My '98 TDI converted to run on used fryer oil by using a single tank Elsbett system. $0.40 - $6.00/gallon and 220k miles as of April 2015. 300K total! The only problem has been 2 shrunken gaskets in the fuel pump and a couple wiring problems, and 3 plastic coolant "T"s and the AC powered Tank heater. Also the fuel pump gives a check engine light at cold start up. [Search below for "LEAK".] With the transition to ULSD, most petro diesel owners will experience the same leak. As of early 2007, this prediction has come true. Leaking diesel injection pumps are now commonplace. My leak was caused by running low sulpher diesel in it's first 60k miles.

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BOSCH VE injection pumps, rebuilt and parts. For pre-TDI VW diesels.
BOSCH VE injection pump internal diagrams

[written May 2003]

I have decided to convert my '98 VW Jetta TDI diesel to vegetable oil. The price of biodiesel has gone up over 40% in a little over a year. A kit was recently made available from Elsbett Technologie for vegetable oil conversion of VW TDI's. Assuming I use free waste fryer oil and my time is free, I should recover the cost of the kit in just over one year. I'll document my experiences here.

News: Elsbett has single tank kits for N.A. VW TDI's 2004-07 with the Pumpe-Duese engine coded BEW. About 1500 Euros. Your ECM must be reprogrammed by Elsbett in Germany. Elsbett announces a conversion kit for the Ford Powerstroke F-250 and Dodge Cummins. [also works in IDI GMC.]

PowerStroke + Cummins conversion

Q. I'd like to run used fryer oil in my gas engined car. Can I? A. No. Only diesel engines can burn vegetable oil.

Email me at: ctbiodzl%^at^%sdf.lonestar.org Remove the %^ and replace the at with an @.

A recent single tank conversion we did.

The kit - It's a single tank system. It can stop and restart on vo. It has both electric and coolant heated exchangers. A diesel powered fuel tank heater is optional. It would allow extended periods outside in the winter. But, as it is another $1K, and my TDI only spends a couple hours outside in the winter, I'll forego it for the present. I'll use diesel, kerosene (<=30% + cetane booster such as turpentine) or gasoline (<=5%) to keep the wvo liquid.

Related Links

Elsbett: www.elsbett.com

Infopop SVO: biodiesel.infopop.cc

Journey to Forever: Veg. Oil as diesel fuel

Vegburner: List of SVO related sites and research

MAN_Biofuel: German manufacturer's study of SVO and WVO as diesel fuel

Extensive Plant Oil as Fuel Study: SenterNovem / GAVE

TDI-SVO Controversy: Pro's and Con's of VO use in DI engines. [With close to a million miles driven on wvo in TDI's, wvo usage is no longer controversial in VW TDI's.]

TDI + Soy Oil warning from H.C. II: I now (2009) run at least 5% diesel or other solvent in my TDI to try to prevent injector nozzle coking while running soy.

Emmisions comparison: WVO vs Biodiesel vs Diesel in a VW Westphalia. [WVO wins!]

Technical info www.vegburner.co.uk

Canola Oil Canola properties

Collecting and filtering WVO Clean Grease

Veggie Oil viscosity vs. Diesel

Other TDI's:

Piedmont Biofuels' Elsbett TDI conversion

a TDI WVO conversion in Montreal

Gavin Watson's SVO TDI

EURO TDI's on PPO/SVO ( one single tank w/200k miles!! )

Other CT wvo info

Elsbett single tank conversion how-to

March 25 - Remove fuel injectors and FedEx them to Germany for conversion of the tips to a new type which ensures proper atomization

April 1 - Elsbett says my '98 AHU has injectors that are different from newer TDI's, and they may not be able to convert them. Waiting for final word from the chief engineer when he gets back from vacation.

April 9 - Elsbett was able to convert my injectors and the kit is on it's way.

April 29 - I've installed the new fuel injectors and glow plugs. Had to reseat the gp connectors as I caused a CEL/MIL light and DTW code. The fuel filter had drained out as the inj. lines were exposed to the air. But I used the hand pump supplied with the kit to draw fuel through the filter and got the engine restarted. The next step is locating the second fuel filter and coolant heat exchanger. There's not a lot of room in my A/C equipped engine compartment. I put the filter on the driver side shock tower cause there are already 2 posts perfect for it. The heat exchanger was tougher. I made a bracket to locate it at the firewall where the fuel lines come up, behind the 90* bend in the air intake tube. Checked the coolant lines last night, no leaks!

May 3 - Installed the fuel system and all it's components. Not hard, used the original fuel line as a guide and pushed the new one into place. Fortunately there was room enough behind the heat exchanger to make a loop out to the "T" fitting. The hose is thick and can take some sharp bends.

May 10 - Installed the 3 relays and associated wiring. Half of the time was spent figuring out where to make the connections into the existing engine components. The coolant relay is on the firewall above the brake booster ( on my '98 Jetta ). The temperature activated switch fit in an unused hole on the crankcase oil filter mount. I picked up several inline splices from Radio-Shack. Blue for the smaller wiring, red for the larger wiring at the alternator. I also recommend good quality ChannelLock strippers and crimpers. They're better than the usual crimp kits and an absolute necessity. I also wrapped the finished wiring in flexible black conduit from a local speed shop. Neon tie-wraps finished the wiring. I haven't mounted the relays yet, they're just loose. I'll use a rubber insulator to isolate them from vibration. I started the engine and watched as the engine temperature went from 20*C/65*F to 90*C/195*F in 6 minutes just idling. The fuel filter got very hot too. The electric filter heater can burn you. Once operating temperature was reached the thermal switch turned off and the system relied on the coolant heat exchanger for heat. The kit took about 50 hours to install. about 5 hours was spent just reading the documentation, another 5 looking for the location of the coolant relay and temperature sensor. If I did another one, it would take maybe 20 - 25 hours to do. A mechanic could do it in even less time. I'm just an experienced shade tree mechanic. I also have an electronics degree, so the electrical wiring was easy.

May 14 - Engine running fine on biodiesel. I'm making arrangements to get some canola WVO for this weekend. I'm showing the car along with Dave Henri's WVO Rabbit at the PACE solar house tour. Took some digital pictures. I'll post them soon. This is great!

May 17 - Attened the PACE solar house tour. They had 3 gas-electric hybrids, a biodiesel pickup and two wvo VW's. Drove there for the first time on WVO collected by Carl. He picked it up from a Thai restaurant. It's very good quality soybean oil. I made a final filter from a GE water filter ($15) using their charcoal impregnated paper filter canister ($8). It advertises filtration to 1 - 5 microns. I used an electric drill powered rotary pump from Home-Depot ($7) to pull the wvo through the filter and into my tank. Once filtered the wvo looks like dark honey, and is very clear. I also placed a half-dozen drops of wvo on a very hot ( enough to boil water ) stove burner. I saw some tiny pin prick bubbles produced. This indicates a very small amount of water. I don't know if it's too much, no bubbles would be better. The car ran ok, except I got a cloud of smoke when I started it cold the first time. I think I need to leave the glow plugs on longer, maybe 10-20 seconds. They aren't the fast heat ones that are standard on the TDI.

