[NewAlbanyWJ]

Has anyone with the 3.0L CRD WK looked into converting the engine to run on vegetable oil or biodiesel? I have done a brief search online and couldn't find any companies that make conversion kits for that engine yet. If anyone has any info, I would love to hear about it. I don't know a whole lot about either process. But the WJ is getting more expensive to drive each day and I would consider trading it in if something like this were an option.

Thanks in advance!

[drysuitdiver]

Originally Posted by NewAlbanyWJ

Has anyone with the 3.0L CRD WK looked into converting the engine to run on vegetable oil or biodiesel? I have done a brief search online and couldn't find any companies that make conversion kits for that engine yet. If anyone has any info, I would love to hear about it. I don't know a whole lot about either process. But the WJ is getting more expensive to drive each day and I would consider trading it in if something like this were an option.

Thanks in advance!

the 3 litre V6 can only run on 5% biodiesel if you want to keep the warranty.

the dpf may also not last as long on SVO and WVO

[Section106]

I run B100 in my 08 GC. I've had no issues so far. I actually think it runs better. I drive up to DC for soccer games (6 hour round trip). When I drove on 100% dino I barely made it back home and had to immediately go to the gas station the next morning for fear of running the tank dry. The last three times I've gone up on B100 I've made it back with a 1/4 tank left.

On the biodiesel.infopop forum I've read that NOx is actually reduced as compared with dino when burning bio made from WVO, which is what I use. Particulate matter is also reduced. I assume the regen cycle for the DPF uses the post combustion injection that has caused some concern here and elsewhere. Cylinder wetting and oil additive leaching seems to be the issue but has there been any real proof that it's a problem? I'm going to have my oil analyzed when I change it next to see. I imagine an increase in oil change frequency will be the fix.

The fuel lines are bio compatible as the engine is rated for B5. Burning bio will not void your warranty due to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975. An auto maker cannot, by law, refuse to honor a warranty if their product has a problem not directly caused by burning bio. If you burn dirty bio and it causes a problem then the auto maker can refuse to honor the warranty. But that goes for dirty dino diesel too. If your favorite fueling station sells you bad diesel and it causes a problem then you're out of luck.

[jeep_on]

Section,

How many miles have you put on your WK while its been burning B100? I burn B100 in my RAM during the warmer months and its great. I’ve been really toying with the idea of grabbing a CRD WK for some time. This is really awesome news to hear first hand from some one having a CRD and running B100 in it.

[Section106]

jeep_on,

I've put about 2k on B100, 1k on B85, and 500 on B50. My Jeep was delivered in Oct of last year and as we came out of the winter I started to splash mix the different ratios in the fuel tank. I too was trepidatious about running B100. I'm glad I took the plunge. Diesel here in Hampton is now $4.65/gallon. I make it for around $1.20/gallon.

[jeep_on]

Very cool. I make my fuel also, but ours is around $2 per-gallon, maybe a little less. Only b/c of the high cost of methanol here around here. We buy it by the 55g drum, but have to drive all the way to Phoenix to get it (320mi round trip). I’ve been running it in all of my diesels are years now. The only exception is our box truck. Need to show fuel records and taxes paid incase DOT dose an audit. I’ve been toying with the idea of keeping track of gallons burned and paying the road tax on that, but just haven’t got around to getting the paperwork in order to do so. #2 Diesel is around $4.70 here.

[2008OverlandCRD]

Diesel here in NW Washington State hit $5.15 a gallon today! Whoo hoo. Someone's getting rich. Oh wait, it's not me.

[Section106]

Originally Posted by jeep_on

Very cool. I make my fuel also, but ours is around $2 per-gallon, maybe a little less. Only b/c of the high cost of methanol here around here. We buy it by the 55g drum, but have to drive all the way to Phoenix to get it (320mi round trip). I’ve been running it in all of my diesels are years now. The only exception is our box truck. Need to show fuel records and taxes paid incase DOT dose an audit. I’ve been toying with the idea of keeping track of gallons burned and paying the road tax on that, but just haven’t got around to getting the paperwork in order to do so. #2 Diesel is around $4.70 here.

