The whole reason for buying a diesel was to be able to run on SVO/WVO. I've looked into both biodiesel and SVO/WVO and found the latter more interesting for my trips which are long and generally at speed/temperature. If you drive around town, lots of little trips, then BD is a leg up for sure.
For around town, I have the electric S10. 'nuff said.
Had a look at the kits available, and came to the conclusion that I wanted to build my own. Each had it's good and bad parts, in the end I wanted something specific.
Here's the first version of the SVO system installed in the van. Battery has been relocated and is a Hawker PC1200 deep cycle AGM (former EV). Nice and small! Also the alternator is a Quantum 90A unit, on a custom fabbed bracket.
SVO comes in through the clear tube to the filter. Then out through the filter and into the VEGTHERM heater. From there, it goes through a temperature sending block and into the 6 port Pollak valve. Return is through the same valve and back into the filter.
For the next revision, I will be returning the SVO to the tank. While this setup seemed to have an advantage in that the return stayed local and hence the heat stayed in the oil at the filter, bleeding the system of air is near impossible.
Here's the list of parts I used:
Initial impressions:
Really, no change when switching from diesel to SVO. Just the smell changes and of course you draw fuel from the SVO tank. Running slow (idle) was tough but I think it was due to air stuck in the line. Halfway through the first tank the compression fitting started to leak air, so I replaced it with a barbed fitting and finished the rest of the trip with no clear hose.
Update, 10/05: Version two has a nice Tempo belowdeck fuel tank which fits neatly under the rear bench seat. Now I have full use of the cargo area, this is a good thing! The switches for operation are mounted up above the rearview mirror, easy to switch when driving and very much out of the way.