? A temperature gauge before the injection pump will be reading the diesel temperature until the switch is thrown, no? So what's a body to do?

Second, I'm planning on following some (all?) of the advice here:
http://www.greasecar.com/forum_topicview.cfm?frmtopicID=10414
Is there any downside to routing the coolant serially through the tank rather than in parallel? If no, any idea why this isn't part of the standard instructions from GC?

Third, do I need additional (electrical) heat? I typically commute about 20-25 minutes each way and it takes about half that time (and 1/3 the distance) for the engine to warm up (it was <10 F outside this morning). If so, vegitherm? other options?

Any other advice? I'll likely post another topic about my WVO filtering setup once I go this weekend and see what my source's fryer emptying protocol looks like. I can almost smell the calamari.

Thanks all in advance.

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March 9, 2007 - 1:16pm
#1
petec
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Joined: 09/10/2004

Zuko-you will need another heat source-either a plantdrive veggietherm or frybrid hardball electric heater and/or a Coolant based heat exchanger.

I find a temp sender and guage as the coolant exits the engne is a good guage. Another sender and guage at the IP input is nice to measure veggie/diesel temp.

When your coolant temp hits 180F -switch over to veggie. You will see the veggie/diesel temp rise to 160F+

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March 9, 2007 - 2:19pm
#2
Zuko
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Joined: 03/09/2007

Quote:
Originally posted by: petec
Zuko-you will need another heat source-either a plantdrive veggietherm or frybrid hardball electric heater and/or a Coolant based heat exchanger.

I find a temp sender and guage as the coolant exits the engne is a good guage. Another sender and guage at the IP input is nice to measure veggie/diesel temp.

When your coolant temp hits 180F -switch over to veggie. You will see the veggie/diesel temp rise to 160F+
Isn't that where the stock temperature gauge is? If so, then I just wait for the car to heat up (i.e. stock temp gauge to 190) then switch to veggie, right?

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March 9, 2007 - 4:35pm
#3
luckys420
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Joined: 07/08/2004

yes when your car is "up to temp" you can switch.

-------------------------
2000 VW golf greasy when warranty is up-
Currently converting 1993 4x4 LWB 7.3L f-250

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March 9, 2007 - 7:57pm
#4
shmcquilkin
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Joined: 10/21/2005

Hi and welcome!

Respectfully, please re-read that WHOLE thread in which I posted TDI GC considerations... all answers should be there, including heat, temperature readings, and pre-heat solutions, including the "Rocki Mod" on bottom of that post. And yes, series coolant flow to the rear GC tank is not a prob.

Also, when the car is "up to temp" by observing ONLY the water temp gauge in your stock dash, it is actually NOT safe to just switch over to WVO as the radiator fluid will be warm, but by NO means will the veggie oil, nor the engine oil for that matter (which is more important to me than coolant temps, as warm engine oil dictates that the engine block is indeed warm, and therefore able to maintain veggie oil temps well via thermal inertia)!!! You must not switch to veggie in our ALH TDI's unless the veggie is above 140F. I personally only switch at >160F.

The absolute MINIMUM number of gauges in my installations is three: one fuel level gauge for the GC tank, then TWO temp gauges for readings pre-injection pump (IP) as well as the oil temp in the GC filter. With our TDI's, IMHO, you **necessarily** HAVE to monitor BOTH of those temperature areas. The GC filter temp will suggest the temperature of the oil in the filter, the only reading that I use to switch over to WVO, and the pre-IP with be redundant to monitor pre-IP temps. Again, please reread my considerations post.

After 35k miles on WVO I just cracked open my IP again to change leaking seals (from 95k miles on biodiesel eating at the rubber!) and my IP was spotless, both within the top, and the quantity adjuster plates... sweetness!

Please PM me at smcquilkin at softhome dot net for any other info. Speaking via phone will prob be best, so start writing down your questions! :o)

Take care, and good luck!

-------------------------
'03 Jetta GL TDI (Stock? Yeah... *sure* it's stock! :)
Wingnut's HOW TO thread!
GC kit install considerations

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