Good to hear! I'm recovering my methanol and re-using it in every other batch. That cuts down on the price per gallon big time. The only place I can find methanol around here is from a go-kart shop. I can only buy 10 gallons at the time from him. I use a reflux column attached to a beer keg I rigged with a water heater element and I'm getting >97% methanol back from the raw glycerine.

I've tried to fiqure out how to pay Virginia road tax to no avail. There are forms if you run a fleet but there is nothing for the homebrewer. I'm not complaining mind you.

[jeep_on]

Wow, 97% is really awesome in methanol recovery. I’ve been thinking of doing it for some time now, just haven’t got around to it yet. I’d save a lot of money if I did, even if I got 50% back. Are you simplify heating the glycerin up than re-condensing the methanol that vaporized in the heating process?

[Section106]

Originally Posted by jeep_on

Wow, 97% is really awesome in methanol recovery. I’ve been thinking of doing it for some time now, just haven’t got around to it yet. I’d save a lot of money if I did, even if I got 50% back. Are you simplify heating the glycerin up than re-condensing the methanol that vaporized in the heating process?

I'm using a 3 inch diameter, 3 foot tall reflux column filled with copper pot scrubbers I bought from Brewhaus.com. I think it's the PS II High capacity keg kit. I had a steel shop drill a hole in a stainless half keg (15.5 gallon) and then weld on a half coupling. I then threaded a 1500kw water heater element I wired to an appliance cord and plug (14 gauge) into the coupling.

The column comes with water channels in the head and that keeps the head temp at 65C, methanol's boiling point. When the head temp starts to rise I turn on the hose and water moves through the head to the condensing column. I usually get back 3 gallons of methanol at 97-99% purity for every 15 gallons of raw glycerine. I've processed 2 batches of BD with the recovered methanol and both have passed the 3/27 test.

One thing to note, it takes about 12 hours to get back 3 gallons. It's a long process!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Section106

I assume the regen cycle for the DPF uses the post combustion injection that has caused some concern here and elsewhere. Cylinder wetting and oil additive leaching seems to be the issue but has there been any real proof that it's a problem? I'm going to have my oil analyzed when I change it next to see. I imagine an increase in oil change frequency will be the fix.

Glad to hear someone is running BD in an 08 CRD. I am taking some oil analysis to determine a baseline trend in reduction in additives, increase in dilution, and increase in insolubles (sludge). I had an analysis done at 400 miles and will do another one as soon as I go through a 2nd regen cycle. I'm at 1500 miles now, so I figure I have a few hundred miles left.

I had planned to go through another analysis before making the switch to B20 (running B5 now), but given your experience may switch sooner.

In nay case, I'll continue to have my oil analyzed every 1000 miles or so to determine when I should change it.

I'll be posting results after I have a few analyses back.

[Section106]

Originally Posted by magellan

I'll be posting results after I have a few analyses back.

I'm very interested to see your results. I'm waiting to change my oil but I've already got my Blackstone Labs oil kit in the mail. I'm still waiting on another 1k miles.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Section106

I'm very interested to see your results. I'm waiting to change my oil but I've already got my Blackstone Labs oil kit in the mail. I'm still waiting on another 1k miles.

I didn't wait, I just sucked a bit of oil out through the dipstick tube.
My second sample is on its way to Blackstone.

Let them know you are running Bio Diesel and the vehicle you have. They collect stats on an engine by engine basis. PM me and I'll give you my Blackstone customer/vehicle info. It would be good for them to know we are interested in the same type of info.

[tcmglx]

Do you have to do anything to run the b100 diesel?

[NDSU_Bison]

You don't need to do any modifications to run on Biodiesel. Biodiesel can start to jell at cold temperatures so I use lower percentages in the winter.

I've got about 9,000 miles on my 2008 with about 1/2 of that (couldn't find any near I-5 up and down Cali.) running on anything from B50 to B99 depending on the weather. My mileage is a little better with B50 than straight dino juice or B100 and the exhaust actually smells good.

Check out some of the facts from my supplier at:
http://www.sqbiofuels.com/faq_diesel.html