Any suggested improvements on my WMO filter setup before I use it?

[peashooter]

When I bought my deuce 2 years ago, I decided to start saving my used oil. I was given a clean 55g drum from work and basically just keep all my old oil from oil changes in my cars and deuce (I didn’t keep any gear lube). Well I've now filled the drum and figured I better get the filter setup finished so I can keep saving/using my wmo.

The WMO/ATF isn’t mystery oil since its from my use. It’s also relatively thin, since most is synthetic.
Here is what I've been saving (and will continue to save):
-full synthetic 5w20 (cars)
-Mercon V ATF (synthetic blend)
-15w40 (deuce, MYSTIC jt6, partially synthetic I think....I get it when its on rebate every spring)

I was given a new pump motor and then I purchased a pump for it from ebay. I also bought a couple fittings, new funnel with lid and screen, and a fuel nozzle (just for fun). Everything else is scrap parts I had or found. I have less than $100 into this system as it sits now. I replaced all the filters on my truck with spin-on units, and the guy I bought my truck from gave me several new sets of baldwin fuel filters for the stock system which I can use on this setup for now.

So this WMO filter system is basically just the Deuces 3 Stock fuel filters for now. I've test run it and it works well, I plumbed it so the bypass of the secondary filter will go back into the pump to recirculate if pressure gets too high. The pump also has an adjustable bypass on it. So far all the gauges read about 8-10 psi when running.
I've also put a large magnet on the bottom of the drum in hopes that it keeps as much metal from making its way through the pump & filters and into my deuce's fuel tank.

At most, I would expect to filter and run about 55 gallons a year in my deuce.

I'm not even sure what the stock deuce filters I'm using are rated to. My gut tells me I should filter it down some more before using it. I like the napa 4770 filter bases and have used many of them. I was wondering if it would be wise and worth the extra money to add a final filter of a lower mircon rating inline behind these 3? I'm okay putting another $50 into this if it would be money well spent. Any suggestions on improvments?

 

[Captaincarrier]

What I have learned after 35 years of designing piping systems is "Any filtration is good filtration". Your system will separate particulates but I question water, but that will be determined on the filtration media. What I would recommend is some form of either a filter or strainer on the pump suction so as to protect the pump. Watch out for the tax man.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Peashooter, that is basically what I used for a couple years. I believe the secondary filters are 10micron nominal. There is a 6 micron filter that will fit in those canisters, a search here on SS should bring it up. I only left those filters because I got some other filters from GL for much cheaper. I think the napa filters are about $10 each, mine from GL were about $2 each and I ran a LOT of oil through the filter system.

 

[Beyond Biodiesel]

It looks like nice setup, and since you are processing just your own oils, then you surely have control over the reduction of water, and other contaminants in your waste oils. However, the biggest problem with burning WMO is it tends to be burned from over use, which polymerizes the oil. If you change your motor oil frequently, then you will eliminate this as an issue. Another problem with WMO is it can often be saturated with soot and ash. Soot and ash together make coke. Again, if you change your motor oil frequently, before it turns black, then you will reduce this problem.

Otherwise, a centrifuge seems to reduce the sub-micron particles of soot and ash. When you first use a centrifuge after running your waste oils through your filter setup you are likely to be amazed at how much crap it pulls out of your fuel blend. Settling for a month, after blending, also works great.

Since you are burning your own oils, it might be better to burn them at a low percentage of your fuel blend on a regular basis, instead of running a large batch once a year.

 

[Captaincarrier]

It looks like nice setup, and since you are processing just your own oils, then you surely have control over the reduction of water, and other contaminants in your waste oils. However, the biggest problem with burning WMO is it tends to be burned from over use, which polymerizes the oil. If you change your motor oil frequently, then you will eliminate this as an issue. Another problem with WMO is it can often be saturated with soot and ash. Soot and ash together make coke. Again, if you change your motor oil frequently, before it turns black, then you will reduce this problem.

Otherwise, a centrifuge seems to reduce the sub-micron particles of soot and ash. When you first use a centrifuge after running your waste oils through your filter setup you are likely to be amazed at how much crap it pulls out of your fuel blend. Settling for a month, after blending, also works great.

Since you are burning your own oils, it might be better to burn them at a low percentage of your fuel blend on a regular basis, instead of running a large batch once a year.

All very good points.

 

[peashooter]

Settling for a month, after blending, also works great.

Since you are burning your own oils, it might be better to burn them at a low percentage of your fuel blend on a regular basis, instead of running a large batch once a year.

Thanks for the input guys. I am curious about the blending comment. Since I just dump the WMO into the drum whenever I do oil changes, do I actually need to blend anything? Since I've slowly been filling the drum over 2 years, would there need to be a blending or settling step? I wasnt sure if the 3 different oils I have in there seperate out over time and need to be blended before filtering or if everything is already settled and good to go?
Thanks again for the helpfull advice.

 

[swbradley1]

Blending with pure diesel. Maybe that was it.

 

[Captaincarrier]

The three oils will not have the same specific gravity and will separate. The order you will find: water on the bottom, gasoline, jp blends, kerosene then diesel fuel on top. Transmission fluid and used oil will vary but should find them in the upper third of the column.

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Looks like a nice setup. I like your funnel with the lid!!!

