Diesel preheating?

[MinnesotaEric]

The problem is that you need the fuel to be warm to not gel, and the engine coolant will only warm up if you can get it to run, which won't happen if your fuel is gelled.

How I envision using these with WVO would be to have a separate tank for that oil, and some kind of Y with dual ball valves at the lift pump's inlet. You'd have the engine start on #1, 2, or blended out of the diesel tank, and once the WVO was up to temp you'd switch to that which would now be heated via the exchanger. This is pretty much standard configuration for WVO systems that I've seen, although I'll admit it's been a few years since I explored the process and things might be different now.

I'll get a pic later and post both styles of the exchangers I have.

Your idea of firing up on a blend and then switching over to diesel #2 is interesting. That link to the PDF catalog is pretty extensive including the preheating engines.

My strategy (and again, I haven't puzzled out the details as I need to get the tractor back into my shop to get into it) is to use both the engine block heater in combination with the 100W Zerostart heater (PN# 3305048) I purchased which is 120V. The coiled copper wire wraps around the 1000W heater housing transferring heat into the fuel line and acting as a preheater. Even if the engine isn't super warm, the heater should get warm and heat the fuel line as a preheater, and then my Kioti already has a fuel filter heater and then through the fuel pump and into the direct injection rail. Once the engine is running and warm, the coolant heater continues to radiate heat, thereby continuing to warm my copper fuel line. I have a polyethylene gas tank and so unless I weld up a new tank, I cannot install an in tank heater that plugs in.

I have a different tractor than you do, but even well above freezing, I found out that I had a problem getting any heat into the engine running on diesel #2. As a result, I changed out the stock 160 degree bypass thermostat with a 185 degree bypass thermostat. The new stat warms up the engine faster, but I've only run it in cold temperatures and so I'm interested to find out how the new T-stat works in summer. As a precaution, I have the original T-stat and a new gasket in the cab of my tractor should the tractor try to overheat this summer. I explain the problem to my fellow Kioti NX series owners in a video.

 

[Jim Timber]

You'd need to recirculate your fuel while the tractor is parked, given that you have access to 120v, this is a very simple predicament and easily rectified with an electric pump. You could even run 120vAC solenoids to ensure that the valves for your recirculation were closed when not plugged in - the whole works could be run off a single cord on a 20A outlet.

I was wrong about the size of the smaller exchangers. These are pretty close to the dimensions of a 4x4 and only 9" long.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

You'd need to recirculate your fuel while the tractor is parked, given that you have access to 120v, this is a very simple predicament and easily rectified with an electric pump. You could even run 120vAC solenoids to ensure that the valves for your recirculation were closed when not plugged in - the whole works could be run off a single cord on a 20A outlet.

I was wrong about the size of the smaller exchangers. These are pretty close to the dimensions of a 4x4 and only 9" long.

View attachment 409980

You're right: adding a little pump would circulate the system. I wonder how much heat would be lost in the non-heated sections (nothing to lose but try it out). The coolant heater I have cycles between 100F on the low side and 120F on the high side, so not super hot.

It'll be interesting if you get a WVO to work.

 

[Jim Timber]

I wouldn't try WVO on a common rail system, but on my dinosaur technology it might be fun to play with some day. One of the most attractive things about the 5e's is just how little tech there is on them. Look at the 9N's for example - the starter circuit is the most complex system on that entire tractor, and they run for 70 years.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I wouldn't try WVO on a common rail system, but on my dinosaur technology it might be fun to play with some day. One of the most attractive things about the 5e's is just how little tech there is on them. Look at the 9N's for example - the starter circuit is the most complex system on that entire tractor, and they run for 70 years.

If a 5E came in an HST, I would have looked at them! I take it you're going to do something like this:

 

[Jim Timber]

I'd run everything through the same fuel filter and I wouldn't use solenoids, I'd use ball valves so I could mix ratios if I wanted. You also forgot the recirculation through the heat exchanger to raise the temp of the WVO, but something like that.

It won't happen for quite some time though. I have a lot of real work to do with the tractor once I get it.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I'd run everything through the same fuel filter and I wouldn't use solenoids, I'd use ball valves so I could mix ratios if I wanted. You also forgot the recirculation through the heat exchanger to raise the temp of the WVO, but something like that.

It won't happen for quite some time though. I have a lot of real work to do with the tractor once I get it.

I have a DPF and junk sitting on top of my engine taking up too much space and turbo induction pipes taking up for space for locating extra stuff. I have the same problem in my F150. =)

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm not familiar with the Kioti's at all. I really liked the looks of them when they were under the Bobcat distribution, but I was too poor to buy one at the time. Then I thought I wanted a Yanmar 4900 and the CC distribution deal soured (had a dealer 6 miles up the street). Then a couple years ago I got wind of the 5e's and fell in love with the ground clearance, lift capacity, and robustness of the line (going back to the early 2000's). I would've liked the power reverser tranny, but I'm a gears man since my off-roading days in jeeps and K5's. With the fixed throttle on a tractor, there's really no need for 3 feet anymore.

I wouldn't pull the turbo unless it's shot. It acts like a secondary muffler and if you can dial your fuel up, the boost does help make more power. You just need to get the exhaust temps down and combustion temps up to stop burning the **** charge in the catalyst instead of in the cylinder where it belongs.