Is heated SVO/WVO too hot for my lift pump?

[vnapple]

I have a 2003 Ram, and I would like input from those who have converted their gen 3 to burn veg oil about whether to introduce my heated veg oil before, or after, my lift pump. On my truck, the lift pump is mounted to the stock fuel filter canister, and fuel travels a short distance from the filter to the injection pump. My concern is that the heated veg oil may be too hot for the lift pump and/or filter canister to handle for long, since they appear to be made of a black plastic. I have mounted a flat plate heat exchanger (FPHE) in the engine compartment, so the oil will be plenty hot when it reaches the lift pump. Introducing the oil before the lift pump is the simplest of the two methods for me, because introducing the veg oil between the lift and injection pumps would mean splicing a relay into a lift pump control wire so that the lift pump will be switched off when I am running veg. This is my last hurdle before I finish my conversion, and I appreciate your responses in advance.



Thanks!

 

[AndrewKing]

HI,

I am not an expert on the 3rd gen BUT I have read that pump inlet temps should be around 130 degrees... . Maybe somebody with more knowledge can chime in,.

Hope this helps.

Andrew

 

[vnapple]

Still hoping for an answer

Thanks, Andrew. I think that you are referring to the minimum temp that is necessary for veg oil to flow and inject readily, although higher temps (190 to 220) are more desirable. I am concerned that these temps will lead to the failure of my lift pump and/or filter housing. Any experienced members out there?

 

[cj hall]

vegetable oil cold weather

hello



what you are asking is one of the hardest to answer but I will try



You have vegetable oil that will be fine to run around 40 degrees then you have the same type of oil that gets soild at 60 degrees one little change in the make up of the oil and you pay for it.



right now its 24 degrees outside my two trucks each have vegetable oil in them single tanks one the 2001 dodge has a blend of 75/25, 25 percent vegetable oil the other truck has 100 percent vegetable oil in it. This is a blend of vegetable oil, gasoline and a few other thiners



the 01 is stock lift pump is weak and its going to get the works in the next few weeks. heated tank , heated fass fuel pump, fuel line running next to the heated line for the tank and pump.



the 04 has this done to it all ready



if you are running svo the you must heat it to keep it from jelling but all oil has different melting temps so you must know what kind of oil you have and where its from.



Most two tank systems owners say that the temp of the oil needs to be at least 130 degrees before it will burn the coldest I have run my 04 truck at was 40 below with the fuel temp at 6 degrees in the tank ,yes it has pluged in and the heater in the tank kept it warm so it was able to start and run on the blend of fuel I was using.



So as you can see it all depends on what oil you have and what you are trying to do with it.



Hope this helps you

good luck



cj hall

 

[vnapple]

Wiil 190 degree oil harm my pump?

Thanks for the reply, CJ. Once again, however, I am not asking how hot my oil needs to be. I want to know if 190 degree oil will melt/deform/degrade the plastic lift pump and/or fuel filter canister body on my truck. Thanks in advance.

 

[cj hall]

temp

the lid on your filter housing is made from cross linked poly just like the stock fuel tank on your truck i found that it was good to around 175 degrees in temp thats what the tank mfg told me at the temp it will become soft and deform



change the lift pump to a fass unit or an air dog unit get away from the stock stuff you will have better luck with after market products.



the cp3 might not like 190 degree oil i would check in to it before its to late the seals should be viton for vegetable oil they will handle the heat,make sure the other stuff in there will handle the heat.



good luck



cj hall

 

[vnapple]

Thanks, CJ

That is what I was looking for, re: the housing material. Also, good tip on the CP3 seals. That hadn't occurred to me, so I'll do some digging. Anyone know what the CP3's seals are made of?