 

[peashooter]

Looks like a nice setup. I like your funnel with the lid!!!

yeah, I just got that new funnel. My old funnel didnt come with a lid or strainer so I always had a piece of aluminum foil and an old cake pan covering it up. The new one has a lid and strainer, it is plastic which isnt ideal but at $20 I figured it was fair especially for the limited use it gets. Its a worthco 32425 from Amazon. (amazon says its a 2 quart funnel, but its actually 3). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKO4P5O/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item

 

[M35A2-AZ]

peashooter, Thanks for the link!!!

 

[o1951]

I like your set-up. Personally, I would make 2 modifications. Pump suction several inches off bottom. A drain valve on bottom of barrel to drain settled water and sludge.

 

[peashooter]

I like your set-up. Personally, I would make 2 modifications. Pump suction several inches off bottom. A drain valve on bottom of barrel to drain settled water and sludge.

Yes, I agree. I did put the suction pipe probably 6-8" from the bottom of the barrel. I just wish I would have thought about the drain valve on the bottom before I started filling it

Question: Does the wmo need to be blended/cut with diesel for filtering or can I just add 5 gallons of the filtered oil to my deuce's fuel tank whenever I fill up? (Say 25-30 gallons diesel, 5 gallons filtered wmo/atf)

 

[M35A2-AZ]

I put 2.5 gal of diesel in a 5 gal fuel jug, then I add 2.5gal of WMO, give it a shake, then I add it to the truck.
It is just the way I do it. I'm sure there is a better way.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Pea, I have run up to 100% used oil. You can just dump the oil in your fuel tank. The injection system flows more fuel than it injects, so it will mix on its own. No need to add diesel to the mix unless you need to thin it to pump through the filters.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

No need to premix in the filter station but it does thin it out a little in mine and make it flow faster thru the filters. I really like the fact that you used the MV filters, but you need to filter finer than 6 microns. I filter down to 2 microns useing WIX filter #??? I'll have to look at it tonight when I get home. But it uses one of those Napa bases I belive it's the #4770 1x14 thread. Heat also helps for fast filtering.

How much pressure does your pump put out?

And watch out for the tax man, I don't know how rich of a ratio you'll be running or at what point it becomes fuel verses a additive, but here's the first piece of the tax info. You'll have to check with your State Department of Revenue for the other answers but here's the Federal Tax info. Top of page 4 Exclusions: Minor Blending applys to us.

 

[peashooter]

No need to premix in the filter station but it does thin it out a little in mine and make it flow faster thru the filters. I really like the fact that you used the MV filters, but you need to filter finer than 6 microns. I filter down to 2 microns useing WIX filter #??? I'll have to look at it tonight when I get home. But it uses one of those Napa bases I belive it's the #4770 1x14 thread. Heat also helps for fast filtering.

How much pressure does your pump put out?

And watch out for the tax man, I don't know how rich of a ratio you'll be running or at what point it becomes fuel verses a additive, but here's the first piece of the tax info. You'll have to check with your State Department of Revenue for the other answers but here's the Federal Tax info. Top of page 4 Exclusions: Minor Blending applys to us.

Thanks for all the info!
Regarding the pump pressure question, I bought a rebuilt pump off ebay. I told them my intended use and they built it to match. Its built for 100gph, florocarbon seals, and they set the adjustable internal bypass to 170 psi which I realize is too high now so I just put some gauges on to monitor (they show about 10 psi now with new filters) and attached the secondary filter's bypass up. I can always adjust the internal bypass of the pump if I wanted to take the time to read how to do it also.
Thanks to your info about a 2micron filter for that , I checked out Fleetfilter and found the 2micron wix filter is part 33674 (9.6" tall), or 33528 (7" tall). They also have a BF7587 Baldwin one that is 10.5" tall and the same $12 price. I'll proably put one on the tail end of my set up with those handy 4770 bases and call it good. http://www.fleetfilter.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=fleetfilter&Product_Code=BF7587

Thanks for your help guys!

 

[ducer]

I myself never liked the push lock type hose fittings, seen too many come apart. I would add some hose clamps and not the worm type but the type for fuelinjection that advance or autozone carry that go all around the hose as an extra safety measure. At 100 gpm x 170 psi x 1 minute = more mess than you feel like cleaning up, the math all adds up I checked it out before.

Denny

 

[Beyond Biodiesel]

Thanks for the input guys. I am curious about the blending comment. Since I just dump the WMO into the drum whenever I do oil changes, do I actually need to blend anything? Since I've slowly been filling the drum over 2 years, would there need to be a blending or settling step? I wasnt sure if the 3 different oils I have in there seperate out over time and need to be blended before filtering or if everything is already settled and good to go?
Thanks again for the helpfull advice.

Just dumping various oils into a barrel is fine, because they will go into solution with each other, and will not separate except through distillation. But, the more viscous the blend becomes in your sludge barrel, the less likely contaminants will precipitate out. So, one month before you use the blend you could add diesel at about 50%, or gasoline at 20% of the total, and allow the sludge to settle out, before filtering it.

 

[John S-B]

The three oils will not have the same specific gravity and will separate. The order you will find: water on the bottom, gasoline, jp blends, kerosene then diesel fuel on top. Transmission fluid and used oil will vary but should find them in the upper third of the column.

Uh, wouldn't gasoline be on top?? And oil would be in the bottom third would it not? I think you're off on the order of specific gravities.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-gravity-liquid-fluids-d_294.html