Anyone using used ATF, Motor Oil, Veg Oil in Tractors?

1130Leo · May 17, 2012

I am wondering if anyone has tried to use the used oils in their tractors??? I have a truck that will use any of them, just curious about my tractors.

buickanddeere · May 17, 2012

How much money are you saving in case there is an injection system rebuild or engine rebuild due to abrasive ash?

1130Leo · May 17, 2012

Well, I'm not currently using it in either, but I am in the process of setting up a filtering system to "clean" the used fluids prior to use. There are several people that are currently using this process and it's costing them approximately $0.45 per gallon, which since diesel is at $4.00 plus here, the savings is huge. Just wondered if anyone has experiance using it in tractors.

rustyfarmall · May 17, 2012

Don't you still need to blend those products with diesel fuel? Do you get the same BTUs and horsepower that straight diesel gives?

oldtanker · May 17, 2012

Not I. They put additives in diesel to lube the pump and injectors plus the valve train. I think it's at penny wise pound foolish thing that going to cost some people big in the long run.

Rick

farmer boy · May 17, 2012

There's a guy around here that uses soy oil mixed at 10%. I think with the older systems it works better though, he mentioned having to be careful with the common rail systems. You have to be careful not to use too much unless you convert it to bio diesel, which could be used 100% so long as it's warm enough.

Ken Macfarlane · May 17, 2012

Lots of people dump their used oils into their bulk diesel tank here. I've not tried it but they claim its fine if you dilute it. I've dumped a quart or two of expired food grade veggie oil into my tank on occasion. Seems to burn fine.

I alway though it was crazy to risk an injection pump on drain oil but apparently some fuels like home heating fuel is delivered dirtier than drain oil.

Knowing what can end up in my drain oil, I'd never risk taking oil from others for this.

chevytaHOE5674 · May 17, 2012

I have a centrifuge setup and filter all of my waste oil and ATF through it after heating it to remove any moisture. I mix it 80/20 with regular unleaded gas and run it in my ford IDI pickup and all of my older diesel tractors. Burned hundreds of gallons of it and had no issues. In fact I have a 55 gallon drum going through the "fuge" as we speak, after it goes through 4-5 times its ready to mix and run.

RGMartin · May 17, 2012

I ran 30 gallons of waste Veg(french fry only) oil through a tractor this spring just to see if I could. I filtered it through a pair of CAV 296 filters as I pumped into the tank. It needs overhauled anyway, not much to loose, and will let me have a look inside her in a few weeks.

Couple issues I see;

It stinks when it burns, like rancid oil

It is sticky if spilled on anything, and I suspect inside the fuel system too, but maybe only when exposed to air.

Throttle response is much quicker, turbo spools quicker.... More BTUs per gallon????

buickanddeere · May 17, 2012

Slinging the oil through a centrifuge then filtering with a 1 or 2 micron filter is different than just dumping used oil in the fuel tank.

buickanddeere · May 17, 2012

Slinging the oil through a centrifuge then filtering with a 1 or 2 micron filter is different than just dumping used oil in the fuel tank.

chevytaHOE5674 · May 17, 2012

(quoted from post at 12:03:59 05/17/12) Slinging the oil through a centrifuge then filtering with a 1 or 2 micron filter is different than just dumping used oil in the fuel tank.

Correct. The investment in a pump, centrifuge, and filters paid for itself within the first hundred gallons. I get oil from friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc and at the end of the day it cost me practically nothing to drive my pickup fuel wise. And last year I made all of my hay with WMO so it was extra money in my pocket when it came time to sell the hay.

cshess · May 17, 2012

I have question.What happens to salt that might be added to used cooking oil?Aparently it doesent hurt as seems its being used with out any problems.Seems to me that would be hard on polished parts in injector pumps.

oldtanker · May 17, 2012

(quoted from post at 13:31:45 05/17/12) I have question.What happens to salt that might be added to used cooking oil?Aparently it doesent hurt as seems its being used with out any problems.Seems to me that would be hard on polished parts in injector pumps.

I really don't think there will ever be a honest answer to this. Seems the folks willing to try this will not do it on a new engine and compare it to another new engine running pump diesel and most if not all will claim that they saved a great deal and that it did not shorten injector/pump or engine life with little or no proof one way or another. I'm not willing to risk a 5K engine overhaul, the cost of new injetors or a pump to find out. Heck what's the diesel option on a new pick up? Last time I looked about 8500 or so. That's way more than I'm willing to gamble on.

