Fuel Heaters and Filters
In the VW TDI, the original fuel line goes directly to the primary fuel filter. With the Elsbett conversion, the new fuel line goes instead to the heat exchanger, and then to both fuel filters. Both the heat exchanger and the new auxiliary fuel filter are mounted on the end of the battery frame. This requires removal of the battery and loosening the frame. The fuel filter part is easy, but the heat exchanger requires a custom bracket. Rachel had arranged for Adrian Boggs to fabricate these brackets, and he arrived on Saturday well equipped for the task. Adrian's credentials cover many areas beyond welding, and I was particularly interested in his knowledge of algae as a source of vegetable oil.
With the auxiliary fuel filter already mounted, Adrian scopes out the best position for the heat exchanger.
Adrian cuts, grinds, then checks dimensions before welding.
It's not a work of art until it's painted!
In place...
...and with the heat exchanger in position
When plumbing the heat exchanger and filters, it's often useful to clamp off each side of the cut to prevent loss of coolant or fuel.
The final plumbing for heat exchanger, auxiliary filter, shut-off valve, and temperature sensor in Kent's Jetta.
This shot of Eric Henry's Golf (converted at last year's workshop, shows his special Caterpillar fuel filter (Todd uses the same type). You can also see the filter heater wiring coming up from the lower part of the filter to a connector from which it goes to a relay on the other side of the engine compartment. Kent's looks similar except he still has an original VW-style fuel filter - slightly shorter than the Caterpillar unit.
Don found a neat place for the heat exchanger in his Vanagon - it sits behind the panel just to the left of the auxiliary filter with just the fuel outlet sticking through the panel.
A view of Mimi's Mercedes heat exchanger, filter, shut-off valve and temperature sensor plumbing.