On site diesel

ruel

TreeHouser
Joined
Jan 27, 2015
Messages
1,845
Location
Harpswell, Maine
Does anyone have an on site diesel pump setup?

I'm looking into getting biodiesel delivered, but pump and tank would have to be away from power source. Any suggestions for battery powered transfer pumps?

Is containment needed for 250gal fuel tanks?
 
The containment question and it’s answer is probably gonna depend on the state. Here it’s more hassle than any local tree service is gonna take on, but NY ain’t much like Maine. Cool setup at a place I worked was a truck bed transfer tank/ toolbox combo on a boss’s personal truck.
Are drums more hassle/ money or is that what you’re already doing?
 
Why not a gravity one? A containment pond is easy enough, i would want one for spills while filling, and that way you are always good. Good question Bob, and I'm sure you know that newer direct injected stuff doesn't like bio, while the older idi doesn't care. I looked into getting a normal diesel one a few years ago, but i didn't really have the demand for it. If i had more idi stuff making bio would be cool tho, i knew several guys who were making it for about .30 a gallon their cost, which is stupid cheap. They had the complete setup tho, and were fitters or chemical plant workers.
 
Containment can be as simple as a dual wall tank.

GPI is a common 12v transfer pump brand. A deep cycle battery and a solar panel can handle your pumping.


Not the best pictures, but that's a 500 gallon dual wall tank with a GPI pump, battery, and solar panel.
1573152629231.jpeg
1573152637747.jpeg
 
...I looked into getting a normal diesel one a few years ago, but i didn't really have the demand for it...

Yep, getting fuel delivered is nice, but you need to be burning the gallons to make it worth it. 500 gallons is as small as is common for a job site tank here... smaller than that and it'd be cheaper to buy at the pump (depending).
 
Nice man, that's a good trick. They were just straight up buying the stuff, and it was still that cheap. I really wish i had more stuff that would run it, at that price you could probably go off grid completely with a big generator
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10
Diesel gets used in a mid 90s bandit with 80hp John deer turbo, a 99 f450 7.3, and 2005 vw.

Looking to switch to biodiesel to reduce my environmental impact, but let's not start climate debate.

Company about 50 min away in Portland ME makes biofuels from waste cooking oil. I don't want to make that drive every time I need fuel. They have 200 gal min delivery, $.25 a gal charge, on demand delivery, no scheduling needed.
The bio is usually a bit cheaper than dino from the pump, so basically a wash price wise. Really not my main concern though.

Probably go through about 100 gal diesel a month, would burning 2 mo old fuel (with treatment) be a problem?

I've heard bio can knock loose deposited crud in fuel system, so carry spare fuel filters to start.

Anyone have any insight on bio vs dino diesel, or fuel age effects?

Diesel gets used in a mid 90s bandit with 80hp John deer turbo, a 99 f450 7.3, and 2005 vw.

Looking to switch to biodiesel to reduce my environmental impact, but let's not start climate debate.

Company about 50 min away in Portland ME makes biofuels from waste cooking oil. I don't want to make that drive every time I need fuel. They have 200 gal min delivery, $.25 a gal charge, on demand delivery, no scheduling needed.
The bio is usually a bit cheaper than dino from the pump, so basically a wash price wise. Really not my main concern though.

Probably go through about 100 gal diesel a month, would burning 2 mo old fuel (with treatment) be a problem?

I've heard bio can knock loose deposited crud in fuel system, so carry spare fuel filters to start.

Anyone have any insight on bio vs dino diesel, or fuel age effects?
 

The 7.3 powerstroke would worry me, their injectors are touchy enough and are expensive. The vw is likely a hard no. Others will likely tell you more, but i would be leery unless it is an idi. I've known guys that run straight veg oil in those.
 
Local diesel guru was running waste motor oil somehow. Said it was smoking pretty good and he got pulled over and asked what was wrong. He gave cop some BS.

I don't know how long he did that, but he makes bio and friend of mine buys it and blends it with dino to give lube to fuel in old tractors not designed for ultra low sulfur.
 
Straight veg oil is flat out retarded... transesterified or nothing.

I never said the dude was smart, but for his ancient idi 7.3, he had it dialed in. He was driving 2 hours each way giving another guy a ride, and we were working 7 12s for months, dead of winter. The truck idled the whole day while he was working :lol: He filtered it and that was it, and had been doing it that way for years.
 
What's the difference btw idi and 7.3? I thought international made all of the 7.3 engines, incorrect?
Idi is indirect injection, the powerstroke is direct injection. Much higher injection pressures and a computer running the show. Definitely not gonna run straight wvo, but good quality bio or a blend should be ok in the warmer months. Might want a better filtration system before the one on top of the engine.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19
Thanks for the clarification!

I'm definitely not a seasoned mechanic so all input is helpful
 
You can replace all 8 of the idi injectors for the price of one powerstroke injector. Dramatically cheaper to work on, and the indirect injection tolerates fuel issues much more than direct injected. @BlackSmith would know much more, and would be able to say what engines he was running his bio in. Having a 7.3 powerstroke myself and dealing with injector issues, i would be leery of it personally. What year is the chipper? Idi or direct injection?

The problem i have with it is the newer direct injection diesels have incredibly close tolerances in their injector systems, and bio will at the least kick up existing sediment or at the worse clog injectors. When the injectors on your truck are over 2k new (that's what your 7.3 powerstroke injectors cost), this is a very important thing to consider. Also if you have stuff with def or other exhaust cleaning on it, you absolutely cannot run 100 bio. These work by dumping raw fuel into a cylinder which is then sprayed into the exhaust, burning the crap off the particulate filter. This of course leads to fuel dilution of the oil, which will destroy an engine. Bio is a much better solvent than regular diesel, so it would destroy stuff even faster. I can't wait till my warranty is up so i can delete it, although with all the interstate driving i usually do i almost never regen, and the high rpm/ load conditions burn out the stuff on the go without the dumping of fuel.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top