Creosote?

[svd dragunov]

Has anyone ever tried creosote oil in an engine? Multifuel or otherwise? was doing some research on it and was kind of intrigued.
Not to be confused with solid creosote (like in your chimney) but the light oil made from distilling it.
There are 2 types of creosote oil. Wood tar creosote (what they use for smoking meat) and coal tar creosote. Not really planning on trying it as i have no access to it. Just a general curiosity.

 

[WRMorrison]

I'm far from the expert, but way back when I was considering burning old railroad ties in a wood burning stove, I was warned against it. I was told that the creosote would burn way too hot. Might have a similar reaction being burned in an engine?

-WRM

 

[svd dragunov]

I found some more info. Heres an interseting article.
http://apps.kemi.se/flodessok/floden/kemamne_eng/kreosot_eng.htm#top

We have burned old railroad ties. They do indeed burn hot. But not any worse than coal. The worst part is the smell. Not to mention the how bad it coats your chimney. They use the heavier Creosote oil for the ties.

 

[m16ty]

I wouldn't even consider putting creosote in my deuce. I'm just going by when we used to paint fences with the stuff. I would think it would plug everything up.

Creosote is some nasty stuff and the EPA has really cracked down on using it. Put a drop on your arm, go out in the sun, and watch it darn near burn a hole in your arm. I don't even know if it's still available to consumers.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

When I was doing railroad trackwork, just as M16 said, it will burn the **** out of your skin, even just standing over it.

The issue is now, that railroad ties last 8-15 years before just rotting away. We were removing 70-80 year old ties that were treated with the 'good stuff' that we could have flipped over and used again...

I wouldn't want to burn that in a deuce. There was a railroad out west with an oil burning steam engine. It had steam piping in the tender, because it usually burned bunker C (basically tar) I saw an article that they tried creosote and it gummed it up.

 

[svd dragunov]

Yes the heavy creosote tar= very bad. i was just curious about the light creosote oil. this is from the article i linked.
"creosote has roughly the same boiling point as petroleum fuels like diesel and the lighter fuel oils."

And yes it is very restricted nowadays. I wouldnt even want to look for it. But if you came accross some of the light stuff. In an emergency situation would it run? Thats what im more curious about. But yes there are way better alternatives out there.

 

[svd dragunov]

Apparantly the old "hot bulb" engines could run on it.

 

[maddawg308]

I'm far from the expert, but way back when I was considering burning old railroad ties in a wood burning stove, I was warned against it. I was told that the creosote would burn way too hot. Might have a similar reaction being burned in an engine?

-WRM

I lived at a place that had a Taylor stove outside, we burned creosote-soaked telephone poles in it all the time. The creosote didn't seem to gum anything up, and it burned nicely, but I will say that I wouldn't consider burning it in a stove INDOORS. The Taylor stove is designed to take all sorts of crap as fuel, without much hassle. An indoor stove like a Fisher or Vermont Castings, they would probably soot up like crazy.

 

[maddawg308]

If you HAD to run your deuce on some creosote in order to use it up, I'd throw only a gallon or two into a full tank of diesel at a time, to dilute it. The petroleum distillates in the creosote scares me as far as running it as a pure fuel. But diluted, it should be fine.

 

[M715VFD405]

I use to work for Kopper's In Somerville Tx. At one point in time that plant was the largest of BNSF's rail road ties. The first thing is the smell, I'm sure you have all got a drop of gas on your shoe and got in your car and smelled it all day. Creosote has an even higher parts per million while a drop of gas will stink up your car a drop of creosote would smell up a basketball gym. It is also cancer causing in high volumes while I was working at the plant one of the employees and his wife was suing the plant because they both had cancer. Him from working there and her from washing his cloths soaked in it I'm not sure where that case went but someone thought it was worth a high dollar lawyer. In the fire dept we had to use foam to get ties out, I went on a number of calls along the track dealing with ties on fire. One stands out we had a hot summer prolly 130 degrees in the shade, a train came through and shot sparks off over a 30 mile stretch of track. We were fighting fires for 2 days because of ties that we couldn't get put out and they would set a fire off again. It didn't help that in some areas they had stacks of new ties along the bed to replace old ones. I agree with it not being a good substitute fuel, as it burns it almost caramelizes and leaves a kinda goo.

 

[svd dragunov]

M715 the stuff at the plant was that the light oil or the heavy stuff? does the light oil crud up like the heavy stuff? I know WMO cruds up as well when it burns (lots of carbon) would the creosote be similar or worse? Thanks for the useful info.

 

[svd dragunov]

If you HAD to run your deuce on some creosote in order to use it up, I'd throw only a gallon or two into a full tank of diesel at a time, to dilute it. The petroleum distillates in the creosote scares me as far as running it as a pure fuel. But diluted, it should be fine.

Thats kinda what I was thinking. Running it as a mix. I've never personaly dealt with nor do I have any to try. Wonder if someone esle has tried it.

 

[doghead]

It will run perfectly on it, no issues at all.




























There, now you've got the answer you wanted to hear.

 

[Beyond Biodiesel]

There is no reason why creosote will not work as a fuel source; however, creosote tends to be the bottom end of a distillation unit, so it tends to be full of coke. Coke in your fuel means coke in your engine.

Creosote also tends to be predominantly aromatic benzene rings, which stink and are carcinogenic. I would crack it in a distillation unit to break the long chains into simpler hydrocarbons, and handle it with full safety equipment.

 

[m16ty]

The creosote everybody it talking about is creosote oil that they use to treat wood products. We used to buy it to paint farm fences and the stuff was as thin as diesel but much more toxic. It will thicken up and turn into a tar like substance when allowed to dry.

 

[swbradley1]

If I mix a little gas with it can I run asphalt in my Deuce MF? Just kicking around the idea of tearing up our driveway and I don't want to waste it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Unless you are getting one heck of a deal on creosote oil, the point of if it will run is moot. Even if you can, should you? Read this thread: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...el-choice-I-ve-buggered-meself-now&highlight=
Perhaps hooking up with Wreckerman893 and sharing fuels you can come up with an elixer that may work.

 

[doghead]

I'm thinking human fat as a fuel. No shortage of it.

How would I process it?

Anyone know the BTU value of human fat?

Anyone live near a Liposuction doctor?

 

[maddawg308]

This brings up the old thread of some guy out west who was offering something like 2,000 gallons of free vaseline. Can you use it as fuel in a deuce? Uh...... no? LOL

 

[doghead]

I thought of that one too...