how do 'waste oils' (WMO WTO SVO) affect lube oil?

[columnshift]

I've been exploring the option of using an older diesel engine (for instance GM 6.2 IDI, ford 6.9 IDI, early VW 1.6 IDI, cummins 6bt P-pump) to explore running a variety of waste fuels (whatever turns up) in high percentages (right up to 100% if it will run) to save substantially on fuel bills.

Any actual scientific studies i've read seem to indicate that this is hard on the engines and they don't last excessively long due to various kinds of build ups of things that wont burn (at least in the case of vegetable oils) in the chambers, and having the oil go bad fairly rapidly with buildups in there.


What i'm having a hard time finding is exactly what is deposited into the chamber and oil (specifically oil for this topic) from fueling with those oils, and whether there are strategies you could do to get more life from both engine and oil. Whether it would require far more often oil changes (too much unremovable [censored]) or whether certain additives could counteract or get it out or similar. It's possible running waste oils and having long 25k service intervals with bypass filtration wont work due to a buildup of other more chemical gunk.

If nobody knows, will commonly done oil analysis tell me whats ending up in there or do they only test for things seen in 'normal' engines?

 

[2004tdigls]

generally its a disaster, burn only diesel fuel

http://web.cals.uidaho.edu/biodiesel/files/2013/08/ASABE-016051.pdf

 

[bullwinkle]

WVO tends to result in glycerine buildup in the rings & eventual loss of compression, small quantities of dino motor oil will burn OK (I've done it personally in the F-450 7.3, it runs hot & hard in summertime due to a somewhat clogged radiator). If you get carried away you'll know it pretty quickly, loss of power & smoke will result. I personally wouldn't try it in winter, nor with a non IDI diesel.

 

[A_Harman]

I've been running motor oil, gear oil, ATF, hydraulic oil, PS fluid, etc in my Cummins Dodge for about 10 years/170k miles, and it has done OK. I run concentrations up to 9%, and combustion noise is less, and fuel economy slightly improves. But I don't blend in waste oil during the winter. I hoard it until spring, then blend it in during the warm weather.

I haven't noticed any negative effects on my UOA's, but don't have an A vs. B comparison to offer because I have always been running some waste oil in the truck over the 3+ years I've been doing oil analysis.

 

[CT8]

This may be of interest.https://quickserve.cummins.com/info/qsol/products/newparts/centinel.html

 

[HerrStig]

Anyone seen an emissions test on an engine running waste oil?