operating time for the vegistroke system

[E'sStrokr01]

I'm guessing that depending on the time of year and with consideration to each location differing in climate that there would be different times that the vegistroke would actually switch the fuel source over from diesel to svo, correct? Wheter by auto or manual switching.

As a rule however, would it do so mostly within a certain timeframe? 5, or 10 minutes of vehicle operation??? As a general rule?

A second question to add, what specific features give the vegistroke such a good advantage and overall preference over other systems?

Thanks in advance

[erbilabuc]

anything under 75 degrees outside air temperature you are looking at a 5-10 mile minimum driving distance at 1500+ rpms before you start seeing hot enough oil. Where I am at its 50 degrees and it takes me 3 miles for coolant to get to 185 degrees and then another 4 miles for oil to reach 150 degrees.

[Snake]

Maybe for your system, but my V3 will automatically switch over to oil about 3 miles from my house unless the temp is in the 40's. Then I'm looking at 4-5 miles. And that's with no idling in the driveway to get things warmed up. The first 1.5 miles is at 35 mph by the way. The temps in this area don't drop into the 30's very often, but even then I've never gone more than 5-6 miles before the system switches over to veggie oil.

So what makes the V3 better?

1) LOTS of research and development into the system
2) Kit comes well packaged and labelled (so you'll know what goes where when it's time to install)
3) Clean install (great fit and finish -- looks more "factory" than any other kit out there)
4) Its automated (dummy proof so just about anyone can drive your truck without messing something up)
5) Great service after the sale (the BFT website has quite a few knowledgeable people on it)
6) Its proven -- there are a ton of people out there running these on Powerstrokes and many have logged 40-100k miles (or more) on veggie oil using this kit

[davidschaffer]

Outside temp effects the switch over for sure. I am about to enter my first northern Mi. winter with a veggie stroke, so far the coldest I have ran it was around 20 degrees, I let the truck idle for around 5 min. and then drove approximately 5 to 7 miles before it switched over. In temps over 50 the switch is around 2-3 miles. On that 20deg. morning, I drove around 30 miles and then stopped at a store for approx 25 minutes while the truck stayed idling on veg oil, ( normally, I wouldn't let the truck idle that long but wasn't planning on being in the store so long ), when I got back to the truck the v3 had automatically switched back to diesel, the reason being is that diesels motors cool down while idling, this, along with the extra cold weather, cooled the oil down below 160degs, which is when the v3 will switch back to diesel. Its a pretty awesome system. I added 30 plate heat exchanger and a 203deg t-stat to mine. So far I have logged 25 thousand trouble free miles on my 96 with 230,000.

[muns53]

Remember, the V3 operates on "auto" using COOLANT temp of 140*F or higher. The only way we can be certain about other temps and make decisions on how to operate any system (DIY or a kit) is to actually monitor them. As long as your veg oil filter is allowing 50psi or better of fuel pressure, the V3 will run you on veg oil when your COOLANT temp is above 140*F. This is regardless of your actual veg oil temp or motor temp or combustion temp or anything else.

I also added an FPHE and 203* t-stat like David. I went a little further and added HIH and an aux coolant pump, too (this keeps the coolant temps up higher during idling/low-load conditions). My observation is that it isn't worth switching over when the trips are 15-16 miles or less.

My coolant temp hits 140*F after about 3-4 miles in the NY winter (which is where the V3 wants to turn on on "auto"), then it hits 160*F after another 3-4 miles of driving (which is where I turn the switch on to "auto"). I know this because I have a temp sender in the hot coolant line. The EOT is about 130*F when the coolant temp is 140*F and it finally catches up to the coolant at about the 160*F mark, which is why I wait to turn on until that point. I know this because my PHP programmer reads and displays EOT.

After manually switching over at 160*F, I see a veg oil temp of 160*F within another 6-8 miles of driving in the winter. I know this because I have a temp sender in the veg oil fuel line. This makes sense because if we are properly purging 12-14 seconds, we have to burn all the cold diesel out of the injector cups, heads, veg fuel lines, filter, V3 manifold (and FPHE if you have one) before we are actually burning veg... another reason not to burn veg on short trips.