May 24. One week and 300 miles on WVO and no problems. The cold start smoking was cured by waiting 15 seconds for the glow plugs to heat up. The light stays on now, for a long time. Not the usual 2- 3 seconds with the stock system. My attention will now be on collection. Dave H. will take me dumpster diving. :)

November 26 - Finally completed the conversion with the addition of a block heater. Elsbett requires the engine be about 70*F before starting. I have been able to start the engine after being outside in the upper 30*F's, but it's probably stressfull on the pump. The block heater is a 1500 watt Zerostart 'tank heater'.

January 22 - 89K miles, still running without problems. The car benefits from the coolant heater. It is more drivable sooner. I try to maximize the wvo content at 70-80%. If the car engine temp is below 50*F, it has trouble maintaining fuel flow at high loads due to the very high viscosity of the cold fuel. Sometimes I couldn't get over 40 mph, or over 60 mph on the higway once the engine warmed up. The solution was to add a gallon or two of kerosene. But even with temps in the single digits my wvo content is still 60-70%. Sometimes I have to drive to the next higway entrance before I have the power to get to 60 mph. [Update 11-05. Went through last winter w/o this power loss problem when cold. I now know it wasn't temperature related, but was due to a partially clogged fuel filter. However German single-tank SVO'ers report keeping the rev.'s below 2,000 RPM till the engine is warm 'just in case'.] . The timer I bought at H-D turned out to be unreliable. Sometimes it wouldn't turn on the heater. No idea why it fails. Tossed it. Now I have to remember to plug it in one hour before I leave. Filtering is getting tougher with the low temp.'s in the garage. Now at about 30*F. But I siphoned a barrel low enough to be able to lift a 1/4 full one onto a steel bucket to get some height to be able to continue siphoning. So the good news is that I avoided the cost of a pump. With 2 -3 siphons 'tapped' into a barrel, I can filter 1 -2 gallons / day. I check the filter buckets usually twice a day. It takes about 10 minutes each visit. Once I have a 2/3 full bucket, I pour it in the fuel tank. I have a backache heating pad underneath the bucket to warm it so it pours faster. Sunday was filmed along with wvo'er Dave H. by a crew doing a wvo segment for a CPTV special on CT's Energy future. It's hosted by Ed Asner. CT'ers can look for it in late March.

March 20. Hit the 10k mile mark. No problems. Although last weeks wvo pickup was a mess. Got the pickup stuck in the mud behind the restaurant. Fell out of the bed of the truck while wrestling with the 200 lb barrel. Knee hurts. The CPTV special airs March 25th and March 28th. I get a cameo shot. My 'lard logs' are working well too. To use the thick wvo glop, I mix it with sawdust and roll into a log. Burns fiercely in my wood stove.

Zerostart tank heater installation.

The tank heater is necessary to warm the engine block above 70*F to ensure safe starting. It has started at lower temp.s on occaision. Before you DIY, go to www.tdiheater.com and see if they have a kit for your TDI. It's well worth it. The heater ties into the coolant lines and warms the block, injectors and fuel heat exchanger. To about 130*F.

From what I found, the block heater inlet should be teed into the oil cooler, on the back of the oil filter. There are two 5/8" hoses there for inlet and outlet. The heater outlet will be teed into one of the heater core hoses at the firewall. The Zerostart kit tells you to connect the inlet to the lower radiater hose. The maker of the Tdiheater kit says this won't work because the coolant thermostat is in the lower hose and will block coolant flow when cold. The Zerostart kit also only comes with one barbed 5/8" "T". You need two. I couldn't find one at Home-Depot , Loews or auto parts stores. I just ordered a 10 pack from www.mcmaster.com, catalog page 111, for $6. Also get the 3/4" barbed T's as they're a better fit for the heater core hoses at the firewall. On my '98 A3 Jetta, I located the tank heater behind and to the left of the driver side radiator fan. Below the intercooler hoses. I used a 10 mm bolt on a metal 3" bowl shaped device with a vacumn hose attached to hold the heater bracket. The bowl is mounted to the engine block below the upper radiator hose. The lower input coupling of the block heater points to the left, towards the alternator.

Plumbing: Instead of plumbing it into the oil cooler lines, I instead "T"'d into the 5/8 black hose that is beside the oil cooler hose. It goes over the oil cooler and transitions to a metal line that goes to the cabin heater core.

The reason was that it had a straight 3" section that better accomodated the 5/8 "T". I removed the oil filter so I had room to get a small saw to saw through the hose about midway up the vertical section. Lower is better. The saw I used is from Stanley. It's a rubber handle and accepts Sawzall blades or hacksaw blades.

Off the "T", I used a 180 degree preformed "U" hose. Each leg of the "U" is about 3-4". I got it at Advanced Auto Parts by getting behind the counter to where all the hoses hang.

The "U" hose points towards the drivers side of the car, terminating just above the oil cooler. A 6-8" straight section and inline coupler brings it to the inlet of the block heater.

From the outlet of the block heater I used another 5/8" preformed hose from the hose rack. It has a 90* bend. The short length is about 4" and the long length about 30", enough to reach the firewall. I trimmed the short length dow to 2", just enough to fit the heater coupling.

The hose heads straight to the firewall, below the intercooler pipes. I installed a 3/4" "T" in the rightmost of the two cabin heater hoses, about 3-4" from the firewall. The cabin heater core hoses are bigger than the hoses at the oil cooler, so the 3/4" "T" was a better fit. I was still able to force the 5/8 90*degree hose onto it.

Before I finished the last "T", I filled the block heater with distilled water. I only lost a couple cups of coolant in all the cutting.

I ran the electric cord under the radiator and out the front grill.

Results: After filling the resevoir and running it for 20 minutes, I found a leak at the block heater. Tightened the hose clamp and it was ok.

Today, in my garage at 52*F, I plugged in the 1500 Watt heater for an hour. It brought the temperature up to 180*F !!! The block was very warm to the touch. And best of all, my fuel -coolant heat exchanger was also very hot, so my wvo was probably about 160*F at the exchanger. The fuel pump wasn't warm.

The car started w/o the one second of stumbling I expect if the temps are below 50*F.

An amazing device. Again, I have the 1500 Watt version, not the 1000 Watt unit commonly used and recommended. But for my Elsbet kit, they recommend warming the car to 70*F before starting. That can probably be accomplished in 20 minutes with this heater.

I bought a 'programmable' AC timer from Home Depot. It can handle 15 amps ( the heater draws 12 ). It has plastic trips to allow me to turn on the heater in 1/2 hour increments.

Pictures and F.A.Q.

