Hi friends,

I'm in the middle of installing a GreaseCar system on my 1997 F-350, which has the 7.3L PowerStroke.

I created some schematics for the stock fuel system and a two-valve GreaseCar setup, and thought I would share in the hope that they'll help someone.

 

The installation is now complete and running on WVO at 373,000 miles.

 

Please keep us posted as to how the system works. My son has a 1997 F250 and is considering doing a conversion.

Rob

 

It was a hell of a lot of work and took me, literally, six months. A lot of that was complicated by the fact that I kept needing to rebuild or replace things as I tore into the truck (and that work is far from complete). I'm betting it will be worthwhile, though!

 

I have 135,000 miles on a greasecar system. If you are not in South Florida, South Texas or Arizona, you will want to add a 20 plate flat plate heat exchanger after your greasecar filter.

There are tons of posts by me over the last 10 years on this forum about greasecar systems. My system has been modified many times. The only thing left that is original greasecar is the veggie filter heat exchanger and the copper in tank heat exchanger.

 

Is that because the Greasecar kit just doesn't get it hot enough before it hits the injectors? I've been getting a lot of black goop from my exhaust, and I was wondering if maybe that's because it's just not hot enough.

 

Yes the flat plate will bring the WVO temp up to around 190. The greasecar kit can get it up to about 160 in the summer. In the winter, 135.
So one would think that it is unburnt fuel coming out of the tailpipe, but I have never seen that as "goo." Usually you would see white or black smoke.

 

Oh, I do see lots of white smoke when running WVO. A lot less when I'm running diesel.

I don't know a thing about FPHEs, so please forgive my ignorance -- I'm about to start learning all I can.

Two questions:

- Do you have any recommendations for brand of FPHE? There don't seem to be a lot of people selling them these days. Are the ones sold as beer chillers suitable for WVO, or does it need to be specifically designed for alternative fuels? And is more plates better? I see I can get 40, 50, or even 60 plate models.

- I was thinking of plumbing the FPHE *after* the fuel supply valve. In other words, whether I'm running on diesel fuel or WVO, the fuel is being heated by the FPHE right before it is sent to the lift pump and the injectors. Is there any reason not to heat the diesel fuel?

 

You do not want to heat the diesel. It decreases the lubricity.

 

If you are seeing white smoke, I'd say it is either not hot enough or you are not thoroughly purging the WVO.

 

Ok. I've got a 20-plate FPHE on order. I'll report back on how things look after it's installed. Thanks for the tips!

 

Kirk, I was thinking about replacing my thermostat with a 203 degree one from Dieselsite in order to push the oil temperature as high as possible. Do you think that's worthwhile?

 

Yes it also an easy mod. You need to use a new gasket.

 

It sucks that the greasecar forum and frybrid forum were taken down. They had all the information needed. You may try one of those search engines that have archived websites to find those old forums.

Search for old posts here on this forum by me and SkySkiJason.

 

Good to see anutha greaser keeping this section alive..Kirk is the man! I ran 4yrs/150k on my l99 with my own creation. Like Kirk, only thing left of greasecar/what i used was the tank, copper heat tube in the tank and their fpr..wish i still had that!...

As for the 203* tstat, i wouldnt. Using the stocker tstat, tapping into the coolant line from p/s heater hose, off the block, i see 235-250* from there..gauge temp pic to prove..your oil will get plenty warm with heat exchanger and tube in hose assy...