- 10,350
- 74
- 48
- Location
- Meadows of Dan, Virginia
During the 800 plus mile roundtrip to Aberdeen, MD, we conducted a couple of experiments.
1) Used a plywood with cut-outs to simulate the canvas winter front to keep the engine operating temp close to "normal". The coolant temp was monitored with the Fluke DVM/thermocouple and the result was very good. On the level highway the temp was about 185-190, downhill (6 mile 9% drop) it fell to about 170 and climbing the same mountain the highest temp noted was 201 deg F. Ambient temp was about 70 plus or minus.
2) Ran the first 250 miles on a mix of 50% homemade (unwashed) biodiesel and 50% petro diesel. No performance changes noted except for an exhaust that smelled like a fast food restaurant. Was able to keep speed over 60 for most of I-85 from South Hill to Richmond. If anything it seemed to have more power than ever.
3) Ran the next 160 miles on a blend of 25-30% of filtered waste cooking oil and petro diesel. Possibly some loss of performance, but in convoy now and hard to tell.
Kenny added about 5 gallons of cooking oil to his 1/2 full tank before leaving Aberdeen and may have something to say about it, although he may have been preoccupied with rain and other problems.
As long as it stays warm out, I'll be using more cooking oil and biodiesel. My cost for bio is now $0.65/gallon and the cooking oil is free. Saved close to $100 in fuel on the trip.
Images below show the radiator cover and biodiesel fillup.
1) Used a plywood with cut-outs to simulate the canvas winter front to keep the engine operating temp close to "normal". The coolant temp was monitored with the Fluke DVM/thermocouple and the result was very good. On the level highway the temp was about 185-190, downhill (6 mile 9% drop) it fell to about 170 and climbing the same mountain the highest temp noted was 201 deg F. Ambient temp was about 70 plus or minus.
2) Ran the first 250 miles on a mix of 50% homemade (unwashed) biodiesel and 50% petro diesel. No performance changes noted except for an exhaust that smelled like a fast food restaurant. Was able to keep speed over 60 for most of I-85 from South Hill to Richmond. If anything it seemed to have more power than ever.
3) Ran the next 160 miles on a blend of 25-30% of filtered waste cooking oil and petro diesel. Possibly some loss of performance, but in convoy now and hard to tell.
Kenny added about 5 gallons of cooking oil to his 1/2 full tank before leaving Aberdeen and may have something to say about it, although he may have been preoccupied with rain and other problems.
As long as it stays warm out, I'll be using more cooking oil and biodiesel. My cost for bio is now $0.65/gallon and the cooking oil is free. Saved close to $100 in fuel on the trip.
Images below show the radiator cover and biodiesel fillup.