Conversion Pictures

FAQ

Q. Did Elsbett know that you were going to use it as a WVO system?

A. No. I knew I would invalidate the warranty. However they state that dewatered and de-acidified wvo can be used if cold filtered to 1-micron using absolute rated filters. If you wanted to go SVO, and didn't want to spend $7/gallon, non-food grade veg. oil. might be found for <$7/gallon.

Q. "Wow $1000, how come you didn't just go with the tank kit that goes in the trunk?

A.

1. I'd lose space in the trunk.

2. It avoids leaks and spills in the trunk.

3. Elsbett is the only vo conversion with 30 years of vo experience. Their kit ensures coking won't be a problem. The other kits can only claim 20,000 miles w/o a problem.

Q. Can you still run it on diesel?

A. Yes. Or biodiesel. Or kerosene. Or any blend of the four.

Q. Why a single tank system, instead of a dual tank?

A1. I'll let this guy give the best answer: "I bought a 300 d with Frybrid conversion off of Craig's list that wasn't running. It is now running great off of diesel and the Frybrid will be reinstalled later. My question is how do I get the thick film of wvo out of the trunk? I tried simple green with out any luck. Has anyone found a good grease dissolver?"

A2. It has a couple advantages, and disadvantages. It's advantages matched my current driving habits. I am a Mr. Mom, and only drive 10 miles to have lunch with the wife. And the car is garaged, so a block heater is easy, and the car is only outside not running for an hour. If it sat for 8 hours, I would need a dual tank setup so I could re-start on diesel or biodiesel. It's not recommended to start on vo below 70*F. However it will start if the fuel is liquid.

A3. Elsbett modifies the injection timing to ensure a complete burn of the veg. oil No other kit does this.

Q. Do you get your oil from one source?

A. No. I buy some from a man who collects from mult. sources. Plus I have my own restaurant I go to. They're all good clean wvo. Amber color. Soy or canola usually.

Q.How to I go about getting used fryer oil?

A. The best place to research these questions is at biodiesel.infopop.cc in the 'SVO Forum'. The best oils are canola and soybean. Avoid others, especially hydrogenated oils [Note: I've since changed my mind. Hydrogenated vo is more saturated than unmodified vo. Saturated oils have higher Iodine values and may be more resistant to oxidation. In any case, as my supply changes, I'm using a mix of both.] Ask the manager or check a used container. The best restaurants are good quality rest.'s as they change their oil more frequently. It should be medium or dark amber in color. Avoid wvo that's black like sump oil. [You shouldn't eat there either.] Most wvo'ers prefer Chinese, or even better Japanese or donut shop oil. Vegetarian restaurants won't have heavy tallow ( animal lard ) in their wvo.

Also, small restaurants typically pay to have the oil picked up, so they'll be happy to have you take it for free. Fast food chains get paid for their oil, and it's usually crappy oil too. Be polite and talk to the kitchen help or manager. One guy usually will order a soda, ask what type of oil they cook with, then if it's good oil, he'll ask about taking it away. Managers are usually intrigued by the thought of using it for fuel and are happy to cooperate. Most wvo'ers get it out of the dumpster, so you'll need a pump and screen and some jugs or barrels. If you can be there when they empty the fryolaters, you can provide 5 gallon plastic jugs and take it away. Unless you're using a lot, one or two restaurants is all you'll need.

How do you test for water in the wvo?

Visual Crackle method, a.k.a "the Frying Pan test"

Practice this on fresh oil first to see what no water in the oil should look like. I don't look directly through the oil drop, but instead look from the side where a bright lamp above casts a white shimmer over the surface. The white shimmer makes spotting the blak air bubbles easier.

Pan Test Video

Q. Is a dual tank setup better for colder climates?

A. Yes. However, a single tank running a 50/50 blend of wvo/diesel or kero works for me. The longest mine stayed out was 4 hours. It started fine on a 70/30 mix. But there may have been some incomplete combustion till it warmed up. You have to balance it against the risk of forgetting to switch back and needing a tow. In CT, avg outside daytime winter temps are always above 5*F usually 20's, and I 'survived' on a 60/40 blend. Usually 80/20. Thining helps atomization, and reduces the coking risk, but I can't know if it's as safe as following Elsbett's requirements, and always starting the engine at 70*F. My engine temperature gauge only went to 110*F, but I believe the engine was at least 70*F when starting even after cooling off for a few hours outside. Too bad I can't speak German. I'm sure there are a lot of practical use threads on cold weather operations in the German 'plantomot oil' forums.

Q. Should I try to do a do-it-yourself single-tank system?

Ask this guy: DIY single-tank

Q. Do you know anyone who has tried an Elsbett kit on anything besides TDIs?

A. Yes, an '85 Mercedes-Benz 300 TD. We did the conversion to an Elsbett single-tank. It's pictures are elsewhere on this site.

Q. How long can you store the WVO?

A. My personal longest is about 6 months. Most report 1 year. But it depends on temp. too. Colder the better. Rancid stuff is no fun to filter. Best chuck it. Some open jars I have grew fungus after a couple months. Others reported simply filtering it out.

Q. Does screening the WVO to the right micron level bring it to the Weihenstephan standards?

A. No. The W. std is for canola SVO. It sets limits for acidity, and water content, particle size, and several other parameters. I think Alexander Noack recommended 1 micron filtering for those trying wvo. Water content is a guess. Absolutely no free water as a minimum. All but one of the 4 barrels I processed had no free water. Determining the actual water content would require an expensive test. Others have stated that as long as there is no free water, there is no risk of rusting. Setting a limit below the saturation point of the vo allows the vo to absorb some water due to condensation, with out water settling out of the vo. But you may be at the limit, hard to tell. It's a risk. I set aside some jars, and nothing has settledout in 10 months. Also ph is important. I measured mine with some pink ph litmus paper strips. It came out 6-7, which is almost neutral. I dipped it in 100% wvo, and also in the water portion of a 50/50 blend of wvo and distilled water. Same 6-7 result. Better results could be found by titrating it, but avoiding the work of biodiesel is my goal. I didn't convert the W. std ionic limit to ph, but a chemist could. Others processing wvo for bd usually find the wvo is acidic. If it's acidic, it will etch the pump metal. Some wvo'ers de-acidify their wvo by mixing it with water and letting the acid transfer to the water, then settling or boiling off the water. If it's this much work, you might as well make biodiesel, imo.

The other parameters are either characteristic of the veg. oil and won't change, or are inconsequetial or difficult to test and correct.

Q. When you mix in Kerosene, do you do it in the tank of the car, or do you mix before you put it in?

A. I do it in the car. I did some experiments in glass jars that made me reasonably confident it mixed thoroughly in the tank. Curiously, 50 micon filtered wvo did not mix, while 1 micron filtered wvo did. At 35*F too. Try it yourself with your wvo. Then let it settle for a few weeks or warm it to 180*F briefly to accelerate the settling.