[davidschaffer]

Are you sure about the V3 switching on when the coolant temp reaches 140, I thought that the system turned on when the oil reached 160. Sounds like I need to install the oil temp gauge I bought a few months ago. I hadn't installed it yet because I thought the v3 was set to only turn on when the oil was a 160., damn, I hope I haven't been burning cold oil. If anyone has the product info for the V3, and it says any different, please post it.

[E'sStrokr01]

Good info everyone. Thanks for the replies.

So, another thought: Is the Vegistroke for everyone? Meaning that if someone commutes say 5-15 minutes one way for the majority of the time that they commute, would it be worth the purchase and install, or no? There will be a few trips each year and a few longer commutes, etc, but mostly 5-15minutes each time.

Originally Posted by Snake

5) Great service after the sale (the BFT website has quite a few knowledgeable people on it)

More info on this website? Link?

Thanks

[erbilabuc]

Originally Posted by E'sStrokr01

Good info everyone. Thanks for the replies.

So, another thought: Is the Vegistroke for everyone? Meaning that if someone commutes say 5-15 minutes one way for the majority of the time that they commute, would it be worth the purchase and install, or no? There will be a few trips each year and a few longer commutes, etc, but mostly 5-15minutes each time.




More info on this website? Link?

Thanks

depending on traffic 15 minutes I would guess is 10 miles. If thats it then its going to be a long time before you can actually say "yep that was worth it". We put 900 miles in first 2 weeks of my install and put in 12 gallons of diesel (my tank was empty and I still have 1/4 tank left) in this time. Of course any time you are burning veggie oil vs dinodiesel its worth it.

[ridiculously_necessary]

if your talking time cost savings, IMHO, id say no. if that were me i would probably make bio. youll hear different opinions, but my warmup times can reach about 7 to 10 miles in the winter. my communte is 40 miles or about 45 minutes in the morning and about an hour home. then about 5 or 6 long trips throughout the year 200 miles +.

[tubular031]

Originally Posted by muns53

Remember, the V3 operates on "auto" using COOLANT temp of 140*F or higher. The only way we can be certain about other temps and make decisions on how to operate any system (DIY or a kit) is to actually monitor them. As long as your veg oil filter is allowing 50psi or better of fuel pressure, the V3 will run you on veg oil when your COOLANT temp is above 140*F. This is regardless of your actual veg oil temp or motor temp or combustion temp or anything else.

I also added an FPHE and 203* t-stat like David. I went a little further and added HIH and an aux coolant pump, too (this keeps the coolant temps up higher during idling/low-load conditions). My observation is that it isn't worth switching over when the trips are 15-16 miles or less.

My coolant temp hits 140*F after about 3-4 miles in the NY winter (which is where the V3 wants to turn on on "auto"), then it hits 160*F after another 3-4 miles of driving (which is where I turn the switch on to "auto"). I know this because I have a temp sender in the hot coolant line. The EOT is about 130*F when the coolant temp is 140*F and it finally catches up to the coolant at about the 160*F mark, which is why I wait to turn on until that point. I know this because my PHP programmer reads and displays EOT.

After manually switching over at 160*F, I see a veg oil temp of 160*F within another 6-8 miles of driving in the winter. I know this because I have a temp sender in the veg oil fuel line. This makes sense because if we are properly purging 12-14 seconds, we have to burn all the cold diesel out of the injector cups, heads, veg fuel lines, filter, V3 manifold (and FPHE if you have one) before we are actually burning veg... another reason not to burn veg on short trips.

This is one of those things I DO NOT like about the v3. It comes on too early. In my DIY setup I wanted to address that along with some other things I did not like about the V3. My temp switch will not let the system come on till 165 coolant (145 to 150 EOT) and I wait till 160 EOT to flip the switch. Now with my front cover and maybe 2 to 5 minutes high idle in the drive way (depends on how long it takes me to chase my girl out the door...) I have been up to temp in about 3 to 5 miles. The coldest morning so far was 36.