8/1 marathon run

[fabricator]

Well I shut the 8/1 down today after running 31 days with only a few hours down for an oil change, and after close inspection nothing seems the worse for the wear, it runs a 24 volt alternator that charges my battery bank which runs an inverter which powers my water pump, freezer and refrigerator.
Now I'm going to leave it off for a month and compare electric bills, should be interesting, I was having problems with rpm instability, DGman sent me a new injector pump and now it runs rock steady, the only thing I have now is a fuel leak in the copper washers on the banjo bolt on the injector pump, I'm considering trying some kind of hard plastic rings since that is low pressure there anyway, I wish it was tapped for pipe thread.

[d34]

What type of fuel?  How much did it use? 

[mbryner]

Ha, I lost that copper ring one of the first times I took that banjo bolt off.  Didn't have an extra one so I used teflon sealant.   Hasn't leaked at all.   That was almost 1000 hours ago.

Yeah, we're interested in your results/data.

Marcus

[fabricator]

It has run on my biodiesel it's whole life so far, it used 3.33 gallons in 24 hours, so 17.76 ounces per hour, wow, that's kind of a patriotic number So it cost me $2.66 per 24 hours, I want to get a heat exchanger set up so I can run on centrifuged and dried veg oil.
That would bring it down to about a dollar per 24 hours.

[Ronmar]

Is the copper washer distorted?  If not, just heat it red hot to anneal/soften it and it should then be able to conform to the surfaces and make a seal...

[fabricator]

I'll try that, there's one on each side of the banjo fitting.

[veggie]

Fabricator,

Thanks for the feedback on your system useage.
It will be interesting to see the difference now that you are on the grid again.

Veggie

[fabricator]

Yeah it's kinda strange when you can't wait for the electric bill

[vdubnut62]

After you heat that washer quench it in cold water. Yeah, the tempering process works opposite for non-ferrous metals,
the quicker you cool copper, the softer it will be. To a point of course.
Ron

[fabricator]

Definitely gonna try that.

[sailawayrb]

The only thing I have now is a fuel leak in the copper washers on the banjo bolt on the injector pump, I'm considering trying some kind of hard plastic rings since that is low pressure there anyway, I wish it was tapped for pipe thread.

That was one of the first things I did.  That is, lost the banjo bolt and Indian rubber hose setup, drilled/tapped injector for NPT, then installed SS fittings and teflon line that could handle diesel/VO and being heated to 500 deg F.

Bob B.

[mike90045]

Is the copper washer distorted?  If not, just heat it red hot to anneal/soften it and it should then be able to conform to the surfaces and make a seal...

How do you do that to prevent it from getting all "oxidiziey" and black flakes ?

[BioHazard]

with only a few hours down for an oil change

I always thought it would be neat to come up with a system that burns a metered amount of oil with your fuel from an add on oil tank, you'd never need to shutdown to change the oil, just top it off every now and then. (the way some big trucks work) I've seen aftermarket kits for this but I can't remember how they worked now....

[playdiesel]

Glad to hear it ran good once the pump problem was fixed!  

I have been replacing the copper washers with fiber washers and have had great luck with them as long as the surfaces are reasonable. Most of the Indian stuff will have burrs and dents that affect sealing, I just file them flat. Annealing the copper washers as suggested helps a lot too. Heat to dull red and quench and they will be dead soft.

Picture is one of many kits that are sold. Search for "red fiber wasers" or "sealing washers" or similar. Mine is much larger and came from Ebay. It has like 50 sizes from 1/8" hole to 1 1/4" with several O.D.s for each I.D.

Harbor Freight sells a small kit like this

[BruceM]

Congrats Fabricator!
After your first extended run, it might be a good idea to take a look at the upper bearing shell surface (on your next oil change).  This is really the only place on these engines where you can see the short term effects of dirt/sand.  Better to know, and take corrective action.

Best Wishes,
Bruce