Q. What filters do you use to filter to 1 micron?

A. McMaster Carr 4" and 7" sock filters. I have a few 4" 50 micron nylon mesh filter bags. They filter out the gooey lard from the wvo. And they're cleanable. They hang inside a 4" or 7" cotton 1 micron final filter. It's not cleanble. All hang above a 5-gallon paint bucket. When I get 1 -2 gallons in the bucket , it either goes into the fuel tank or a 5-gallon jug.

I use a filter in filter technique to lengthen filter life. I use a 100 micron washable nylon mesh filter inside a 1 micron final filter. One filter is over a year old. It probably cleaned 100 -150 gallons. Below are the mcmaster.com P/N's. Get an 'Absolute Rated' filter, they filter out 99% of the rated particles. Non-Abs. rated ones only filter out 95% ( I think ). They are cheaper, but you'll probably plug your fuel filter sooner. I doubled up two non-abs. and got better life from the filter, but it still doesn't filter all the visible particles. Not good for your fuel system. I really think you need abs. rated filters to remove all possible contaminents!

1 Micron , 7" x 32" 51695K71 or K61 (best), or 5726K21, or 9844K21

100 Micron, 7" x 32" 51705K6

The 7x32 will filter an entire cubee. I have to clean them out in the sink with hot water and soap. Then once in the dishwasher.

Q. What is your system for removing water?

A. I don't. There is no free water, and free water ( imo ) is what causes rust. I test it on the stove top by heating it above the boiling point of water. If it's there, it will form tiny bubbles. There is a little, but I have no idea how much. The restaurant's fryer already heats the oil to >300*F, which boils most of the water out. They also help by putting the wvo in a sealed 30 gallon barrel, instead of the wvo dumpster. This keeps out rain water. If I do get free water, I give it a couple weeks to settle to the bottom and just use the vo on top. This doesn't remove all the water.

Q. It seems like lots of people are scared of using WVO in the TDI. I am thinking that as long as you can control the variables that might damage the fuel pump, injectors, or engine you should be ok.

A. I agree. But it is not without risks. I wouldn't recomend this to someone who is just trying to save money. You need ( imo ) a higher motive to risk a $1K repair bill if damage is done to the fuel pump. However, there are more and more people running wvo in their TDI's. And that doesn't count the hundreds running SVO in Germany. Someone claims there are 2 dozen WVO TDI's in Vermont alone. One TDI'er claims 100k miles on WVO. Plus the guy in Germany with 200K miles on his Elsbett SVO Passat TDI. If the WVO is as good as the SVO, it should work. But it is an experiment. Don't do it unless rebuilding the pump for $1000 won't wipe you out. Then again, biodieselers spend about $500 more for fuel / year, so in effect, they 'rebuild' their pumps too, every few years ;)

Q. The reason I don't like the biodiesel idea as much as the WVO idea right now is that biodiesel production involves recurring cost. Even if i had to process my WVO alot before using it in a tank, the only recurring cost would be electricity for pumps, and filter elements... (or at least I think so.)

A. And heating the wvo to evaporate any water. This might be expensive. So far I don't have pumps. I've just been siphoning and pouring. Ok, I do get a taste of cold vo once a week or so.

But my current filter setup cost less than $60. And I spend about 1-hr/week tending it, and another hour picking up a barrel of wvo / month.

Q. When you were doing your research did you look at Biocar's computer controlled stuff?

A. Only briefly, and 2 years ago. I prefered the Elsbett system because of their research, 5,000 conversions and warranty.

Q. I found some 1/4 micron bags, but i dont know if this is overkill or not?

A. Only possible downside is that the flow will be too little. My 1 micron bags drip about once every 1 - 3 seconds at temps around 45*F. Thats enough to collect about a gallon a day.

Q. I'm assuming you filter your oil cold ?

A. Yes. Others report that warm fuel slips too easily through a filter and is not as clean. But my garage temps are now about 33*F and to get even a minimal flow of wvo, I heat the barrel with a muscle heating pad. Gets it to upper 30's maybe.

Q. I'm thinking of going with the Elsbett kit. I'm kinda concerned about it being one tank, but i guess if I really had problems with it, I could turn it into a 2 tank system without alot of trouble?

A. To me, it depends on your location, ie how often is it below 40*F, and if you have a garage, and can power the coolant heater at work. They also make a 2-tank system. You could add a second tank if necessary. Or do as I do, just run blends of wvo/kerosene to keep the viscosity low. This works for me cause I only drive 1k miles / month. Someone who drove a lot of miles might not want to burn that much kerosene or diesel.

Q. I was wondering about the replacment injectors. How long was your car out of commision for this ?

Check the dates at my site. About 3 weeks. Mine was overlong because the tech who modifies them was on vacation. Coordinate ( if possible ) with Elsbett, then assume 1 week to get in and out even with 2 day shipping, and another week to convert. Renting a car is cheaper than a used set of injectors.

Q. Do the new injectors have larger ports ??

What Elsbett does is proprietary information, but knowledgable vo'ers speculate that the spray pattern is modified to keep the spray away from the cylinder walls, especially when the engine is not fully warmed up. There's a thread on this at biodiesel.infopop.cc search on Elsbett and injectors.

Q. Will Elsbett sell the modified injectors separately?

A. No.

Q. Will Elsbett modify 'fatter' / enlarged nozzle/ non-stock injectors? A. No. Darren Hill of vegburner.uk reportted one Denmark s-t owner who 'chipped' his TDI and had a 'catastrophic failure'. He does not recommend 'chipping' conversions. You don't want unburned veg oil fuel in your cylinders. It has lead to coking, and deposits and possible crankase oil polymerization.

Q. Have you run tanks of 100% oil yet ?

A. Yes. Always 100% wvo from May through October. Then 10% diesel or kero. Up to 30% kero. Kero is twice as effective as dzl at lowering the viscosity. As long as outside temps are > 45*F I can run 100% wvo.

Q. I wish you could help me with the electrical portion.

A. I can photocopy the directions and send them to you so you know what you're expected to do before committing to the kit. You have to connect to the TDI wiring at about 6 points, and then wire up 3 relays.

Q. What problems did you have?

A. I haven't had any problem with the kit at all. I did plug a fuel filter when I stupidly put in un-filtered wvo. And I'm confident the gasket shrinkage in the FIP was pre- wvo. The new gasket is still sitting in a jar of wvo and has not shrunk after over 3 years. Update: Dirt got into the f.f. heater connection and caused it to blow out the fuse. Also a crimped wire connection I made near the temperature sensor came loose.

Q.Whats this deal about FL, CA and TX? A. Single tanks are ideal for warm climates. You can proabbly run them on 100% VO for the warmest 50 weeks of the year. For a single tank, Elsbett recommends the engine be at 70*F before starting on 100% VO. I do that with an AC powered engine heater every morning. If you live where temps rarely or never go below 70*F, you don't need any of that and can go 100% VO all year round. If yo can't warm the engine to 70*F, I recommnd thinning the wvo to the viscosity of pure biodiesel. This is so that you get good atomization and avoid deposits in the combustion chamber.

