ZX 1.9td - Farewell faithfull steed!

[beko1987]

I've been behind 12plate and above cars blacking out everything behind them tbh!

 

Well, I've done a full week of commuting! In the XM, I'd have just finished off £40, which is about quarter of a tank, and I'd be needing petrol at some point this weekend.

 

I had half a tank on saturday, have done 262.4 miles and am just under a quarter! The fuel needleis hilarious though, it goes down around corners and comes back on straights. As it's a bit lower today it's been putting the fuel light on, then taking it off again. Going to put some oil in the boot and see how far to Peterboghorror I get tomorrow before chickening out (I don't want my first time of priming a fuel system to be on the side of a road) and filling up! 

 

I'm not used to this economy, it's nice!

[robinmasters]

Going to put some oil in the boot and see how far to Peterboghorror I get tomorrow before chickening out (I don't want my first time of priming a fuel system to be on the side of a road) and filling up! 

 

The first time I needed to do it was on the way back from Paris (coincidentally we'd had to drive up to Peterborough on the way there), in a deserted industrial estate. Don't forget to do it with the ignition on, so the stop solenoid is open, or it won't work. Guess how I know?

[beko1987]

Well I'm back! 270 miles of hybrid oily driving! Pulled over in a layby on the way there after 356 miles on 1/2 a tank, and put 10 litres in, then did another hundred and something and put 5 litres in on the way back! Was nice not having to find a petrol station, just a suitable place to pull over!

 

My family seemed surprised and impressed by the whole veg affair, if I get asked "Does it really run on oil? How does that work" again I'll scream! Took my brother in law out and he's suitably impressed, but then he has a 54 plate 90k vectra deisel automatic, so doesn't have much of an opinion! Helped my dad spontaneously move house today, so was a passenger in my stepbrothers 57 plate transit full of shit, still did 85+ overtaking most things on the Crowland road whilst rolling a fag, bloody van drivers...

 

Also spent an hour crawling around the local industrial estates looking for cardboard boxes, and many many shops, that ate some fuel!

 

And my stepbrother found me a Henry being thrown away so gave me that. 2010 model, the hi/lo pcb seems to have gone, about to rewire it to single speed to check. If it runs I'll offer it him back for his van (he's a plumber/gas engineer)

 

Grandad lent me a tap handle too so I can re-tap the wheel bolt threads next weekend. Did paln to do it at his saturday morning but he had the hospital at 12, and it was raining so I just checked all the bolts, all fine!

 

Might have annoyed a cyclist on the way home too by inadvertantly covering him in a cloud of fumes as I dropped a cog to overtake him, sorry mr cyclist (at least it wasnt diesel smoke!)!

[beko1987]

Well this morning the run of excellence faltered. It's a bit cold this morning, and it took a bit longer to fire up then idled very lumpily. Drove on steadily and 4 miles down the road it coughed and spluttered and died...

 

Coasted to a luckily nearby layby and tried to fire it up again, nothing. Mmmmmm, grabbed my socket set and popped the bonnet. Fuck, havent got the right size allen bit for the fuel filter (my first thought). Gave the primer bulb a bit of a squeeze and he fired back up. I turned around and went back home.

 

Woke SWMBO up trying to find me big box of bits, went back out and took the fuel filter out. Spotless, looks brand new. Oh. Put it back together, squeezed the primer bulb some more and she fired up ok. I chucked £15 of derv in which seemed to make it run smoother still and headed to work.

 

Seems fine now, reckon it just coughed up a load of air or had a moment after 260k of derv and suddenly I chucked neat veg through it.

[chaseracer]

 ALL ZX's had a one size fits all spare regardless of what size wheel was fitted- which sort of makes sense with alloys to save money but maybe less so with steelies

 

Good to know this is legal.

 

The 205 is on 165/60x14s now, as it looked - and felt - like it was falling over on the original 155/70x13s.  The spare is unchanged, as is the rolling circumference as near as dammit, so I shall stop looking for another 14.

 

[beko1987]

Mine looks stupid with one skinny tyre on! But I cant afford to go round the scrappy yet so on it shall stay!

[320touring]

Well this morning the run of excellence faltered. It's a bit cold this morning, and it took a bit longer to fire up then idled very lumpily. Drove on steadily and 4 miles down the road it coughed and spluttered and died...

 

Coasted to a luckily nearby layby and tried to fire it up again, nothing. Mmmmmm, grabbed my socket set and popped the bonnet. Fuck, havent got the right size allen bit for the fuel filter (my first thought). Gave the primer bulb a bit of a squeeze and he fired back up. I turned around and went back home.

 

Woke SWMBO up trying to find me big box of bits, went back out and took the fuel filter out. Spotless, looks brand new. Oh. Put it back together, squeezed the primer bulb some more and she fired up ok. I chucked £15 of derv in which seemed to make it run smoother still and headed to work.

