[AT] Canola to diesel

[George Willer]

Larry,

Just a thought... Since there is always an intake valve open or opening, I
wonder if the alternate glow plug openings were providing the necessary air
for the high compression readings?

My Mercedes engines (except for the 450 SLC) have been gone for many years
so I have no way to run the test with all the other openings closed, but I
imagine it would be quite different.

George

PS, Isn't that little 4 speed automatic a great little tranny?  No external
control except for the shift selector and mechanical throttle position
linkage.  I still have the tooling necessary for properly setting them up.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Larry D Goss
> Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 11:38 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Canola to diesel
> 
> I don't want to take sides on this issue, but I'd like to relate my
> experience with a Mercedes Diesel.
> 
> The MB automatic transmission on my 200D was unique in that it had
> pumps in it that ran off of the output shaft as well as the input shaft.
> As
> a result, it was possible to push start the engine.  I did it regularly.
> I
> would park it in the first row of the faculty parking lot on the side of
> the
> mountain at the university in West Virginia.  When it came
> time to head for home, I would put the transmission in neutral, let the
> car
> coast down into an alley, turn the corner onto the main drive, and head
> down
> the mountain.  By the time I had traveled 50 feet or so, I could move the
> shift lever into low and the engine would start spinning.  In another 50
> feet the engine was running and I started giving it some throttle.  As I
> said, I did this regularly rather than go through any of the pre-heating
> procedures.  I always started it at idle, so the throttle plate was
> closed.
> No preheating of the glow plugs; no red-hot B-B's in the pre-combustion
> chamber; no reduced compression ratio because of a closed throttle plate.
> 
> Any time I checked the compression of the engine, it was in the 300 psi
> range.  That is with the throttle plate closed, all the glow plugs
> removed,
> and the engine spinning with
> just the starter motor.
> 
> BTW, I only need to pre-heat the glow plugs on my Kubota tractor when the
> ambient temperature gets down to around freezing.
> 
> I suspect that with this spell of cold weather we're all suffering a bit
> from cabin fever.  As my Dad used to say, "I'll hold your coats while you
> and him fight."  :-)
> 
> Larry
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ken Knierim" <ken.knierim at gmail.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-
> tractor.com>
> Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 9:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Canola to diesel
> 
> 
> > Tom,
> >     The fact that the engine has a throttle plate and the ball pin
> > indicates it has different parts than a true Diesel engine. Take them
> > out to make it a Diesel and see what happens. From the description
> > given, this engine is a lot closer to a "hot-bulb" engine. Might I
> > suggest you do some research on those engines?
> > There are a number of different engines that will burn diesel fuel; I
> > have a TD-14 crawler that starts on gas and switches to diesel. It's a
> > combination of different types of engines; it has a direct injection
> > pump on one side and a carb and spark plugs on the other.
> > There are also the "kerosene" types that preheat the fuel in the
> > manifold; they can burn diesel as well but that does NOT make them a
> > Diesel engine. There is also a Hesselman that used direct injection
> > that fit your classification but had a very low compression ratio
> > (Allis Chalmers and Case tried them). It wasn't a Diesel either.
> > Honest, there IS a difference. The fact that you've been able to start
> > it without the factory-installed glow plugs doesn't mean they're not
> > necessary; the factory engineers had to justify them to the
> > beancounters before they put them in, so they're probably there for a
> > reason, just like the ball pins. You might not know the reason, but
> > I'd venture a guess the factory engineers knew why. A true compression
> > engine would not require the "hot bulb' of the heated ball pin.
> >
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_bulb_engine
> > is a good link and they have a comparison with a Diesel engine.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Ken in AZ
> >
> > On 2/5/07, Tom Yasnowski <tomyasnowski at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> Of course diesel engines have changed and improved over the years.  But
> >> the
> >> basic premise is still the same--ignition thru compression of fuel as
> >> opposed to a spark.  George says with the MB glow plugs are necessary
> for
> >> ignition.  Wonder how I started mine cold when my glowplugs were not
> >> working
> >> last fall? The heated ball pin aids in combustion but is not required.
> >>
> >>
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> 
> 
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