Q. Don't I need to thin the VO when it gets cold? A.Below 32*F, you also need to thin the VO just to keep it liquid in the tank and fuel lines. If it gells, you won't get fuel flow and it won't run.

Q. So there are two thresholds for blending a single-tank. One to allow clean cold starts, the other to prevent gelling. A. Yes. You must blend in enough to keep the fuel liquid. If you can't pre-heat the engine to >70*F, then you must add additional thinners to reduce the viscosity to avoid smoky starts. If you get the Ebersbacher, or always access to AC power, you need only worry about the fuel gelling.

Q. What's an Ebersbacher? A. Another way to keep the engine warm. Commonly used by truckers in Alaska. It's a flame powered by diesel fuel, and it sits where your spare tire is. It's plumbed into your coolant lines and runs 24 hours a day. It uses a cup or two of fuel / day. It is an option and costs about $1000. Similar to models made by Espar and Webasto.

Q. Which is more common, the Eslbett single tank or dual tank? A. Most Elsbett conversions go with the single tank. All the TDI's I know of in the USA are s-t. However, Ford , Dodge and GM trucks have to go dual tank. The only vehicles which should favor dual tank are those run in very cold climates, or frequently operated on runs of less than 10km or 6 miles.

Q. Which VW TDI should I get? A. Since single tanks are preferable, but can only be used in non-common rail engines. A single tank kit is now available for the Pumpe-Deuse BEW coded TDI's. Th einjectors are not modified, but the ECM needs to be sent to Germany for reprogramming. TDI's made for the N.A. market for 2009 have a particle filter cannot be converted to single or dual tank.

Q. How much does it cost to convert a _________? A. A single tank VW TDI costs about $1350 USD for the kit. A single tank pre common-rail M-B costs about $1050 for the kit, plus about $300 to rebuild the injectors. Ford, Dodge and GMC trucks can only go dual tank, and cost about $2295 for the kit. Installation cost will vary depending on your choice of second tank, but will normally be $1200 for a dual tank setup. Single tanks need an AC powered heater such as a Zerostart for about $50. Kit installation is about $900 for a single tank.

Q. Should I buy a kit or should I "do-it-yourself"?

A. DIY regrets and time spent

Q. Are there better methods to filter the WVO?

A. Yes. A centrifuge is one way: DieselCraft centrifuge from SunWizard Q. Are there books on SVO? A. 1. From Germany, but in English, a DIY single tank Stepahn Helbigs "The Edge of Veg"

Q. What about spare parts?

A. For the M-B kit, the fuel filter is Mahle KX35 and is available from Filter Seals also needed separately.

A. For the glow plugs you must use BERU -GN suffixed for the "post-glow" period of 3 minutes. BERU -GN Glow Plugs

BERUparts.com

Drivers Log

First 1K miles. No driveability problems. It began to take 1 - 2 seconds of cranking to start, and there was a cloud of smoke at startup too. I now do 2 glow plug cycles and it starts quick w/o smoke. [Update: One g.p. cycle is enough. I was used to the 2-3 second instant on cycle time of stock TDI's. I now wait 10-15 seconds and it starts w/o smoke the first time.]

July 1st. LEAK! Just discovered my fuel pump is leaking wvo at the top cover. Damn. I'll attempt to seal it with a new seal made of Viton. Update. Security bolt socket on order from www.metalnerd.com., as is a new top cover gasket from Bosch. Since many other BOSCH FIP's have failed the same way running on petro diesel, this may not be bd or wvo related. Once I see the gasket, I'll know more.

July 28th: Replaced another gasket in the fip. This one is where the main body joins the housing that contains the fuel shutoff solenoid and the 4 injector ports. It's a std O-ring, but was now a "D"-ring. It was flattened where it contacted the cylinder pump wall. I just removed the connector bracket and the bracket at he bottom that holds the timing adjustment screw on the right side of the fip ( as you face it from the front of the car). IWhile the pump is not leaking there are 6 other O-rings in the gasket kit, so they are probably shrunk too. You'll need a #25 or #27 Torx bit. Preferably mounted in a socket. And a 5 or 6mm hex bit, also mounted in a socket. Mark all positions of the bolts as you remove them as they are different lengths. Pull the housing out and it will slide off a shaft inside the fip. This shaft has a collar on it. The collar has a detent that holds a thin rod that descends from the top of the pump. Make sure that the rod is in the detent when re-assembling.

[Update: 11/05 A friend was not so lucky when removing his dist. head to replace this seal. Several small pieces fell out internally. The whole pump then had to be removed and the gasket replaced and re-assembled.

[Update: 5/06 - I just read online of another TDI owner with a f.i.p. leak that temporarily sealed it by adding in a bottle of "Transmission Stop-Leak". This transmission treatment swells seals, and apparantly can do the same to fuel system seals. IMO, faster reslults might be had by adding 1/2 a bottle directly to the fuel filter, and letting it idle for 5 minutes, then sit overnight.

I'll post pictures too. The top cover area has a gummy film that wouldn't come off easy with carburator cleaner. The cyclinder was clean w/o any corrosion or deposits. Cleanliness is important. I sprayed all parts off with carburator cleaner before re-assembly. The BOSCH gasket kit is p/n 2467-010-003. Try your local BOSCH service center. I ordered mine from H.G. Makelim Co. in San Francisco CA. 650-873-4757. They're very helpfull and know what they're doing. I'm running it on bd for the next 2 months. I have a new gasket soaking in a jar of wvo, to see if it shrinks. [Update: 11/05. Gasket ok after 2 1/2 years in wvo.] The car is running fine. Because I didn't move the main body, it doesn't need to be retimed.

Sept. 2 2004 - Experiencing occaisional power dips above 3,000 rpm. Replaced fuel filter, air filter and cleaned snow screen and MAF. The fuel filter had a little sediment and white flakes in the water trap, but NO water. :) The air filter was dirty. Both filters had 20k miles. Cleaned the MAF with aerosol electonics cleaner from Radio-Shack. Flushed out some soot. Result: Hooray! Power is restored! Top speed of 95 m.p.h. That's better.

Oct. 2004 - No more problems with the fuel pump. The gasket half submerged in wvo has also not shrunk, so I believe the original gasket shrinking was not due to wvo use.

November 2004- Cold weather brought a new problem while running 100% wvo. When temps dropped into the upper 30*F's, the car could not go faster than 65 mph. The engine power would fade. Added 10% gasoline and 10% kerosene. Still had the problem on cold days. Added 10% biodiesel and no more problems running on the highway. However on mornings, the car won't go faster than 40 mph before it's fully warm for several minutes. It's time for the long delayed block heater. After installing a 1500 watt Zerostart 'tank heater' from J.C. Whitney, cold startups are no longer a problem. It's capable of warming the engine from 50*F to 180*F in 20 minutes.

