hughpinder
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 08:52 AM |
|
|
diesel fuel pump, injector+turbo durability
I am shortly going to change my car to a diesel, most likely on an 04 to 06 plate.
A friend and I want to have a play with veg oil/biodiesel at home, and I am worried that we'll knacker the diesel pump/ injectors (and possibly
the turbo?). Does anyone know how cheap/easy to change the fuel pump and injectors are on SEAT/VW/AUDI and SAAB9.3, as these are the cars I'm
currently thinking of. Or is there something else in the medium sized car category people would reccommend.
Thanks for any input
Hugh
|
|
|
designer
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 08:57 AM |
|
|
Diesel pumps cost a lot of money to replace.
|
|
twybrow
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 08:58 AM |
|
|
If you want to run on cheap fuel, do it in a cheap car.. .It is a false economy otherwise...! Get an older, non-common rail diesel, and it happily run
on veg oil...
|
|
jimmyjoebob
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 09:17 AM |
|
|
As above, do not run a common rail diesel on home brewed diesel. Official bio-diesel fuel on the market is only 5-10% blend and CR fuel pump
manufacturers will only warrant use with that (and they weren't happy about signing up to that).
I have seen the results of rig running CR pumps on (early) home brew grade diesel and it was minutes before CR pump seizure that wiped out the whole
pump.
[Edited on 16/9/11 by jimmyjoebob]
If at first you don't succeed, hide all evidence you ever tried!
|
|
MikeRJ
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 09:49 AM |
|
|
Don't even consider running a common rail diesel on vegetable oil, it will eat itself in no time. The injectors can cost £250-£600 EACH, and
the pump runs at such high pressure that it takes very little contamination to destroy it. The only way to use vegetable oil is to convert it to
bio-diesel, which is a big PITA.
Are you sure you do the mileage to justify a diesel? I see so many people buying a new diesel to save on fuel and tax when they do hardly any
mileage, and they can't see how they are pouring money down the drain.
|
|
hughpinder
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 11:13 AM |
|
|
Thanks for the input so far.
I do about 16000miles a year, and tow a 1T trailer quite a bit, so I believe the diesel would be the better option - I'm running a 1.6 petrol
(well LPG anyway) at the moment and it struggles when the trailers on. I wasn't going to go mad and blow lots of money on a new car - looking at
5-7 years old and 3-6K sort of price, but less if I can get something sensible for less (I'm looking at a 2002 saab 2.2TD with 60k on it this
afternoon at £2200)
I believe we can make 'proper' biodiesel of good quality - we're both chemical engineers (although I've worked in plant
automation for a number of years).
What non common rail engine are there that give good fuel/power/reliability?
Are there any cars where used pumps/injectors can be easily and cheaply bought?
Regards
Hugh
|
|
Benzine
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 11:29 AM |
|
|
quote: Originally posted by hughpinder
What non common rail engine are there that give good fuel/power/reliability?
Are there any cars where used pumps/injectors can be easily and cheaply bought?
Citroens/peugoets with the XUD9TE engine with a bosch mechanical fuel pump (the lucas pump isn't suited to veg oil). Pumps are widely and
cheaply available from scrapyards and ebay as are the injectors and turbos. They produce about 90 horsies as standard but that can be doubled (google
xud9te tuning etc)
XUD engine
[Edited on 16-9-2011 by Benzine]
|
|
ss1turbo
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 12:32 PM |
|
|
Get the calculator out - it all depends on how much towing you do in terms of mileage and whether or not its worth actually getting just a dedicated
cheap towcar/truck instead and keeping the LPG tin top? I tow for maybe a couple of thousand miles a year and it works out cheaper to keep my Jeep
Cherokee (with all the associated costs) than get a daily driver that does both.
Long live RWD...
|
|
Ninehigh
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 01:45 PM |
|
|
Apparently old mercs run ok on chip fat..
|
|
daviep
|
posted on 16/9/11 at 02:43 PM |
|
|
Pre PD VW engines are probably the best starting place as there is huge experience over the last 10 years about what works and what doesn't.
Personally I wouldn't faf around making bio-diesel, just run straight veg.
The 110 TDI is the best engine to go for, can be tuned to 150 reliably and reasonably simply with off the shelf parts.
As above older Mercedes engines which have inline injection pumps are also very reliable but they are much bigger engines
and don't make nearly as good HP size for size as the VW.
It's also worth making sure you can get a steady supply of oil as the price is climbing all the time.
Davie
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
|
|
hughpinder
|
posted on 20/9/11 at 07:50 AM |
|
|
Cheers for that then - I'll start looking for a 110TDI VW, I think that'll be better for me than a merc.
Oil supply isn't a problem - I can buy 10T of rape from my next door neighbor, press the oil in his press and burn the solids in my straw
burner!
Regards
Hugh
|
|
britishtrident
|
posted on 20/9/11 at 10:08 AM |
|
|
A lot of Rover 75 estates with BMW diesels on the market just most now with about 125,000 on the clock they are good to 250k+ ( I have heard
of one with 340k on the clock) The version of the BMW engine used lacks the swirl flaps found on BMW's own cars and the Freelander so are
not prone to blow ups when the flaps break off.
[Edited on 20/9/11 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|