You got the money to spend then go for it.

Rick

wisbaker · May 17, 2012

Used cooking oil- the renders call it "yellow grease" that's the commodity it becomes after they clean it. It can be processed with out a centrifuge by settling or washing. The stuff we'd pick up from restaurants was usually 15-20% water, more if it rained recently because a lot of folks don't shut the lids on their grease barrels. We used a vacuum truck to collect it, at the plant we would put steam on the truck to get the grease good and warm then pump it into a cone bottom tank, processes vary from plant to plant we would heat with live steam until it got up to about 180* and was rolling pretty good then cut the steam off. After a few hours it would settle out and we would drain the water and "bottoms" off, on top would be good clean oil. Some plants add salt (increases the density of the water so it splits quicker) and soda ash light, TSP or sodium sulfate to help it break. some plants with more tank space didn't heat as much or use chemicals, after a few days it break and they could drain the water and bottoms off. Some places centrifuge the bottoms to recover the 5-10% oil it has, others rum it into other processes or sell the bottoms out.

wisbaker · May 17, 2012

Used cooking oil- the renders call it "yellow grease" that's the commodity it becomes after they clean it. It can be processed with out a centrifuge by settling or washing. The stuff we'd pick up from restaurants was usually 15-20% water, more if it rained recently because a lot of folks don't shut the lids on their grease barrels. We used a vacuum truck to collect it, at the plant we would put steam on the truck to get the grease good and warm then pump it into a cone bottom tank, processes vary from plant to plant we would heat with live steam until it got up to about 180* and was rolling pretty good then cut the steam off. After a few hours it would settle out and we would drain the water and "bottoms" off, on top would be good clean oil. Some plants add salt (increases the density of the water so it splits quicker) and soda ash light, TSP or sodium sulfate to help it break. some plants with more tank space didn't heat as much or use chemicals, after a few days it break and they could drain the water and bottoms off. Some places centrifuge the bottoms to recover the 5-10% oil it has, others rum it into other processes or sell the bottoms out.

BushogPapa · May 17, 2012

I just found a full fuel tank of #1 stove fuel here..
If I filtered the used oil well enough, what amount of #1 could be mixed with Used Motor Oil, to make a good Diesel Fuel..???
Have Plenty of both here...

Ron..

Bob Bancroft · May 17, 2012

I bought 100 gals. "pure" (99%) "biodiesel" (reclaimed veg. oil) from a processor last summer. I mixed it with my diesel fuel at various levels from 1 to 20%. I had no problems. Don't think I would try it in the winter though!
I was using it for the lubrication. It was priced the same as diesel fuel at the time.

JOB · May 17, 2012

#1 heating oil is also #1 diesel fuel. The diesel fuels are dyed now so the DOT boys can fine you for using un-taxed fuel for going down the road. I use #2 heating fuel in my equipment all the time.

chevytaHOE5674 · May 17, 2012

Personally I would have ZERO problems running my "fuged" waste motor oil and ATF in any of my equipment or truck on a fresh rebuild of the motor/injectors/injection pump.

Heck I just replaced the pump and injectors in my pickup and have a couple hundred gallons of WMO through them with no problems. They were replaced because the truck had 280k miles on it and figured it was time for a rebuild. With the money I save in a year of driving I can pay for a set of injectors and a pump.

Granted this is all ran in mechanical injection motors with no emissions equipment or anything.

scotc · May 17, 2012

I wouldn't use old transmission fluid. Under high pressure (such as in the injector pump and injectors) the additives make it more abrasive, and it can eat up the internals.

If people are blending in oil with their fuel and getting better economy out of the engine, it's probably because the injection system is worn and having the extra lubrication in the fuel lets it work better.

shaun wallace · May 17, 2012

Tried some used cooking oil,got for free, dumped some in tractor ran ok but exhaust smelled like the local fast food joints french fries havnt done since.

Texasmark1 · May 18, 2012

The dye is only in off road diesel made for off road equipment that is not used on public roads and hence is not subject to public road use tax, both state and fed.

Mark

1130Leo · May 18, 2012

Looks like I"m not the only one thinking about it. I am in the process of getting a multifuel truck. I have a source to get approximately 500 gallons a year of waste oil and am going to get setup and run it. Hopefully it"s worth it. 500 free gallons, that"s $2k of free fuel.

Anyone using used ATF, Motor Oil, Veg Oil in Tractors?

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