November filtering - Cold temps's made the wvo too viscous to flow using my hand rotary pump and cartridge filter. Now filtering using filter bags into buckets. I use a 100 micron bag in side 1 micron 4" and 7" filter bags from mcmaster.com. WVO is siphoned from my 30 gallon wvo barrels. Flow is very slow, about one drop / second, but I can collect a gallon / day in two buckets.

March 22 2004 - One year aniversary of the start of the conversion. 10k miles so far, no problems. Still running 80/20 wvo/kerosene, although I did use 60/40 in January and February.

May 2004 - 11k miles. Running pure wvo now that temps are above 50*F. No leaks. Changed oil and fuel filter. Chugging along.

Sept 1. - 15k miles. No problems so far. I got a lot of water in this summers wvo due to the placement of the barrel under the restaurant's eaves and no gutter. So I let the tank go to 1/8th full and put in 10 gallons of biodiesel in the hope it's hydroscopic properties will absorb any free water. Oil level ok, not going up. Long term gasket soak in wvo still good too, the gasket is unchanged from a year ago. I also was filtering several gallons/day this summer to support my F-250 which is on loan and running on a 50/50 wvo/diesel blend w/o switching tanks.

Oct. 2004 - 17k miles. No problems.

Jan. 2005 - 19k miles. No problems. Burning 75% soybean/p. hydrog. soybean/canola with up to 5% gasoline, 10% kerosene and 5% naptha ( Coleman fuel ) . Started the car cold once at 40*F with barely a ruff idle.

Mar. 2005 - 20k miles. No problems. Running 10-20% kerosene as temps vary from 30*F down to 10*F. A report warning of gasket shrinkage due to ULSD from New Zealand is online. I think that's what happened to me and others who have used biodiesel or ULSD fuel. The new gasket is still unchanged after 18 months of sitting in a jar of wvo. I just found a lot of single-tank system in N. Europe online too. I'm confident it will work w/o coking and fip damage if I get the wvo up to Weihenstephan standards. I'm going to order an acid kit from BioCar and start de-watering the wvo.

May 2005 - 20k miles, no problems. Inspected the intake at the EGR valve. As clean as on B100 biodiesel.

Aug 2005 - 25k miles, no problems. A shop tested the fip injection quantity and it was in spec. I ran 520 miles, mostly at 65-75 mph with 3 adults and the A/C was on. I estimated about 40 mpg.

Oct 2005 - 28k miles, no problems. Had to replace the sacraficial filter after only two months. Also replaced the main filter after about 15k miles. I had a glow plug error and pulled the g.p.'s to check them. They looked normal, just a little blackened and some flecks of brown powder. No erosion of the tips. Also bought an IR thermometer. When fully warmed up, the fip surface read 135-140*F. So the vo inside is probably at 150*F, the minimum safe temp. for vo.

Jan 2006 - 31k miles, no problems.

Jan 16 2006 - A new driving style. Up to now I had always driven from home and pre-warmed the TDI before I left for errands. Now I'm working and commuting to a place where I can't plug the AC heater in and pre-warm the engine before I return home. So the fuel must be thin enough to a) not freeze when temps are below 10*F, and also is not too thick so that the fuel pump isn't damaged by fuel that is as too viscous. I'm guessing that if a WVO and kerosene blend had the same viscosity of B100 biodiesel, it would no be a problem to start it cold at 10*F. So I diluted the WVO with 30-40% kerosene. For two weeks it has been fine. No smoke at cold start, and it fires up instantly just as when it's pre-warmed. No problems or side effects from running 40% kerosene. Lubricity will be more than adequate. Studies have shown only 2% VO is needed to provide proper lubrication in un-additized petro diesel. And I have 60%.

Mar 2006 - 34k miles, no problems. Adding cetane booster exhibits more power above 3,000 RPM.

Mar 2006 - 35k miles. Suddenly lost power in the morning commute through Hartford. I quickly got in the breakdown lane, popped the hood and opened the valve on the spare fuel filter. Finished commute. I replaced the sacraficial filter that night. Next day it happened again. Same routine. This time I replaced the main fuel filter. I drained the filters and found small dark flecks/ particles in the fuel. Probably an algea bloom. I remembered filling with wvo that was cloudy, and not the usual clear , translucent brown. I got a bottle of diesel fuel bio-cide and added an ounce or two to each tank at refills. The third day, I had a different problem. The engine would stumble when revved above 3,000 RPM, or accelerated. I came home on the back roads. The problem was that the engine was sucking in air and this caused the sudden stumbleing. Once I got home I replaced the sacraficial filter again. I had mistakenly replaced it with a larger sized one, and this cracked the fuel line, allowing in air ( VW TDI's suck the fuel into the engine ). I had used a 3/8" filter instead of the the correct 5/16" inlet f.f.

Apr 2006 - 37k miles. No problems.

May 2006 - 38k miles. No problems.

July 2006 - 42k miles. No problems.

Aug 2006 - 44k miles. Replaced both fuel filters due to loss of power.

Sep 2006 - 47k miles. Replaced both fuel filters again due to loss of power. I noted that I had switched sock filters and was using a cheaper non-absolute 1 micron filter. I rembered seeing visible sediment in the filtered wvo, something I never saw before. So I believe the non-absolute filter caused the rapid fuel filter plugging. I have switched to virgin soy oil for the time being. When I go back to wvo, I'll double up the the non-absolute filters or use them as a pre-filter inside the old absolute rated filters. I also cleaned the MAF and snow screne and replaced the air filter. I did a top speed test and hit 92 m.p.h. up a slight hill. Same top speed as at 60k. miles before biodiesel or conversion:)

Oct 2006 - 49k miles. No problems.

Nov 2006 - 50k miles. No problems. 40*F now, running 20% ULSD

Dec 2006 - 51k miles. No problems. 40*F now, running 20% ULSD and plugging in the coolant heater at home and at work ( with a long extension cord ) for 30 minutes before startup.

Jan 2007 - 53k miles. No problems. 30*F now, running 25% ULSD pre-heating at work.

Feb 2007 - 55k miles. No problems. 30*F now, running 20% ULSD pre-heating at work.

Mar 2007 - 56k miles. Fuel almost jelled when I was running 80/20 and left the car outside and temp.'s fell to 8*F / -20*C. The car was plugged in and started ok, ran about 2 miles then the engine sputtered and died. Luckily I wsa able to coast to within 100 meters of a gas station, and got a helpfull push to the pump. I added 3 gallons of diesel. While waiting for it to thin the svo canola/soy/diesel blend, I manually pumped very thick fuel to the filter using the Elsbett priming pump. After 5 minutes of that, I tried to start the car, and surprisingly it started and ran fine. I continued to pump fuel for another couple minutes. The VW TDI recirculates warm injector fuel to the fuel filter. That helps prevent jelling. I drove on main streets past several gast stations for the next couple miles in case the engine had problems again. After 10 minutes of running I was confident it was fine and hopped on the highway at went to work. That unexpected cold period was too cold for 80/20. A safer ratio for temperatures that low would be 60/40 SVO/diesel.

