How do you know when the motor is warm to switch?
November 26, 2007 - 1:48pm
I have an old quantum diesel that has the "sometimes" working temp guage...There are no #'s on the guage, is it possible, since its getting colder out, to switch to vegitable oil when I start to feel the heat getting warm?...I can usually feel the heat at about 2 miles of driving, along with the 3ish minutes of starting....Does anyone have any opinion on this one???? - thanks - chad4vw
November 26, 2007 - 4:58pm
#2
I can't actually tell, by any certain mark or # when my motor is @ 180 degrees.....This is why I was wondering about if the heat is on & it is comming out warm if this could mean it is up to 180.....I guess I'm also wondering if I should install a temp guage that has #'s on it.....- Chad4vw
November 26, 2007 - 5:28pm
#3
Let it warm up all the way to normal operating temperature, then switch over, you'll be fine, your in SoCal anyway.
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MarkP
November 27, 2007 - 3:50pm
#4
Cool, that sounds about right to me!!!.....Thanks for your help......- chad4vw
November 28, 2007 - 12:53am
#5
Chad, why risk it? You will have serious issues in the crankcase if you are switching too soon. I know from personal experience. Put a temp sensor in the WVO filter head and switch when THAT is hot enough, not the coolant. Unless you have a FPHE, then you can go by coolant temp.
Hate to be a worry-wart, but I wish I had known then what I know now.
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sdeck
2003 Jetta TDI, GreaseCar kit, veg-therm std, TDIHeater, >30,000 veggie miles and counting!
"If you make it idiot proof, nature will make a better idiot"
November 28, 2007 - 9:07am
#6
You can get an indoor/outdoor thermometer at your local home supply store for under $20. Most have a sensor that can be taped to the filter head and the wire run to the dash board. You can also get one with a screw in probe and put it in a T right in the fuel line for not much more.
That being said, my computer monitor on my system is not functioning so I go by the idiot gauge on the dash board. Watch the meter as it shows you when the thermostat opens (by the tenp dropping) it will rise and fall a couple of times until it hits the 180 to 190 range (depending on the rating of your thermostat). If you watch the gauge until it stbilizes at that temp you are most likely good to go.
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Vegetable Oil...
Now you can go to the fish fry and drive home, too!
November 29, 2007 - 10:35pm
#7
Thanks for the advice out there....I actually haven't switched in the morning untill I drive about 2-3 miles, along with the 3ish minutes of warming up when starting....I pretty much wait till the heat is comming out hot....I will definately look into a temp guage, or I even like the idea of the taped on thermometer.....Anywho, thanks again for the advice-
- chad4vw
November 30, 2007 - 9:01pm
#8
Different car mine is but my oil temp senser at the IP can not be influenced by turning on/off the heat, it seems. Maybe the temps wont creep up as high if I have the heat on. But I'm less likly to loose a toe to frostbite this winter. Anyone with a 300D think so too?
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Hiking out on the weather rail of environmental partnerships.
December 3, 2007 - 9:48pm
#9
Quote:
Originally posted by: forbey
You can get an indoor/outdoor thermometer at your local home supply store for under $20. Most have a sensor that can be taped to the filter head and the wire run to the dash board. You can also get one with a screw in probe and put it in a T right in the fuel line for not much more.
That being said, my computer monitor on my system is not functioning so I go by the idiot gauge on the dash board. Watch the meter as it shows you when the thermostat opens (by the tenp dropping) it will rise and fall a couple of times until it hits the 180 to 190 range (depending on the rating of your thermostat). If you watch the gauge until it stbilizes at that temp you are most likely good to go.
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Vegetable Oil...
Now you can go to the fish fry and drive home, too!
Where can you get an indoor-outdoor thermometer that reads higher than 120F?? I've looked for a couple years and doubt that one exists. If I'm wrong please let me know where I can find one.
Try a cooking thermometer with remote probe.
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Grease is still the word!
1978 Mercedes 300CD
1992 F-250 7.3 IDI
1960 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible (Datsun Power)
John Deere 410 Backhoe
December 6, 2007 - 6:55pm
#10
I have two outdoor thermometers that go all the way to 150 F. I got them both at Home Depot. One of them cost $1.99 and the other was about $11.
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When engine is fully warmed up (180-195 coolant temp).
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MarkP