Mercedes 813 - Early 80's Diesel - OM 352 Engine

[RAW]

YES it would have to be something very special horsebox wise for me to want to get involved...
Horse piss is like bloody acid to steel and the things very rarely get looked after as the, should....
Often Left parked up for long periods in damp yards/fields etc.

Although not a mechanic this one looks pretty solid, I don't think it was used for Horses that much and converted quite early in it's life.
Looking at the Vehicle History that I have run through paid service then it looks like it was SORN for some time yet probably in the dry.
Because I am not buying it from the chap, Damian, and because he is keen to make quite a big move to Bulgaria fairly soon then I said I would help market it for him.
Re Bio-Diesel. I think on this you would need to start/stop on Diesel and run the bio fuel in between so would need a seperate tank, a bit of clever piping and some switch between the two fuels. An interesting project for someone.

 

[trevskoda]

35p/mile is pretty normal for a truck that size? maybe even optimistic?
my van does around 25MPG which works out to be 22.7p/mile if diesel is £1.25/litre

What you may be able to do with an engine that age - and especially a mercedes - is run on SVO (standard Veg Oil) or, if you can be arsed to pre-filter it, WVO (Waste Veg Oil).
Last time I bought in bulk from the C&C, fresh Veg Oil was around 80p a litre (I think), while Diesel was running at £1.30 a litre. Quite a saving there.
WVO cost depends on where you get it. You may actually be able to get paid to take it away and just need a shed and time to filter it.

Totally legal and legitmate to run a road-going vehicle on Veg Oil, either SVO or WVO and they are exempt from excise duty for a certain amount of miles (around 12,000 rings a bell). Considering unless you get complicated with fuel pre-heaters it is a summertime fuel and in winter you revert to diesel (and spring/autumn is a mix), half your miles will be diesel and taxed, so your annual mileage could still be over 20,000 and you won't pay tax on the Veggie stuff

There is a lot more to it than filtering,it has to be methanol washed and converted then water washed before taping of for fuel,anyone stuffing raw veg in will bugger the pump seals etc as to thick.

 

[RAW]

To close this off - I didn't buy it, chap told me the person that he sold her to managed to get it stuck in the grass verge near his house !
If it comes on the Market again I would be tempted again. The Vegetable Oil, running on Bio-Diesel, would be a long term project I think.
Thanks for all the input on this one.