I want to know what mods, if any are needed to run straight veg oil.I have a source for getting straight vegetable oil at a cheap price. I can get canola, or soybean oil. This stuff is literally the stuff you buy on the shelf for cooking in. It has very low moisture, and is highly refined and filtered. The actual source is from damaged bottles or label rejects.The company is willing to sell it to me at cost, which I believe is less than $2 a gallon. How can I safely run this in my 97 F350. I have dual tanks if it needs to be heated. I am not interested in WVO at this time, since this stuff is so clean.

 

Read my articale on the basic steps to use WVO/SVO. Running SVO is the same as running WVO expect you don't have to filter it are dewater it.

Link to Article on FTE

 

I read your article Eric, so then if we start with SVO we don't need to let it sit sit or filter it, right? But, in either case, we still need to heat the SVO up before use?

Thanks!

 

Right, there is no in garage prep work that needs to be done to the new veggie oil. In some parts of the country new veggie oil is about $12.99 for 35 lbs. That works out to about 2.88 per gallon or so.

My issue with running new oil is the ROI is way out there. It'll cost about $3500 to convert your truck if you don't do it yourself. Even if you do it your self you'll spend around $2K. The savings between new oil and #2 is maybe 30-60 cents per gallon.

Find a source for free oil and spend the hour or so each week filtering it. Another hour or so gathing maybe once or twice a month and your set.

BS disclaimer
Sure your truck can be converted for far less, but just this week I got an email from someone that did a home grown 05 PSD conversion. With bad results.

Here is the mail...

When I first converted it, I didn't realize that the fuel rails has
closed ends (I should have, but I just didn't think about it). So
for the first 2 months I had it I was starting it cold on veggie and
not noticing. As soon as it go cold I started having problems. I
figured it out, but it never started right in the cold.

Last week one of the guys that works for me put unprocessed oil in it
(pulled it from the wrong tote) and clogged the filter. He drove it
around all day with a clogged filter and that seemed to put the
finishing touches on the injectors. It had big time power loss.

 

Erick, so is the cost for the "conversion" strickly just for heaters? I live in Las Vegas, so during the Summer the low at night is still around 95 degrees. Plus, because of all the restaurants here, I can get the SVO pretty cheap. Our current price for Diesel is $3.25 a gallon. I have a '97 7.3 w/ 2 tanks.

Thanks for your help.

 

You have a first gen right. You would need a second fuel system. Pump, regulator, & filter. While your at it you probably should replace the mechanical pump with an electrical pump. Far easier to convert the first gens taht way.

You may be able to get this done some what cheaper. But you need heat. You need to get the veggie oil new or used to 150-160F how you do that is with a combination of coolant and electric heat. In my mind you could skip the Hotfox fuel pickup since your tank will be warm enough to flow so that will save you some money.

You would need this kit part # from us, TTVTMHP it sells for $999. You also would need the pumps and FPR. Hose and fittings and you could be close to $2000. We recommend the Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump and a Malory or Aeromotive FPR

 

Erick, OK, thanks for clearing that up for me. As you said though in an earlier post, the breakeven point is rather high! After investing that much, I would almost HAVE to use free or "used" oil in order to ever break even! If I bought brand new (virgin) oil, it wouldn't be worth the savings.

Mark