Ap 2007 - 59k miles. No problems. Temps, above 35*F, running 100% VO, plugging in first to pre-warm to 70*F.

May 2007 - 61k miles. No problems.

June 2007 - 63k miles. No problems.

July 2007 - 65k miles. Poorly filtered WVO caused an early fuel filter replacement. No more cheap non-absolute filter socks for me. I'll double or triple the remaining ones up.

Aug 2007 - 66k miles. No problems.

Sept 2007 - 68k miles. No problems.

Oct 2007 - 70k miles. No problems.

Nov 2007 - 72k miles. No problems.

Dec 2007 - 74k miles. No problems.Running a blend of 86% soybean oil, 10% kerosene, and 4% gasoline when temps go below 18*F. Running 96% SVO and 4% gasoline otherwise with temps as low as 25*F.

Jan 2008 - 76k miles. No problems. Same blend as December.

Feb 2008 - 77k miles. No problems. Same blend as December.

Mar 2008 - 77k miles. No problems. Same blend as December.

Apr 2008 - 78k miles. Low power when cold, within the first 8 minutes after startup. Max speed limited to 50 mph. Thinned the fuel down to 30% veggie oil to allow more fuel flow when cold. This weekend I inspected the fuel filter heater and found it was not hot at startup. The heater fuse was burned out and the heater connector was dirty and melted. Replaced the connector and fuse. Heater now comes on and engine power is normal at cold startup. Wrapped the connector in electrical tape to seal out dirt and oil.

May 2008 - 80k miles. Still have CEL's. Run's ok except when cold. Replaced N75 solenoid, seems to help. Running 100% VO.

Jun 2008 - 82k miles. Replaced one bad glow plug. Unfortunately another was cross threaded and an extractor snapped in the cyl. head trying to remove it. Waiting to have ext. burned out on an EDM machine.

July 2008 82k - Head fixed. Checked condition of pistons and cyl head. There were a some small deposits, but no signs of ring coking or gumming. Two mechanics looked and said they looked 'average' and in 'very good condition' for the mileage. Engine runs great. They also cleaned out the cylinder head which had about 25% blockage due to sooty deposits. These were loose and flaked right off. Typical for these engines, and probably all done in the first 60,000 miles driven on sooty LSD by the original owner. The intercooler has never been cleaned. Fixed a broken coolant sensor wire that was causing the engine to not get the coolent sensor signal and always go into extended glow plug cycle , even if it was hot. Also fixed the intermittant turbo problem. Happened sometimes after cold startup. No turbo till warm. Replaced N75 and some related hoses. Shop cleaned out the turbo actuator , it was sticking from soot. Turbo works 100% of the time now.

Aug. 2008 83k - Lots of new power above 3500 RPM now with the clean cylinder heads. Maybe 10 or 15% more.

Sept 2008 85k No problems. 165k total miles.

Oct. 2008 87k No problems. Oil consumption still low, ~5k miles / quart. No signs of VO in the crankcase oil.

Nov. 2008 88k miles. No problems. Running Canola WVO and SVO.

Dec. 2008 91k miles. No problems. Running Canola WVO and SVO at 40 - 80% blends.

Jan. 2009 93k miles. Changed oil after 11K miles. No vegetable oil contamination found.

Feb. 2009 95k miles. No problems. Running 50-60% WVO

Mar. 2009 97k miles. No problems. Running 75% WVO

Apr. 2009 98k miles. No problems. Running 95% WVO

May. 2009 99k miles. One problem. Running 95% WVO. It got cold , about 50-55*F and when I went to start, it stumbled and smoked for about 30 seconds. A fast idle heated it up to stop the smoke, but there was no power. I ran a few miles, then opened the spare fuel filter valve. That removes any main fuel filter. restriction. Still no power. CEL was on too. I stopped the engine, re-started and full power was restored. The ECM must have gone into limp mode when I started and it was running rough. Just to be sure, with the spare fuel filter valve open, (and with 10% diesel and 0.5% turpentine and two new tires ) I did a top speed run on I-95. I hit 105 m.p.h.! A new record for this car. Obviously it's running as good as ever. I don't want to make it a habit, so I won't try again w/o the turpentine and 10% diesel for comparison. But both help, especially above 3000 r.p.m.

May 23 2009 100k miles! No problems. Running 100% WVO

June 2009 100k miles! No problems. Running 100% WVO

July 2009 103k miles! No problems. Running 100% WVO

Aug 2009 106k miles! Algae due to lots of water due to lots of rain. Replace fuel filter. Running 100% WVO

Sept 2009 109k miles! Still algae Replace fuel filter. Running 80% WVO

Oct 2009 113k miles! Even with Biocide, algae persists. Replace fuel filter. Running 70% WVO

Nov 2009 116k miles Replace fuel filter. Hopefully for the last time. Algae can't survive 40*F ( can they?) Running 50% WVO

Dec 2009 119k miles Replace fuel filter again. Not due to algae but now hydrogenated fat in the wvo that plugged the filter when cold. My cold filtering setup needs heat from a radiant heater when it's cold in the garage. Too much heat and I got partially hydrogenated wvo. Running 50% WVO

Jan 2010 122k miles Replace fuel filter. Switched to SVO to avoid problems in the winter cold. Still a little thick sometimes at 70-80%SVO so I turned on the spare filter to get up steep hills 70 mph. Running 50%-70% canola SVO. Starts easily w/o smoke usually. Temps typically 25-30*F Sometimes as low as 20*F Also got into race with a Dodge pickup that I won at 105 mph. Fortunately I was out of SVO that day and running 90% diesel. The VO is just too thick to allow sufficient fuel flow at rpm's above 3000rpm. Top speed is limited on SVO, even when heated. But it's nice to see the TDI is running well. Not burning oil, or VO in the crankcase oil.

Jan 2010 120K miles no problems. Got really cold one night, about 18*F and the TDI was running about 40% WVO + 60% diesel. Stalled in the parking lot 1 minute after starting. Had to use hand pump to refill the fuel system. Fuel was like honey, way too thick to pass through the fuel filter. I restatred after 10 minute sof pumping and then ran around to the front and pumped more by hand till the car ran for another few minutes on it's own. Drove really slowly first few miles. But he electric heater was making the difference and no further problems.

