92 Dakota Cooling Rails / Tree Rebuild

Professional looking job, Bob, super.

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I just went back and read through this whole topic. Thanks for the nice journey. Well done!

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Very nice work
I think installation of a 3” washer holding a 2” thick insulation may save the fernco caps on the header pipe.

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With this long stem hanging down going the direction of the wood gas, any soot plugging problems should be taken care of. My line plug up a couple times at the tree connection fitting.


Well this project is finished. Now on to the back bottom condensation tank, it is getting pretty rusty thin on the bottom of the tank. I am not sure I realy need that big of a tank under the back of the truck. What do you guys think. I could cut 1/3 rd of the bottom of the tank off and still have a lot of room for soot and water to collect. The wood gas is not hot by the time it reaches the tank maybe a big plastic pipe with end caps, and bibs glued in for the intakes and outlets. It sure will not rust, that is for sure.
Bob

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I used a large ammo can for the rear condensate tank that seemed to work well and is very easy to clean out. The needed amount of room in the in the rear condensate tank is much less than those big tanks.

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That is some awesome work Bob!! I don’t drive my truck near as much as you under folks do but my experiences is that the hopper condensate collects more than the rail condensate. Most of all I’m burning is kiln dried construction lumber. I think Gary from Missouri has some big plastic condensate tank for the back👍

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The other factor is ware the hopper condence tank i located, my last truck set up had the hopper drain tank too close too the hopper and heat exchanger, and i got very little moisture in the tank, Too close too the heat, better mounted like waynes book, or under the truck away from the heat ware it will have a much better condenceing effect.

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Good morning Mr. Bob

I agree the rear tank is bigger than needed for condensation and soot but if I have a tank handy that will not take much time to mount I will continue putting them under the truck.

One other reason for the tank and also the huge hay filter ( filled about half with hay ) is a fuel storage . When stopped at a stop light idling l will have enough fuel to stay with the flow of traffic when the light turns green.

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Thanks Wayne, that is something I did not think about, wood gas reserves in that tank. I will be keeping most of the tank reserves then. I think it is time to check the new cooling header rails, with a tomorrow run down the road. This 92 Dodge Dakota needs to be running on some wood gas again.
Bob

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Good morning Mr. Bob

I think I should have used the wording as flywheel effect .

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Thanks Wayne
I have noticed that after a closed throttle down a long hill, or a long stop light is the most likely time for a stumble or stall if trying for a jackrabbit start.
A large storage volume of cooling rails, hay filter, and condensate tank and a “driving miss Daisy” start helps the DOW experience.

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Also, enough woodgas stored to leave a parking lot when out running arrends or get up to speed after lightup.

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Yesterday I finally got some time to focus on the truck. It was looking like snow in the air so I put the torch to the wood in the fire tube. I was saving the last bag of wood I brought back from Argos to make this run. Thank you @Ron_L for the wood.
I built up the charcoal bed by adding some charcoal to the wood mix, this really works great and you get to recycle the charcoal that came out of the ash dump. Just classified and got rid of the ash and it is ready to use. The first 15 miles I keep the speed under 40 mph, by driving the truck on the back roads to help develop the char bed.
The second half of the hopper I went out on the highway it rolled up to 55 mph, it is running fine. I still need to finish up on the intake valve and build a metal flapper valve, I can hardly wait to hear the famous clicking sounds like the Imbert gasifiers make. Also I need to mount blower box and redo the blowers, I am running with out a pusher blower, I really do not need it at the moment.
I drained of the fluids in the hayhopper, none, and the back condensation tank, none. The tar/condensation tank, Oh yes. Open the 2" drain and drained the black tar goo out too. The truck is ready for winter.
Got up this morning and winter is here, snow on my door step, Oh Boy I get to start shoving snow again, I have been waiting for months to do this. And it came just in time for Thanksgiving. I just love the white sceneries it makes to look at in the mountains. The bad news is my wood burning and driving the truck will be curtailed for now, there is no driving up the steep hill out of my place unless I chain up the 2 wheel drive truck. That’s a thought, has anyone chained up their wood burner truck and drove it on this site? That would be a first especially if you live in Alabama. Hint, hint. I’m sure the snow will melt on the roads pretty quickly . They just put the deicer on the roads last week.
Well that’s my update report for now on the 92 Dakota.
I hope and pray everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving this Thursday. I thank the God of Creation and for the family and freinds I have, this is our true riches we have here on earth.
Bob

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Good evening Bob Mac , Sounds like you fixed your wood gas truck up nicely, Happy Safe Thanksgiving too you and your family Too.

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O.K. fess up you 'ol snow-bunny! You were praying for Thanksgiving Day snow. pack building for the downhills.
S.U.

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They did open up Mission Ridge as of today. But I am not up there. I haven’t even got my skis and snow board wax up yet. Must be getting old. Hoping for a nice warm day that I can work some more on the 92 Dakota, It is really driving nice with the new cooling header tree, back bed trees and cooling rails. No more pin hole leaks causing weak gas. Not much of Wayne’s metal gasifier parts left. It pretty much is Chris and mine now. The life of a gasifier.
Bob

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Just thought I’d BUMP this back up top, Bob thanks for documenting this rebuild so well. I’m definitely thinking of investing at least stainless for my header tree. Do you have any links to the V clamp bungs?

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I got a really good deal at my friends muffler shop. Where I bought the stainless steel piping from.
Bob

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