Injector Line Heaters - Cold Start Kits

I have been operating my Nissan Patrol as a no purge system for nearly 12 months, without using a drop of diesel fuel.  As I originally set this vehicle up as a two tank system, I can now fill both tanks with 100% Waste Vegetable Oil, offering me a range of 1200km before having to refuel.  This allows me to drive anywhere in the State and back or between capital cities before having to refuel.

In a no purge system, the Waste Vegetable Oil will stay in the injection pump, the lines feeding the injectors, and in the injectors themselves leaving the fuel components to deal with cold Waste Vegetable Oil during the initial start-up phase. The main issue with operating on Waste Vegetable Oil, is that the oil is very thick, and needs to be thinned to flow through the injectors so that it atomises properly. 

When starting from cold on Vegetable Oil, it is best to heat the fuel and fuel lines before starting,  a couple of minutes will allow sufficient time for the fuel to be heated to a reasonable temperature for the fuel injectors to cope. As the weather approaches cooler winter temperatures, it may be necessary to blend some petroleum or bio-diesel fuel with the Vegetable Oil to assist with starting.

Not using cold start heating systems may leave your engine vulnerable to serious damage such as sticking rings, cylinder wall glazing and piston seizures due to improperly atomised Waste Vegetable Oil hitting the cylinder walls for sustained periods.

You might find that a no purge system with ‘Cold Start’ is certainly the easiest way to get started, as a basic system can be installed in less than a day for under $500 without specialist tools and equipment, using your existing tank and fuel lines.  Other parts can then be added as your fuel savings grow, eventually arriving at a dual tank system if required.

It is expected that this system will be used in conjunction with a 12 volt fuel heating system prior to the injection pump, and it is preferred that an auxiliary battery is installed.

The components included with this kit:

Heating Elements

These flexible elements are 200mm long with blue bullet connectors.  The male connector is crimped to the element assembly, and the female connector has been inserted for crimping by the installer

Relay loom

Includes a fused relay with a 30amp fuse, a short length of green cable crimped with a yellow ring terminal, lengths of Red, Yellow and Grey cable for connecting by the installer.  All of these cables have a yellow blade terminal crimped to one end, fitted to the relay in the correct positions.

Switch Loom

Includes a on / off rocker 20amp switch with lengths of Blue and Black cable for connecting by the installer. These cables have a yellow blade terminal crimped to one end, fitted to the switch in the correct positions.  The Bundle also includes a length of green cable crimped with a yellow ring terminal at each end.

Digital Thermometer

(Additional $50) This unit comes complete with long life battery, 900mm long cable and probe, the maximum temperature displayed is 150°c.  The unit can be panel mounted or simply held in place with the removable suction cap provided.   The standard kit comes with a dash mounted indicator lamp to show when the system is at temperature.

Split Sleeve Tube

This fire retardant polypropylene tube is used to both insulate the heating elements and tidy up the wiring.

Insulative Covering

This specialist fire rated non-porous closed cell elastomeric foam provides both an insulative cover and barrier to water vapour. (May not fit on some vehicles)

Cable Ties

Bag of 140mm Black Cable Ties for fixing the insulative covering.

Thermostat 

The thermostat comes with two yellow blade terminals attached for the installer to crimp at a later stage.  The thermostat switches off at 90°c and back on again at 75°c offering a mean temperature of around 82°c.

Box of Spare Connectors.

 

We know that when self installing, sometimes things go wrong, so we have supplied some spare bits and pieces to make the job a bit easier.  The box includes 3 self drilling screws for fixing earth wires to the body of the vehicle, white wire tap connectors for splicing into an existing wire, and yellow ezy tap connectors for connecting into the heating array.

Aluminum Tape (Not Illustrated)

This adhesive backed tape is used for lagging the thermometer probe to the fuel line.

Copper Tape (Not Illustrated) Used to assist in conducting the heat from the elements to the thermostat, and for holding the heating element in position under the thermostat.

What you will need to provide

Pliers or a crimping tool for cutting and crimping cables.

A pair of sharp scissors

Electric screwdriver/drill

4 Cylinder Kit A$295 US$190

5 Cylinder Kit A$320 US$210

6 Cylinder Kit $345 US$230

Click here for the Instruction Manual for the 6-Cylinder Cold Start Kit