L400 Injector Clogging on WVO - Driving Fast Enough?

[vicious922]

Hello, everyone. I'd like to say thanks for all the great info you have on this site. It really has been a great help to me with the miscellaneous repairs and the install of my Plantdrive kit on my 1996 L400 Chamonix (auto trans).

I installed the kit in August and have been excited to be running on WVO, but injector clogging has been a persistent problem for me. Cleaning the injectors and replacing them only seems to work for few days until they get clogged again. The van runs fine on diesel, the problem only happens when running on WVO (good quality).

Here in the motherland (Japan), speed limits are ridiculously low (40-50kph on basically every road throughout the country, only 80-100kph on the expressways). When I drive on WVO, I try to drive around 80kph with a lead foot in Power Mode to keep the RPMs high. The area is mountainous with very narrow and curvy roads, so I have to slow down often to 50-60kph now and then. Also, I hit stoplights every few kilometers. When I know I'm going to drop in speed significantly or idle at stoplights/big descents, I generally switch back to diesel a bit beforehand. After speed drops, I generally drop the lead foot on the pedal revving up to 3000+ RPMs to prevent clogging.

I invested in a injector line heater from Fattywagons as well. It seems to have helped a little, but the injectors are still clogging.

Before I bite the bullet and get new injectors (because that seems to be the problem - everything else works fine), I'm wondering if I'm crazy to even think that it's possible to run a Delica on WVO here.

I'd be grateful if any of you with an automatic L400 could let me know how slowly you can drive without clogging up your injectors. That and if you think it's possible to drive on WVO in my conditions.

Thanks,

Mike

[jessef]

No problems running wvo year round here.

If your injectors keep getting clogged, you have poor quality/filtered wvo and the wvo is not getting hot enough.

There is no need to rev high or have a lead foot.

There is an aid you can use which is to install an inline fuel pump to push cold wvo from the tank to the filter.

[Mr. Flibble]

I agree with Jesse, quite a few here running WVO in L400s without issue. Ensure your WVO is properly heated, and that it is properly filtered and de watered. Also, what source of WVO are you using?

[vicious922]

Thanks for the quick replies.

My oil comes from three restaurants. Two are noodle restaurants and the other fries pork cutlets. The oil is pretty clean when I get, and I have been cold settling it for 2-3 weeks before putting it into my big settling tanks. Then I settle again for 3+ weeks. I checked, and it had no water in it.

In addition to filtering it before it goes in the tank, the Vegmax II filters (Donaldson) I have from Plantdrive are 3um. I even changed to a new filter because I was wondering whether the first filter got clogged during my original install days. No change. I have a Hotfox running and a 50 degree C early preswitch preventer from Plantdrive also installed, so it shouldn't be switching over when cold or have trouble flowing. The oil is warm when it gets to the Vegmax. Then it gets heated in a Vegtherm before the injection pump and the injection line heater from Fattywagons. So, the temperature at the injectors is hot.

So with all that said, I am thinking the culprit is most likely worn injectors. They are originals. I'm just looking for advice before shelling out money on them.

Mike

[jessef]

Assuming you have a 2-tank system, if your nozzles keep getting clogged, you have other problems, contaminents/debris in your wvo system that is making it's way (not burning) to the nozzle tips and clogging them.

Either that or your injection pump is in desperate need of a rebuild. Dirty WVO can be an IP killer.

[Mr. Flibble]

The problem may be the pork, get too much animal fat and that could be the issue. It could impede things. I know that McDonalds oil does not work for WVO driving. Could be a similar issue.

[vicious922]

Okay, thanks for the info.

It's actually only this May that I bought the van, and plenty has gone wrong with it or required fixing since then. It doesn't appear to have been serviced very well.

From the start of my WVO experience with the van, I have really had to give the engine fuel for the injectors not to clog. So, I've kind of been under the impression that I had to drive it hard and that maybe speed/idling was a problem. I've read plenty here and there about injectors clogging and how to prevent it, and that influenced my thinking. I'm glad to have been enlightened that I don't have to be a maniac driver. One question answered.

The fried pork cutlet oil I mentioned is actually not primarily pork, my mistake. They also do plenty of tempura. It just happens that I prefer eating fried pork

In regards to fixing the problem, I'll look for contaminants as well as think about investing in an electronic lift pump, new injectors, and the dreaded injection pump. Really, if it was the injection pump, it would be easier and cheaper for me to sell the van and get a new one. Here, used vehicles of pretty much any kind are dirt cheap. Labor, however, is extremely costly. I have my doubts it really is the IP, though, since the diesel end still runs fine (no startup issues or other fuel-related issues).

Thanks for the advice. When I finally find the problem, I'll let you know.

Mike

[FalcoColumbarius]

Hi Mike, how are you?

I'm not sure if I'm reading you correctly but are you aware that you must refine the Waste Vegetable Oil before you use it? I would recommend perusing the "WVO And Biodiesel" Forum to help you assess your situation. One must refine down to five microns (see: WVO+Refining+micron search results). My knowledge of WVO systems is very limited but I have hung around a couple of systems enough to know that one has to be thorough. I hope this helps you in your endeavours.

Falco.

[mrdueck]

Hi Mike, how are you?

I'm not sure if I'm reading you correctly but are you aware that you must refine the Waste Vegetable Oil before you use it? I would recommend perusing the "WVO And Biodiesel" Forum to help you assess your situation. One must refine down to five microns (see: WVO+Refining+micron search results). My knowledge of WVO systems is very limited but I have hung around a couple of systems enough to know that one has to be thorough. I hope this helps you in your endeavours.

Falco.

Ditto, My gut is telling me it is your oil and/or temps. I'm running oil in + to - 30C weather in Wpg for the past 5 yrs. The biggest factor on performance I have found is how well the oil is filtered and if the oil is getting to temperature. Have you ever taken a true reading of the oil? Also, never use the stuff that begins to settle on the bottom of your containers.
my 2cents
Rudy

[vicious922]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't specific enough. Previously, I said "In addition to filtering it before it goes in the tank, the Vegmax II filters (Donaldson) I have from Plantdrive are 3um." I guess everyone interpreted this 'filtering' as gravity settling. I gravity settle (cold), then filter to 10um, then let the 3um filter on the Vegmax do its job. I was originally planning to filter to 5um, but was told it wasn't necessary as the Delica's normal filters are only 10um. Also, I avoid the stuff that settles on the bottom.

I was worried that the temp at the injectors was not high enough and figured that was my problem, so I invested in the injection line heater. It seems to have helped, as I can go a bit longer without clogging and almost avoid clogging at speeds over 80kph. The lines are quite hot, so I never actually bought the digital thermometer that I was planning to measure temps with.

I've decided to rig up my own injector pop tester, install some new injector nozzles, and calibrate them with oil. Whether it'll solve my problem or not, I'm pretty sure they're due for a change and calibration. Then in the future, I can keep them in proper shape and rule out any possible problems there.

Despite the fact that I'm in Japan, it's going to take some time to find a used Delica injection pipe for the tester because there are almost no junkyards around. And, the ones I have been to have no Delicas. Before I go out cluelessly searching for a compatible injection pipe (and have to deal again with the "your presence annoys me" people at the junkyards here), does anyone know if the union nuts on injection pipes from any other (Japanese) maker's vans/trucks would fit Delica mechanical injectors? It would make searching a lot easier.

[mrdueck]

vicious922,

I'm curious how your injectro rebuild has gone and in particular calibrating them with oil. I'm about to either order new ones or rebuild my own.
Rudy