 

Seems fine now, reckon it just coughed up a load of air or had a moment after 260k of derv and suddenly I chucked neat veg through it.

My mk3 golf used to do this. It was down to me battering in the veg first.so it was 100% veg and super thick when cold. Always used to conk out on the slip road to the motorway..

 

Solution was to do veg in and top up tank when down to 1/4.that way the veg was always mixed wif diseasal

[beko1987]

Mmmm sounds like a plan. Maybe I'll chuck £30-40 derv in on payday and just keep topping it up with oil as I go, but never let it run out so there's always derv in there. Would it mix itself fairly well anyway? I go round a few corners immediatly after leaving my house, can do it fast...

[beko1987]

Oooh one would be lovely please! Let me check their the same size as the ones I've got and I'll let you know. Happy to pay postage, although may be a week or so before I can pay if that's OK? (We are a bit skint and SWMBO is keeping an eye on the account!)

[beko1987]

The only markings I can see on the wheels are E6473b...mean anything to anyone to confirm? May have 2 actually if that's OK? One on the wheels has a massive bash on the edge

[beko1987]

Seems like a perfect match to me! I'll take them please, I'll let you know when I can pay the postage, sorry!

[beko1987]

Just looked, and my current wheels are 15" (195 65 r15 tyres on then)... Anyone know if 14s will fit over Volcane calipers? If they do then I'll need all 4 so they match...

 

Buggar, this isn't easy is it!

[beko1987]

Fuck me in being a dick, I do have 14" wheels fitted. Could you find out postage for all 4 to sl7 1lq? (My mums, our work receptionist will have a fit if I get them sent to work!)

[beko1987]

However is cheaper is fine by me!

[forddeliveryboy]

Well this morning the run of excellence faltered. It's a bit cold this morning, and it took a bit longer to fire up then idled very lumpily. Drove on steadily and 4 miles down the road it coughed and spluttered and died...

 

Coasted to a luckily nearby layby and tried to fire it up again, nothing. Mmmmmm, grabbed my socket set and popped the bonnet. Fuck, havent got the right size allen bit for the fuel filter (my first thought). Gave the primer bulb a bit of a squeeze and he fired back up. I turned around and went back home.

 

Woke SWMBO up trying to find me big box of bits, went back out and took the fuel filter out. Spotless, looks brand new. Oh. Put it back together, squeezed the primer bulb some more and she fired up ok. I chucked £15 of derv in which seemed to make it run smoother still and headed to work.

 

Seems fine now, reckon it just coughed up a load of air or had a moment after 260k of derv and suddenly I chucked neat veg through it.

 

 

The primer bulbs can be sucked flat with the extra drag of oil down the lines - and so shut off the fuel supply. If it's marginal, by the time you've lifted the bonnet it will have refilled with fuel and look entirely normal. They also seem to leak air quite easily. If you've an air leak in these temperatures, it'll be 20% veg or less once it's winter...

[beko1987]

I've looked into the leakoff pipes a bit, and am confident that I should change them, but all I can find are the kits for £10 with one little bit of hose and a bung. Is there any other hose I could buy and just chop down, and then can I buy blanks more than one at a time? Seems like it would be cheaper and easier to replace the lot, do it once etc.

 

Running on almost neat derv atm as I needed some this morning and the petrol station was easier, there's almost no smoke at all now! 

[vulgalour]

I've found the Xantia doesn't like neat veg but the BX didn't care, I'm wondering if the turbo plays some part in this.  For thinning I tend to tip 700ml-1ltr of Turps/white spirits in with 4-5ltrs of veg for smooth running and cheapness.  Just recently I've been using some (coffee paper filtered) oil from my brother's Saxo as a dilutant with the veg and it seems even happier.  Using the used engine oil as a dilutant also seems to make the chips smell go away, which is a bit sad, I like the chips smell.

[beko1987]

Actually scrap that, I;ve found some bulk fuel hose and bulk bungs!

 

I like the smell of oilyness if I reverse at all! Was sat in traffic last night and it was lovely! I'll have to try the turps/white spirit trick, I presume this is instead of adding derv to thin it out? Only trouble is I;d have to go buy some, and by the time I;ve fannied about with that I may as well chuck some derv in!

 

We're going shopping tonight for bread and milk. I'll try and get a few bottles of oil and wang it in whilst there's 1/4 tank of derv in to mix it about with!

