Zeke,
I bought my 1982 Mercedes 300SD in 2005 from a nice
couple who swore by an additive called Red Line Diesel
Additive. The car had 226,000 miles on it at the time and,
although I had a couple of fuel filters on hand, I didn't
even have trouble with the "gunk" issues common after
switching to B100.
There are other issues that may arise:
- There's a rubber piece where you add fuel to the tank;
right under the fuel cap. It degrades and has to be
replaced every year or two.
- The fuel line on Mercedes is stainless steel, but the
short "jumper" lines between the cylinders are rubber and
start to "weep" ... have to be replaced every couple of
years.
Neither of these require any mechanical skills and take
between 2 and 10 minutes.
I also used homebrewed B100 in an '85 300CD w/o
modification.
While there may be issues regarding the source of the
veg oil used to make BD or the quality of the fuel
itself,
the fact is that Mercedes diesels, especially the older
ones (pre-'86) with in-line 5 cylinder cast iron engines,
are good to go on B100.
Anyone with an old Mercedes diesel with access to good
biodiesel in any blend from B2 to B100 go for it.
Note: look under the hood to find out where the primary
fuel filter is located, put a couple of spare filters, a
Philips head screw driver and a flashlight in the trunk.
Be attentive to any lack of power especially on hills as
this often forewarns of filter clogging.
Best to You,
Tom
> Yes... what exactly was involved in the "conversion" is
> what I would like
> to know too.
>
> Unless they did some sort of system to run B100 in cold
> weather, there is
> not much more than changing the fuel filter a few times
as
> the biodiesel
> cleans out all the old gunk in there.
>
> Z
>
>
> On Sun, May 12, 2013 at 12:24 PM, Thomas Kelly
> <ontheh...@fairpoint.net>wrote:
>
>> Once again, to clarify a misconception:
>> Diesel engines do not have to be modified
>> ("converted")
>> to run on biodiesel. Biodiesel is simply added to the
>> fuel tank and you start the vehicle and drive as you
>> would if it was running on petro diesel.
>> Diesel engines do require modifications to run on
>> straight vegetable oil (SVO) that has not been
>> converted into biodiesel.
>> Tom
>> >
>> http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/05/10/2503744/templeton-high-students-convert.html
>> >
>> > Templeton High students convert Mercedes to run on
>> > biodiesel
>> >
>> > Published: May 10, 2013
>> >
>> > By Sarah Linn
>> >
>> > When it comes to engineering projects, Templeton High
>> > School students
>> > are definitely driven.
>> >
>> > Jason Diodatis students have spent the school year
>> > converting a 1984
>> > Mercedes Benz 300 to run on biodiesel used
vegetable
>> oil
>> > collected
>> > from local restaurants and processed into fuel.
>> >
>> > Theyll show off the car as well as radios, robots
>> and
>> > other
>> > alternative energy projects at Saturdays San Luis
>> > Obispo Mini Maker
>> > Faire, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Mission Plaza in downtown
>> San
>> > Luis Obispo.
>> > Hosted by the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art and other
>> > organizations, the
>> > free, all-ages event showcases do-it-yourself
>> innovators
>> > and their
>> > contributions to science, engineering and the arts.
>> >
>> > Diodati, whos in his first year teaching engineering
>> and
>> > physics at
>> > Templeton High, says his students appreciate a
>> hands-on
>> > approach to
>> > education.
>> >
>> > They tell me that theyre having so much fun they
>> dont
>> > feel like
>> > theyre learning, he said, but at the end of the
>> year,
>> > theyve learned
>> > a lot.
>> >
>> > Diodati said the biodiesel conversion project was
>> funded
>> > via a $6,400
>> > grant from the nonprofit Templeton Education
>> Foundation.
>> > The car, in
>> > turn, will be auctioned off at the foundations Sept.
>> 21
>> > fundraiser at
>> > Castoro Cellars in Templeton, with proceeds
benefiting
>> > future
>> > engineering projects at the school.
>> >
>> > My goal is to invite students to get their own cars
>> and
>> > convert them,
>> > Diodati said.
>> >
>> > According to Principal Andrew Cherry, its all part
of
>> > Templeton High
>> > Schools ongoing campaign to expose students to
>> science,
>> > technology,
>> > engineering and math (STEM).
>> >
>> > The STEM Certification Academy, which starts next
>> school
>> > year, will
>> > offer Templeton High students the opportunity to
>> explore
>> > those fields
>> > more thoroughly.
>> >
>> > STEM Certification Academy participants can either
>> stick
>> > with general
>> > STEM curriculum, including biology, chemistry and
>> physics,
>> > or choose to
>> > focus on specific strands such as computer science,
>> > health careers,
>> > mechanical engineering or molecular sciences. They
>> then
>> > have the chance
>> > to participate in a yearlong senior research project
>> or
>> > internship.
>> >
>> > We want kids who are really passionate about a
>> subject to
>> > pick a group
>> > of classes that keeps them excited through school,
>> > explained Cherry,
>> > adding that the list of strands may eventually expand
>> to
>> > include
>> > agricultural science and engineering, mathematics and
>> the
>> > humanities.
>> >
>> > About 10 Templeton High teachers will participate in
>> the
>> > STEM
>> > Certification Academy, Cherry said. So far, about 60
>> > students have
>> > applied to enroll in the program, which is open to
>> > incoming sophomores,
>> > juniors and seniors.
>> >
>> > Kids nowadays are looking to have a defined goal,
>> Cherry
>> > said. They
>> > want a purpose, and I feel like (the program) is
>> giving
>> > them that purpose.
>> >
>> > In addition, he said, STEM certification will give
>> > students an extra
>> > edge upon graduation.
>> >
>> > Through the STEM Certification Academy, Diodati said,
>> We
>> > can help
>> > students be more competitive in the job market and
>> more
>> > competitive in
>> > college.
>> >
>> > For more information about the STEM Certification
>> Academy,
>> > contact
>> > Andrew Cherry at 434-5888 or email
>> > ache...@templetonusd.org. Inquiries
>> > about purchasing the biodiesel car should be directed
>> to
>> > Jason Diodati
>> > at jdiod...@templetonusd.org.
>> >
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