Feb-July 2010 122k-134k miles The following is a summary of events that started in February. Low power, couldn't get up steep hills over 60 mph. Replace fuel filter, car would work fine for an hour or a day, then the symptoms would return. I replaced the spare filter 8 times and the main filter four times over 5 months. Each time it woul dbe better for a while but then problems would return. I assumed it was a fuel quality issue, related to the water, perhaps algea. This was finally ruled out in June after I had cut open severla 'plugged ' filters, only to see they were not plugged. I blew out the fuel lines with a tire pump. I put a fuel pressure/vacumn gauge on both sides of the main filter and measured ~2-4" of Hg at the tank side, and 3-5" of Hg on the fuel pump side. very little restriction, so plugging filters was nat th eproblem. I had noticed that power dropped off instantaneously right at the end of the highway entrance ramp, within 50 feet of the same spot many times. It finally dawned on me that the TDI computer was going into "limp mode". It shuts down the turbo causing a loss of 1/2 power. The TDI ECM clears "limp mode" on a ignition key cycle. So every time I replaced my fuel filter, what was really making it work was simply powering it off then on. I then used VAG-COM to read the check engine light MIL code ( it's always on so it's always ignored ). It said 'Boost pressure control deviation from commanded" or something like that. The ECM was calling for boost, but it was not reading any increase, so it thought a major fault might exist and went into safe/limp mode. It turned out that the rubber hose connecting the intercooler plastic tube to the EGR valve had a two inch / 5cm split in it, allowing all the boost air to escape and preventing any boost pressure increase. I replaced the hos ewith an aftermarkey 45 degree elbow and the car has run nicely since. It probably split when I was running over 100 mph.

July 2010 134k miles no problems

Nove 2010 136k miles no problems

June 2011 155k Two problems One is loss of power, can only climb steep hills @ 50 mph. Added gasoline ( too much 15% ) to thin to help fuel flow. developed vapor lock. Car would stall after climbing a steep hill, but run fine afte rcooling down 5 minutes. Drained tank and in process found small air leak in the fuel pickup in the fuel tank. Replaced a small rubber O-ring. on the fuel pickup tube. It slides alitlle due to thermal expansion. Put in fresh diesel and vaapor lock problem cured. The original problem was not fixed with new fuel filters. The Elsbett hand pump / ball pump was collapsing under suction, even at idle. This indicated the blockage was upstream, but the lines ot the tank were blown out with a tire pump and clear. Fuel strainer in tank was clean. Surprisingly, the tank was very clean too, even after 8 years of bd and wvo. The blockage was within the ball pump itself. Dis-assembled and found pine needles, hair, and debris, all stuff that fell in while I refueled wvo through a funnel. Power was restored.

Nove 2011 157k Wire and the relay to the fuel filter heater got dirty, then hot due to increased resistance, then it melted. Disconnected fuel filter heater. Only needed in winter, so I'll just have to add a little extra gasoiline or kerosene to thin it some more.

Jan 2012 158k Limp mode again. Checked the error code and TDI club power troubleshooting guide which led to the conclusion it was the small rubber boost sensing hose that runs from the ECM to the intake. Removed ECM and replaced the inner hose and the long hose to the intake. Problem resolved.

May 2012 160k Needle position sensor on the 3rd injector failed. Replaced with a new injector. Swapped in the old Elsbett modified injector for the new std one. The Elsbett tech. examined the injector tip. It had a thin layer of hard carbon, bit the area around the nozzle was clean. The nozzle itself was not eroded and put back into service.

Sept 2012 164k miles no problems. Using Lucas biocide from truck stop, $80/gallon. One ouncper 5 gallons. Fuel Filter lasted 6 months till an algea or bacteria growth plugged the filter. Getting a MIL/CEL light at cold startup. It's the fuel quantity adjuster. If I clear the code, it's stays off till next cold start. Car runs fine with the error. No discernable difference. No excess smoke at startup.

Oct 2012 165k miles no problems. For those keeping track, most of the kit is still installed and working. The only thing not working is the fuel filter heater. Most of the problems so far have been due to bacteria or algea growth or debris in the fuel system, or dirt in the wiring.. Still have all the original TDI fuel system parts except #3 lift sensor injector at 245K total miles.

May 2013 176k miles no problems. Running 50 - 80% WVO to keep it thin at cold startup so I dont get the CEL for the fuel quantity adjuster. Same fuel filter for 1 year! The double filtering of the wvo and the Lucas biocide have made a huge difference. 256K total miles.

Sept 2013 190k miles no problems. Running 70-80% WVO. 270K total miles.

March 2014 198k miles Coolant 'T' at the oil cooler leaking coolant and the AC powered tank heater is now shorted. replaced both. USed an equivalent 1000W from Amazon for $46. Used a brass 'T' from McMaster-Carr. The plastic ones lasted only 5 - 10 years. The old tank heater lasted 10 years. Saw frequent winter usage. definately happy with it. Running 40-70% SVO. 278K total miles. Engine still starts on the first second even when temperatures are in the teens and I am running 50% SVO. The engine still runs like new. Oil consumption is 1 quart / 2-3000 miles. Car now has rusty floorboards and leaky coolant hoses. Veggy oil is the least of my worries! Have not gone into limp mode in almost two years. But I still have a CEL and GP light flashing from the error code thrown at cold startup.

April 30 2014 199k miles. Running 90% WVO. 279K total. Fixed the coolant leak ( loose hose clamp ), and the fuel leak at the sensor on the fuel injection pump. Just needed to tighten the 3 Torx screws.

June 2014 204k miles no problems. Running 95% WVO. 284K total miles.

Nov 2014 211k miles. Running 75% WVO. 291K total miles. Fuel injection pump leaking at the quantity adjuster. Due to increased use of low aromaticity ULSD for cold weather. Saw a Youtube video of a guy who cured his TDI's leak within 6 minutes using B100 biodiesel so I got some, about 80% biodiesel, 15% WVO and 5%ULSD, and it worked! Stopped leaking within 15 minutes. Now I have to determine what a maintenance level is, starting with 5% biodiesel. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPk94mQyack

March 2015 218k miles. Running 50-85% WVO. 298K total miles. had problems in February. Had a CEL for fuel quantity control erratic. Car went into limp mode, then it came out of it if it coasted ( 0 fuel demand ) for 6 seconds or more. Turned out to be a partial fuel blockage caused by a bacterial or algae growth. Added some Lucas Biocide to the wvo to kill it and the blockage cleared itself. No fuel pump leaks as long as I add 5% biodiesel when running 50% diesel when it got into the single digits. Started on 50/50 wvo/diesel at 5*F one morning after the car sat outside! Thats a record low cold start on wvo blend for the car. Mechanic replaced the coolant hoses around the water pump and oil cooler that had gotten degraded by leaking fuel last fall. Car has gone about 6000 miles while consuming only a quart of oil. Not bad for an old car.


April 2015 220k miles no problems. Running 90% WVO. 300K total miles!

July 2015 227k miles Occaisional fuel leak at the f.i.p., 20% biodiesel re-swells the seals. Running 80% WVO/ 10% diesel/ 10% gasoline. 307K total miles!