 

I've got some used engine oil/LHM in my oil can, would filtering it through something render it useable? Always been a bit scared, especially seeing how gritty and shitty it was coming out of the car (was a mates almera tino IIRC the last job I did). I took 8l of it to the tip at the weekend, it seemed VERY thick

[vulgalour]

Filtering makes used oil safe, usually.  The stuff that came out of my brother's Saxo had some carbon deposits and some metal deposits too, but running it through coffee paper - about 1 per litre - got all of that out.  I also found adding some fresh veg or turps to the used engine oil made it easier to filter, heating it up would likely do the same.  Takes a lot longer to filter used engine oil than used veg, that's for sure, and I'm currently using it 1 litre engine to about 9 litres veg for consistency.

 

Once you get the hang of processing the various oils and find out what works best for you it can be more convenient than going to the fuel stations, just like your trip where you put a few bottles in the boot instead of hunting down a station.

[forddeliveryboy]

I'll have to try the turps/white spirit trick, I presume this is instead of adding derv to thin it out?

 

I've got some used engine oil/LHM in my oil can, would filtering it through something render it useable? Always been a bit scared, especially seeing how gritty and shitty it was coming out of the car (was a mates almera tino IIRC the last job I did). I took 8l of it to the tip at the weekend, it seemed VERY thick

 

 

Hang on a minute. This is a public forum and you're advertising the fact that you're considering using mineral-based fuels as thinning agents for veg, and using engine oil as fuel.

 

The only fuel which has this 2499 litre duty exemption (private use) is one which is plant-based. Anything else requires duty paid, many - including kerosene -  aren't allowed for use on the road or even in a road-going vehicle, even if it's off-road. There have been people on other forums who have been 'visited' quite shortly after accidentally alerting the authorities in this way - they do read these forums, apparently. It'd be a shame to get done because you're using a few litres of white spirit.

 

In America, where there aren't such tight rules, people have tried old engine oil and found it totally knackers injectors and cokes the rest of the engine up too, unless very well-diluted and the engine is run very hard (engine oil has additives specifically designed to make the oil not burn). It also does very strange things when mixed with plant oils. As for the pollution out of the exhaust, heavy metals and the rest, that's another story.

 

Theoretically pure plant-based turpentine (most turps today is a mineral-oil based substitute) could be used as a thinner, but this is v.v. expensive nowadays. Petrol and diesel are the only two fuels you can use to thin veg in the UK and most of Europe. Sorry to sound such a spoilsport - but thought you'd all like to know!

[vulgalour]

It is, of course, easiest to use neat veg 100% during the warmer months and neat diesel, 100% during the colder months.

[twosmoke300]

I'm probably gonna get stoned to death for saying this here but coming from someone who has run his van on veg . It's not worth the faf. Mixing it with derv , changing filters all the time , risking it conking out etc. Maybe I'm just too busy 😞

[forddeliveryboy]

I'm probably gonna get stoned to death for saying this here but coming from someone who has run his van on veg . It's not worth the faf. Mixing it with derv , changing filters all the time , risking it conking out etc. Maybe I'm just too busy

 

Exactly the reason that buying new oil for 30-40p cheaper than diesel makes little sense for most on the vegoil forums. Properly filtered oil (to 1u or less) which is totally dry is superb fuel, better than any new oil I've ever used. I've left fuel filters in for well over 15k miles no bother - an inline heater helps here. I find going to the garage to buy petrol for the lawnmower a proper pain, as well as wallet-breaking. Breakdowns just don't happen if you do things right and use a car which is suitable.

 

If you do it properly then once setup, using wvo is very little hassle - I have a local collection of rapeseed which looks almost unused, gravity (with added heat to help dewater) does 99% of the filtration before it's pumped through the filters into the holding tank . I haven't changed the 10" filters for 5 years.

[beko1987]

Woah, we have a thread for debating this! I agree, new oil or derv is easier! I've just put veg on the shopping list for later...

[Lankytim]

Im sure its fine to use oil based additives as a thinning agent without paying fuel duty so long as its in small quantities. il have to find the actual source, unless It was all a dream or something

[beko1987]

It doesn't sound like its worth the faff

[twosmoke300]

Oooo touchy. 😃

[forddeliveryboy]

Im sure its fine to use oil based additives as a thinning agent without paying fuel duty so long as its in small quantities. il have to find the actual source, unless It was all a dream or something

 

I think there's a 0.5 or 1% limit. Thing is, apart from kero bought in bulk, other thinning agents are as expensive as petrol and diesel. I simply wouldn't risk adding kerosene even in small amounts, just not worth the hassle. I think there are chemical markers to this as well as red diesel.

[Lacquer Peel]

I've been running cars on veg and 'other fuels' for 9 years now, never had a tank dipped.

 

Beko, it might be worth re-sealing the plastic fuel filter housing if you haven't already, or better still, throwing it away and fitting a Bosch filter head.

[forddeliveryboy]

Me neither, but plenty have had a visit, almost always as a result of a miserable neighbour or member of the public who thinks alongs the lines, "if I can't, why should he?".